The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-05-03
DRY AGENTS TOOK BRIBE MONEY

Washington, April 28.-Wholesale
| charges of bribery collected by men
either connected with or posing as
representatives of the Department OF
Justice, involving more than $4,000
600 for promised aid to ring of
bootleggers, have been filed with
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon and
with Internal Revenue Commissioner
Blair, it was learned here today.
The charges have been put before
the White House. Members of Con-
gress who have become familiar with
the case are bringing pressure upon
the administration to order an inves-
tigation by the Department of JUS
tice.
tThe charges grew out of resent
ment on the part of men promised
protection or special favors, who
failed to receive it. The liquor ring
includes men in Chicago and Phila-
delphia with the suggestion tn at
others may be, involved
tAfidavits Explain Graft
Affidavits filed with the Secretary
of the Treasury charging collection
of the alleged graft have been placed
in copy form in the hands of Repub-
lican members of the House. Admis-
sion that the affidavits have been filed
was obtained at the office of Commits
sioner Blair and of Prohibition Com
missioner Haynes, but details were
| not given.
Edward Solomon, 1701 Majestic
Theatre Building, Chicago, is one of
group of wealthy liquor dealers
who charge they paid s122,500 to De-
partment of Justice agents and later,
failing to receive promised favors
placed the affidavits in the possession
of the Treasury officials
One of the two agents, it is
charged, has long been associated
with William j. Burns, Chief of the
| Bureau of investigation and was
prominently identified with a sensa-
tional murder case in North Carolina
several years ago.
This agent is alleged to have told
Solomon he could procure his ap-
pointment as Federal Prohibition
Director of Illinois for $4,000. The
agent is alleged to have received
from Charles W. johnson, Philadel-
| phia liquor dealer, between $4,000
and 100000 on the allegation he could
secure transfer of a large consign-
ment of whiskey from one warehouse
to another in Pittsburgh. The whisk-
ey was not moved.
Burns Sleuths Accused
The alleged Department of Justice
officials are said to be what is known
as blue ticket" men, operating di-
ssectly under Burns and not on the
regular Government pay roll.
The name of Thomas B. Fielder, as
sociated with Attorney General
Daugherty in procuring release Of
Charles w. Morse from the Atlanta
prison appears in one of the affidavits
as attorney for one Of the. .neputed
agents.
Solomon wrote several letters to
George B. Christian, secretary to the
President. and to William j. Burns,
Burns, Solomon claims, refused either
to affirm or deny that the agents
were in his employ.
The Philadelphia. affidavit says its
author was approached in Decembef
by man who claimed to be the sec!
retary of the agent relative to the
transfer of barrels of liquor. The
proposition was that it could be easi-
ly fixed and that all that would be
necessary would be to pay S6.40 per
barrel for revenue taxes and put up
that much for bond.
The secretary of the "agento
claimed for himself 5000 in cold cash
for each barrel delivered, but would
not ask this until the delivery was
accomplished. In advance he request
ed money for taxes and bond. amount
ing to $4,000 or $4,000 with which
according to the affidavits, the agent
disappeared