Evening star., 1924-01-08
GAY DINNER STAGED
TO TRAP RUM RING
Eleven Arrests Made at Party
at Which Police Were
Guests.

LslHS strategy unique III tne NatiOnai
Capital, special intelligence agents and
police last night engineered a liquor
conspiracy coup which netted eleven
arrests. including a caterer and en-
ployes, who We're trapped into serving
wet" dinner for the arresting off,
GERS in an exclusive Mount Pleasant
apartment.
All records of his transactions are in
the hands OF the special agents at the
Treasury Department, 1t was announced
his morning. Some of the names listed
in transactions include Capitol Hill per-
sonaees Of the Senate and House Of
Representatives, and while there are
some items listed without reference,
agents declared they had some knowl-
edge Of the fact that wet gods were.
being served
The coup was worked by closest CO.
operation between the police and spe-
cial agents. George E. Golding, who
was behind the Savannah conspiracy
cases, starting carving a local reputa-
tfon by his activities in this case COL
laborating with Lieut.. Davis and
Sergt. McQuade of the vice squad,
Agents Cox, Conwell and Palmer.
working with Elmer Trey, chief of
the special intelligence group super
mont, assistant United States attorney
in at the finish to watch for legal tech
nicalities.
Eleven Arrests.
The arrests on conspiracy charges
are as follows:
William Henry Simpson, forty-two,
of 1915 NJ street, caterer.
Mrs. Ellen Simpson, thirty-eight,
same address
Peter Frederick, forty-two, of Alex
andria, Va.
Joseph Bradley. forty-nine, of 1914
Corcoran street.
George Kerridge, forty-eight, of 1915
Goth street.
Alfred Gilkes. fifty, of 1907 New
Hampshire avenue.
Walter Laslatt, forty, of 1917 M
street.
John Poltes. thirty-three, of 1902 r
street.
Frederick William surguy, fifty
Benjamin Harris. coIored. thirty-
nine, of All 18th street.
Arthur BEETLES, twenty-seven, of 1915
NJ street.
The stage was e1aborately set. A
ioCal hol udu lufIllSneQ OO6l4S of
the choicest seasonal blossoms for
the occasion. The apartment breathed
joviality. Places were set for TWEEN
ty-four.
According to the police, arrange
ments had been made for the wet
goods. They arrived first. Lieut..
Davis. Elmer Trey and all the rest
of the guests" were gathered there
waiting to celebrate the festivity.
sary.
The alleged liquor arrived first,
according to the agents. A few sam.
pies We're tried - champagne and
Scotch and rye and cocktails The
eats were delayed a bit-but what
mattered 1t?
Party Receives Shock.
Just as everything was looking ripe
and rosy thunderbolt struck down
from the serene. The arrests were
the walters. who were seven In num-
per, and Simpson were taken to the
Treasury Department.
Then another angle was popped by
McQuade and Davis. They hurried to
the caterers place. There Mrs. Simp-
SON was placed under arrest and
DOCKS were seized, and about $1,000
worth of first-class stuff was con-
fiscated.
Most were released on bond, but
simpson forgot the name of his at
torney, with the result that he was
held until this morning. when George
F. Havell of the firm of Hawken &
Havell put in an appearance and ar
ranged bond.
Because Of the publicity recently at
tending list of prominent names,
agents and police were chary about
telling of the prominence Of those in
this latest book. Then there is none
too strong evidence that these per-
sons were actually patrons.
Simpson, it is understood, has an
enviable record as a caterer, having
tended at several White House af-
fairs in the past