San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-18
HOME OF PROHIBITION
Bonds Totaling $4,000
Already Furnished for
Releases.
ASHER'S WORK AGAIN
Even Mother Didn't Know
Slick Dry Sleuth in
Disguise.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. filed
by ]. i. Asher, prohibition bureau
king Of DISCUSSES, federal agents and
local. police today staged the second
spectacular raid Of their determined
campaign to dry up the nations cap
ital. -
The prohibition dragnct, cleyerly
woven by the genius Of Asher, result
ed in the arrest of nearly 20 per-
sons on charges Of bootlegginE, the
confiscation OF about 5000 gallous
of illicit liquor and the seizure OF
score of stills.
At an early hour tonight, bonds
totaling about $4,000 had been fur
nisbed for release Of the alleged boot
leggers.
Determined TO clean up Washing.
ton, "the home Of prohibition aud
the seat of the national enforcement
agency, before making concerted
effort to dry up other cities through
out the country, the prohibition bu-
reau believes its purpose is near ac-
complishment.
Sahara on Potomac.
The nations capital as the result
of the raid today and the similar
ones few weeks ago, in which about
60 persons were arrested. will be
made one Of the dryest cities in the
country, officials believed.
Today's raid, like the first one,
took the bootleggers completely by
surprise.
It was made possible by the clever
work of Asher in collecting evidence
and ferreting out bootlegger hauuis
BY means of his DISCUSSES.
Almost single handed Asher, By
using tactics that read like the tic
ton of Nick Carter, is drying up the
nations capital.
Disguised as a colonel, apartment
house janitor, ash man, piano tuner
laundry wagon driver, a garbage col
lector, an ice man and bootleSger
confidant, Asher collected all the in
formation that made possible the first
raid. -
Bootleggers Relieved. But
After this success, Asher mystcri-
ously disappeared, the prohibition Of
ficers announced I
They said he had gone TO Penn
sylvania and New Jersey to try his
DISCUSSES on boOtleggers there. Wash
ington bOotleggers breathed long
sigh of relief at the announcement.
But apparently Asher just took a
weeks vacation to think up some new
tricks to worry the liquor dealers.
About two weeks ago Asher quietly
slipped back into Washington.
In a few days be was one of the
most prosperous oyster and fish ped
dlers in the section of the city where
the bootleggers' population is mos'
dense.
As an assistant, Asher trained Pri-
vate Bauer, Washington pOlicenau'
and the pair by their ingenuity arc
now outshining New York's famous
prohibition sleuths, Izzy Einstein AND
Moe Smith. Bauer became so apt ~
the Nick Carter tactics that, as a
huckster. he sold his mother apples
without her recognizing him.
Bottles OF Evidence.
Every time Asher and Bauer sold a
fish or an oyster, they pretended TO
be very thirsty and soon had spotted
several places where bootleg liquor was
obtainable.,
The next disguise was that Of huek'
Sters. Every day the two sleuths
brought in many bottles Of erideucc
buried beneath their CARLOAD Of ap-
ples. oranges. bananas and cabbage.
Adding a classical touch TO their
work. Asher and Bauer became Grees
statesmen Of plaster Of paris statues
and again obtained more evidence.
An invasion Of the Italian quarter
was next decided ON.
The two agents were approaches .,
an Italian who sought TO convert
| them to the FaScisti
Not being able 70 understand tist
ian they simply stood and shruEssa
I their shoulders as the propagapda
agent pleaded his case.
/ Meanwhile a crowd was gatherin'
around Asher's pcddler Wagon. Fear
i ing detection unless be could ansNs'