Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-28
MORE CORRUPTION
CHARGES ARE LAID
BEFORE SECRETAR

WASHINGTON, April 26.-Secre
tary of the Treasury Mellon today
ordered sweeping investigation OF
alleged grating and corruption
among prohibition enforcement
agents. New evidence has been laid
before Mr. Mellon, and he has turned
it over to Internal Revenue Commits
sioner Blair, with orders to act
promptly.
Alleged irregularities by agents IN
New York, Philadelphia and Boston
first will be gone into.
The new evidence, Mr.. Mellon in
Dictated, included charges that some
prohibition agents had been pocket,
ing taxes collected from owners of
liquor in warehouses. The agents
would tell liquor owners that on pay
ment of the taxes the liquor would
be freed. Several who have been
swindled in that way have com
planned.
No loss to the government has
been disclosed Mr.. Mellon indicated.
In connection with the visit to
New York yesterday of treasury
agents to look over the rum fleet,
Mr.. Mellon said, he did not send
them, and indicated the trip was
probably a private junket.
ALABAMA AGENT ASKED
TO CONFER WITH MELLON
WASHINGTON, April 26.-Conrad
W. Austin, general prohibition agent
with headquarters at Birmingham,
who resigned yesterday because, he
said, he was not given a free-hand
In the investigation of charges made
against federal enforcement agents
In Alabama, South Carolina and
Florida, has been asked by Prohibit
ton Commissioner Haynes to come
to Washington to discuss the charges
1t was announced today.
Mr.. Austin has announced he would
institute an independent investiga-
ton or conditions in Alabama, be-
ginning at the point where says he
was halted by NJ. Overpeck, chief OF
the Eighth division with headquar-
tiers in New Orleans. If results arr
not obtained by this private irVesti-
CATION, Mr. Austin declared ne would
call a mass meeting of Alabama citi-
zens to whom he would present the
case in detail as far as his investiga-
ton had carried.
The assistant prohibition director
at Birmingham and three Of lis staff
recently were suspended by Commits
sioner Haynes, and the Intelligence
unit of prohibition headquarters was
said today to be conducting thor.
ough investigation of the office.
EIGHT LIQUOR INDICTMENTS
ARE RETURNED IN CHICAGO
CHICAGO, April 26.-By the AS
ISOLATED ess.l-Federal indictments
naming seven men, as well as the
firm of Grommes & Ulrich, liquor
dealers, which recently was dissolved
by distribution of its 100000 stock
of liquors to the stockholders, were
returned before District Judge Will
kerson, today by the federal grand
jury.
The firm and the individuals, who
included Charles A. Williams, the at
torney who had charge of the legal
details in connection with liquida'
ton of the firm, former Alderman
r. J. Mulcahy and five others, were
charged with violation of the feder'
a, prohibition law and with aiding
and abetting in the illegal transpor-
tation of liquor.
Few of the men named are wide
Iy known and none of the extremely
wealthy men said to have been
among the stockholders who receiv-
ed the LIQUOR dividends were indicted
but the grand jury did not stop its
work on the case with the return OF
the indictments. The jurors return
ed to their chamber to continue the
investigation with the possibility, it
was understood that further indict'
ments might be returned.
Commissioner Haynes this afte"
noon issued a formal statement ex
planning the relative duties of Mr..
Austin and the intelligence unit
and denied Mr.. Austin was called
"off" from any duty because ii
might involve the Alabama office
personnel. Mr.. Austin was relieved
Commissioner Haynes said, follow
ing the usual procedure of turning
over investigation to the Intelligence
unit.
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