Evening star., 1924-01-06
Was Legal Request From
Honduran Legation for
Release of Liquors.
MINISTER EXPLAINS
RIFLING OF HIS FILES
Mystery Surrounds Use Made of
Document Seized in Bootleg
Raid.

a thorough lDFeStlRatlOH 10 de-
termine how a couy of letter from
d former prohibition official addressed
to The Honorable. the Charge
d d'Affaires Of Honduras came into
the possession of John J. Lynch, who
was arrested Friday night on charges
Of selling liquor. was promised yes
terday afternoon by Prohibition Com
missioenr Roy A. Haynes.
This letter was dated January 16.
1920. 1t replied to a request from
the Honduran legation relative to
the release of three barrels of whisky
from a bonded warehouse for diplo-
matte use.
Stolen From Files.
While DIR. Salvador Cordova, Hon
duran minister to the United States.
stated last night that he was certain
there had been no leak" from the le-
cation, the secretary of the legation.
Senior r. Camilo Diaz. who was charge
d'affaires in 1920. recalled that one
night last summer the door to his
apartment had been jimmied open and
papers in his files rifled, although no
lying about. were touched. At the
request of The Star, he went through
his files last night and said the origi-
nal of the letter-the copy of which
was found in the possession of Lynch
was not to be found.
st don't know how copy of this
letter came into the hands of such peo-
pie" he said. 'It is absolutely un-
explainable to me-
Letter From Hughes.
While this new angle to the Cap
itars latest liquor scandal was in
teresting officials last night. Repre-
sentative Ewin L. Davis of Tennessee
made public a copy of a letter re-
ceiyed from Secretary of State
Hughes. replying to one he had writ
ten requesting information on diplo-
matte liquor. After detailing the
various provisions of the regulations
relating to diplomatic immunity, Sec
diplomat is found failing to observe
the spirit of the laws of this country
relating to sale and transportation of
liquor, there are doubtless available
methods of causing the abatement of
such conduct, the application of which
would fall within the sphere of ex-
ecutive action at the discretion of tie
President
After saying that he had completed
an informal probe into the connec-
tion of the legation with the letter
found in the possession of Lynch
Friday night. DR.. Cordova said that
there had been only about seven
cases OF liquor ordered for his use
a short time before Christmas, and
he estimated there were not more
than five or six cases at present
among the other members Of the le-
CATION staff
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
said last night that every effort will
be made, to run down every angle
of this case, and, he add, if this
missive formed a clue with a work
able basis no stone would be left
unturned in the attempt to learn If
diplomatic liquor from any legation
or embassy was finding it's way into
Illicit liquor traffic channels.
Letter Is Legitimate.
1t was explained at prohibition head
quarters by Commissioner Haynes that
the letter, on its face, is a perfectly
legitimate document, dated on January
16, 1890, the day when prohibition went
into effect for the nation, and contain
iy,or
the charge daffaires relative to allow
ing three barrels of whisky to be re-
leased from bonded warehouse for
diplomatic use.
The mystery is: Why did a person
apparently with no concern as to why
Honduran diplomats in this country
should get three barrels of whisky have
this paper in his possession almost four
years after it's date?
This is the angle about which the
probe will center. 1t was made clear
by Commissioner Haynes, however,
that in SO far as foreign legations are
concerned, the prohibition enforce
ment unit has no jurisdiction. On
the other hand. Judge Britt. advisory
nay HCS, poiALSo OuL
that II this copy of a letter should
furnish clue to connection between
Illicit liquor traffic and a foreign le-
cation, the case will be turned over
to the State Department for action.
Search for Man.
The first move will be to ascertain
whether the man to whom this let
ter was addressed is still in the
country. The next will be to at
empt to trace. via the Illicit liquor
traffic route, any possibilities of in
erlocking interests between any le-
cation and any set of Illicit liquor
AS for the list that was captured
last night--that also was seen. 1t Is
on few little sheets of white paper
about the width of this column and
about six inches in length--and the
names appeared with cryptic charac-
ters in back of some and with other
insignia and numerals in back Of
others. First names were not used
in the list. There are some on thai
list that are attached to some of
~, Do nc. Hoiurnu y