The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-08-21

Supplied Liquor Along Entire Atlant-
:. Seaboard. Developments May
lead TO Arrest of Some State and
Federal Officials, 1t Is Said.
SAVANNAH, Ga.-Further devel-
,monts and arrests are expected IN
c.r,nnah in the roundup of alleged
fanor dealers which has assumed a
|nsgnitude that startled the city
More than IS persons have been ar
.,ted and the United States commits
|orer has established himself on a
|Roor Of one of the largest local hotels
II handle preliminary hearings and
1 bonds.
Automobiles to the value of be-
ven $4,000 and $4,000 have been
lezed The persons arrested include
n,nv who are widely known in Sa-
annah
Banker Held.
Iohn J. Powers, vice president and
lashier OF the Exchange bank, was
saken into custody Oh a warrant charg-
ne conspiracy to violate the national
4 nv law. The exact nature of the
sbsrges against Mr.. Powers, who is
'rominent in Savannah. have not been
tcclosed He has made bond.
The local roundup follows secret
/ York covering a period of two months
" department of justice and internal
|fyenue department men. They secur-
HI evidence against alleged liquor sell
rs and when evidence was in hand
cyan to take them into custody.
William Haar, a one-time grocery
slerk. is described as the principal
4 ader OF a ring which officials here
. lain operated a fotilla of craft, had
i own cement lined store houses in
he swamps along the Georgia and
Florida coasts and supplied enormous
nntites of liquor along the Atlantic
|eaboard as far east as New Jersey,
|ver the south and as far west as st.
/ Louis Chicago and Cleveland.
Heading forces of less wealth and
'trength, according to justice officers,
here c. Graham Baughn, Richard
Bailey and Sam Goldberg. These four
BE referred to as the "big four" and
was said they were known in boot
4 e. circles throughout the country. i.
Haar is alleged to own number OF
\ raft of British registry which were
sed to import intoxicants from Cuba,
be Bahamas and other points in the
lest Indies. But the ring, the story
4 oes, reached out even to Great Brit
|in France and Canada for its sup
Pies. The craft bringing stocks from
earby ports would anchor outside
be three-mile limit, the claim is, and
a motor boats would make the
ansiers to store houses ashore. Dis
Fibution then would be made by au-
&mobies and trains.
Extensive Operations.
Operations of the ring are said to
7 ave extended along the east coast OF
florida and the Georgia coast, which,
tcause of their numerous bayous and
lets isolated by large swamps, made
her operations comparatively tree
&om detection from shore. Finally
Forts were made to break up the
smuggling from the sea, but with
Hrndreds of miles of coast line on
7hch to operate the rum runners us
&ly were successful in evad1ng cap
ire.
1t was two years ago that informa-
Nm reached the. department of justice
Rat Savannah was the port for the
fCelpt and distribution of much OF
e liquor reaching the southern and
stern markets. Mrs. Mabel Walker
( lIIebra, an assistant to the attorney
tneral, who is charged with the en-
Tcement of the prohibition law, or
4 Pred prohibition enforcement agents
the Georgia city in an effort to
FAX up the illicit trade.
BY this time, however, the ring
ON a beginning on a small scale
ID become, according to officials, a
Pee and powerful organization with
efficient intelligence" department.
ederal and State Officials Implicated.
Savannah has never before known
investigation of such magnitude
u the one under way. 1t is said that
ere are sixty prohibition enforce
ent agents and department of JUS
men in the city. An entire floor
local hotel is employed by the
TCeS, Many persons have been exam
ca by the officials and two or more
speects, it is reported, were kept I'M
lre OF questions through an entire
snt While forty or more arrests
I've been announced it is generally
tSed that more are to follow.
department. of justice officials de-
aIed today that the leaders in the
seSt and most powerful bootleg
IN the United States have been
M MI. INTO custody in these arrests
uuluonal arrests are anticipated and
was stated that the case might lead
some state and federal officers.
LAR c,d has been released under bond
$4,000.
Inc roundup has served to some
,aI lessen the sale of liquor in Sa.
HSHRTTpN ITAr1r-ru To