The Washington times., 1924-04-05
HARD DRIVE
. BY POLICE
NBO[}ZE
TRAFFIC
Society BootIeggers Will Be
Caught in Net, Says Lone
Wolf" Asher.

In spectacular attempt to wipe
out illicit traffic in liquor here,
Metropolitan police, led by mem
bers of the vice squad and the
omnipresent clone Wolf" Asher,
are today engaged in an unprece-
denied drive against liquor law
Violators.
From the time of the first raid,
shortly after 8 o'clock today, until
after l o'clock, when the raiders
stopped for a breathing spell and
to snatch lunch, there was no
let-up in the drive.
More than 1875 arrests have been
made, with the promise from
Asher that Washington's society
bootleggers will feel the hand of
the law this afternoon.
Throngs Cheer at Stations.
Scenes in and around the Second
precinct bore resemblance to a gen:
0ral outpouring of the people of the
neighborhood. Great throngs
cheered each new arrival as the
hard-pressed police drew up to the
station house with each additional
load.
Suit cases. crates and boxes of
all types, bags, satchels, and other
types of containers were used by the
police in carrying confiscated liquor
to the station. a
The raids, which are believed to
have stopped the sale of much
liquor here, are being made in rapid
succession.
A count shortly before i o'clock
today showed that more than 125
had been arrested, and many OF
them were charged with more than
one offense.
BOndsmen Kept Busy.
Bondsmen were kept busy ar.
ranging collateral for their clients
The output Of the raids was SO
rapid that the bondsmen are prac.
many requests for bond.
A scene Of bedlam presents itself
in the. Second precinct.
Prisoners are being brought in
Tar faster than the police can book
and search them.
For a time the cells held the
prisoners. Then the overflow was
taken into the corridors about the
cells and finally policemen were
told off to watch the prisoners in
various rooms at the station. Most
of the prisoners are clamoring for
water and food and there are nc
facilities that will permit them to
do other than stand or lean against
their hapless companions.
Loud talk permeates the pre-
Oinct.
Hotel Manager Taken.
Notable among those caught
In the dragnet was Joe Freeman,
fight promoter, and Emil KrOuse.
manager of the Rochester Hotel,
91O Il street northwest.
Lieut.. o. r. Davis and Sergt
James McQuade, with Private Wat
son Salkeld, risked their lives t.
affect these arrests. Four previou.
raids on the Rochester convinced
the police that they would have
to act quickly in further raids
and, in an effort to take the of
ficers of the hotel unawares they
climbed down the elevator shaft
In a room on the top floor q
large quantity of bottled liquor
was found. Freeman and Krous,
cheerfully gave their names at the
Second precinct. They were giver
extra consideration, in that the;
were not searched and were PLACED
In a quiet room upstairs.
The raiders created quite furore
ut Ninth street and New Yorl
avenue northwest, when they raidec
the premises of Bertha Shields, 9Ol
New York avenue.
Had Bottles.
Suspecting that she might have
been tipped off," the police drove
with haste to her home. When the,
got there they found her in the hall
way outside her apartment, dressed
in
wrapped up bottles.
What have you there?" she wa,
asked.
Milk" was the reply.
Nevertheless, she was booke,
when the police discovered tina
the milk was colorless.
A large amount of rare liquors
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