Evening star., 1923-11-10
Sixty Policemen and Six Dry
Agents Led by Davis in
Sweeping Raids.
GROUNDWORK CAREFULLY
LAID BEFORE DRIVE OPENS
Seventy-Five of Ninety-0ne Forays,
in Seven Precincts, Completed
by Noon Today.

With clocklike smoothness and
regularity police raiders and prohf-
bition agents. under supervision of
Lieut.. o. 7. Davis of the vice squad,
today mopped up Washington's retail
bootleg territories and brought in
seventy-one prisoners and about 500
gallons of confiscated liquor
The raids came on the heels of the
announcement of vindication of the
members of the vice squad Of charges
of irregular enforcement of prohibi-
tion laws in the National Capital.
They were almost wide in scope
Five precincts contributed flying
squadrons of picked men to assist in
the raids. By l o'clock today rs per
cent of the ninety-one planned raids
had been completed successfully, only
three fights were reported, prisoners
were jamming precincts and bonds
men were placing thousands of dol
lars an hour for the release of those
held.
Many Arrests Made.
The 1 o'clock summary revealed
that the second precinct was in the
van with arrests totaling 81, while
the fourth precinct was running a
close second. with 90; the ninth pre-
cinct, despite a late start, had gath
cred 13 into the volstead net, while
the eighth precinct reported 10 ar
rests and the sixth precinct, Z.
The ninth precinct raiders had cap
tured about 110 gallons of liquor at
o'clock; the eighth, so; the second
almost 200, and about $50 gallons
were scattered about in various other
precincts. In addition, the second
precinct raiders, led by the vice
squad. had taken about 312 gallons of
corn mash, In raid al 1449 p street,
the home of Edward Philips
At GIT New York avenue, where
Julius Ridden was arrested, Lieut..
Davis and Sergt. McQuade encounter
ed opposition. which resulted in
freefor-all fight There was no
serious casualties.
Later today when the vice squad
went to 1920 l street. where Mr.. and
Mrs. David Traino were arrested on
charges of selling, illegal possession
and destruction of liquor for evidence,
another fight started. in which Po-
liceman Salkeld of the second precinct
nearly had his trousers torn of him.
Two quarts were saved by the po-
lice, it was stated, after a large guam
tity had been destroyed by the oc-
cupants of the house. while the raid
ers were breaking in.
Several minor disorders occurred
when colored houses were rafded, but
no serious injuries were recorded.
Raids Carefully Mapped.
The raids were mapped out like
battle plan in the skirmish of oppos-
ing forces. Last night the police vice
squad gathered in the office of United
States Commissioner George H. Mac
donald and swore out the warrants.
Commanding officers in the various
precincts were handed them. Until
1880 o'clock this morning, when the
first raids began, there was no knowl-
edge of the raiding outside of the vice
squad members and the commandants
of the aforementioned precincts.
Throughout the day prohibition
agents have been flying from one pre-
cinct to another to identify prisoners
as to purchases against them. Be
cause of the activity of prohibition
agents early today in the sixth pre-
cinct the ninth precinct raiders got
a late start and had made no arrests
at 1920 o'clock.
Asher Central Figure.
James L. Asher. who was beaten
by mob near 1st and K streets
northeast recently. was the central
figure of the evidence gathering.
Aided by two confederates. he posed
as a team master and as an automo-
bile mechanic to make purchases.
Several other disguises were used
with facility.
For ten days the work of making
buys" for warrants has been pro-
Continued on Page 2. Column s.,