New Britain herald., 1923-10-22
Caston B. Means Accused By Grand Jury of Plot- ting to Violate Dry Law And Using Mails To Defraud
Bonds Are Fixed at $l5,O0O His Secretary Also Is Named in Similar Secret Indictment.

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 New York. Oct. es.-oaston B,
 Means. former agent of the depart
 mcnt of Justice. has been indicted with Elmer W. Jarnecke. described as
 his secretary. on four counts involy- Ing alleged conspiracy 10 violate the
 dry laws and using the mails in a scheme 10 defraud.
 Bali Put at Si5,00O.
 Means indictment became known todny when the seals were broken on four. indictments handed down last Thursday to Federal Judge Knox, and Means was released in 3l5.00o bail for hearing. It was understood Jarnecke would appear tomorrow.
 The indictments charge a series of eonspiracies 10 violate the national prohibition act. the liquor tax law, and the internal revenue laws by ille- gally removing liquor from bonded warehouses and of using the mails to defraud Sam Schmidt of Chicago in a whiskcy selling deal.
 Were Bootlcggcre' Aides.
 The conspirators were charged with having agreed to furnish bootleggers with choice brands of whiskey from distilleries and bonded warehouses. Mentioned in connection with this op- eration were "McIntire, a Tammany attorney" l.. l.. Wilson, druggist formerly Of Pittsburgh; "Dr. Loben- gier." man called sam" and anoth- CT "1litter.'
 One of the schemes of the conspir ators, it was said, involved 500,000 cases of whisl<ey and another 12,000 cases and 12.500 barrels of Kentucky and Pennsylvania liquors. From No- gember l, 1921, to March, 1923, Means, the indictments charged. con- Apired to violate the prohibition act and other federal laws more than 100 times.
 Means Long Prominent.
 Means has been prominent figure | since the early days of Americas en- trance into the war, when he was re- ported as an employe of the German | government through Captain Earl Boy Ed. the former German naval at- lache at Washington. In September. 1917. hc was alone with Mrs. Maude 1 C. King. wealthy Chicago woman, when she met death near Concord, N. C. He was eXonerated of blame in hat tragedy.
 In 1920, during his attempt to have probated the second will of James c. King. wealthy lumberman of Chicago, Means admitted his German govern mcnt connections before the war. He created sensation then by declaring that an old tomb in Trinity church- yard in lower New York was used for the transfer of sums of money be. tween himself and Boy-Ed.
 10 Others Confess.
 At least 10 other men admitted that they were participants in alleged plots with Means and his secretary, but they avoided being named as defend- ants by testifying before the federal grand jury. The first indictment involved a plot Means. his secretary and Charles W. Johnson and Jacob Stein were charged with the illegal trans- poftation of liquor from the Sam Thompson distillery warehouse at Brownsville, Pa, to a private store- room in Pittsburgh. Johnson was said to have paid Jarnecke $15,000 to further the plot. At this time Means ( was special agent in the employ of he government.
 The second indictment charged Means and Jarnecke with 8 plot to 'emove from 12,ooo to 12,5oo barrels If whiskey from the old Sweet I springs distillery warehouse at liar 'odsburg. Ky. Others mentioned in connection with this plot but not as were George F. Aud, Frank c. Morgan, Charles Stuart c. Noetling, John c. Schelling and |, ;tein. .
 Means Alone Accused. |, 4 third indictment named only IT leans as defendant and involved a i, chems to remove sS barrels of whis- - ey from a warehouse at MeadvilIe. =, "a. VI The fourth indictment charged =, leans and Jarnecke with using the z, lails 10 get s75,o00 from Schmidt on alse pretenses. Auld was q party to l., his plot it was charged. Schmidt, it ., fas said. was led to believe that =, leans through his employment in the D apartment of justice could secure the q, of five barrels of whiskey -, -orn warehouse in Chicago together fth 12,500 barrels of whiskey from le Old Sweet Springs warehouse at M and deliver it to Aud N' 'r the benefit of Schmidt This in- lctment contains nine counts. each 'ncerning letters that passed betweenI :, .pgnS. Tarnprko AI1d and Cchrnidf oi