The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-05
WET CORRUPTION REACHES TO EVEN SMALLERHAMLETS
r. P. CAMPBELL
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SMALLEKHAM ;
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 owner or teamster who delivers the material to the still and possibly hauls the liquor away. There is the wholesale dealer in moonshine. who may buy direct from the moonshinel or the moonshiner'S agent. On the other hand, the wholesale dealer may have an agent of his own who goes out to find supplies in the hands of many moonshiEers. Finally, there is tie moonshine peddler.
 The synthetic liquor division is made up in similar fashion. The legitimate owner of alcohol supplies it, in one way or another to some one for redistillation. He may sell i through deliberate connivance. He may be duped, just as the seller ot corn or molasses frequently is. Again the alcohol may be stolen from him After the alcohol is redistilled and ''doctored," it reaches the ultima te consumer in much the same way as moonshine.
 In The Smuggling Game.
 The division of labor is even finer in smuggling circles. In bringing li- quor across the Canadian line, for example, there must be a small army of automobile drivers who have no interest in the contraband except the fee they get for hauling it. There may be few aviators who bring the stuff across the line in the air There is undoubtedly a large number ot boatmen on the lakes, some of them owning the cargoes they transport, some of them hauling for pay. There are operators of spy boats. There are lookouts along shore.
 All of that and more applies to the smuggling of liquor into seaports. There are numerous other classes belonging not particularly to any di- vision of the trade, but to the illicit industry as whole.
 There is the finacier, recognized or otherwise. who furnishes money upon occasion to swing the big deals.
 There is the occasional dishonest druggist who uses his legitimate busi- ness as blind for running a saloon.
 There is the occasional unethical doctor who writes prescriptions for liquor when he knows it is to be used not as medicine but as 6 beverage
 There is the occasional professional bondaman Nho, for fee, puts up security for the appearance in court of those who are apprehended.
 Lawyers For The Defense.
 There is the occasional lawyer who speciaizes in defending violators of the prohibition law,< There is another lawyer who does /not brand himself by appearing in court as counsel for violators but conducts negotiations for the illicit interests. In large meas nre he is the man who makes claims or influence in the departments in Washington sufficient not only to take care of the Illicit interests but to protect crooked enforcement of ficial.
 recall case in which a lawyer ol that kind came under our observa- tloh. The business began in New 1ofK one night when an enforcement agent strolled into the knick er- booker Grill, recently padlocked for SIX months on order of the United States court. In little while, he was in conversation with a likely looking individual who casually in- quired, What's your line of busi- ness? The agent. assuming the pose of a bootlegger said, I'm buying and selling goods"
 think" said the stranger, T could fix it up for you to meet number of men in the game. I'm a sort of middleman. They would ex- pect me to assure them. of course, that you have the money with which to do a big business"
 Too bad" said the agent. I've got nothing with me tonight but some small chapse," He flashed roll which looked bigger than 1t was. Not cent over S2O.0O0," he con- tinued. I've got plenty more where l can put my hand on 1t tomorrow"
 The middleman though $20,0O0 woul do for starter. They went over to hotel near by and the mid dleman got in touch with several men by telephone. These men shortly nf well known. They talked of large quantities of liquor which they could deliver. Both sides, however. were cautious, anxious to have all details properly arranged before the deal was closed, Finally, the group brok @ up to get together in another city.
 This Attorney Came TO Grief.
 At the second meeting one of the leading lawyers of the second city appeared. The agent had convinced the group at the first meeting that he was not only a large dealer in H. licit liquors but an experienced dis tiller. The lawyer proposed that he join my group" go to the West In- dies and operate a distillery which would furnish all of them with ample supplies of liquor. The agent, how ever, insisted that he needed liquor immediately for tke reQuirments of | arranged in New York. The ldwye: again appeared. and the deal was | closed.
 | The liquor was delivered as agreed. | The agent had trucks waiting. He i also had confederates waiting. When | the liquor was transferred to his 1 trucks, s agreed, 1t was seized The lawyer Is now under indict- ment for his part in the affair. | though he had assured the agent that his influence in high circles was sufficient to insure immunity for anything that might be done. l ~The lawyer represented, as he 1 said, merely a group. Operating Tn ] the same territory are a number of 1 other groups. some of them equally 1 powerful. The same situation un- ] douhtedly exists in other parts O. The country. There is hardly city | so small but that it's Illicit liquo. | business IS divided among several | groups. All of these stand as pni' against the law, but within the Dor | dcrs of their own Illegal world they ] cut one anothers throats whenever opportunity affords.
 4 man who started out on small