San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-08

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The witness then described how he
had caught Ernest Fontana. a boot
logger, in 1921, with ten barrels of
whiskey.
The case against him went
| through several assistant attorneys
hands. Fontana was finally fined
$3.50. which he never paid" Arm
strong said.
"All of these cases we're brought
TO the attention of the Department of
Justice at one time or another, were
they not? asked Senator Wheeler.
They were"
Did Not Get Bride.
Senator Wheeler took up "the Vel
dona Drug company case" and asked
Armstrong il he had been offered IL
bride in that case.
Il didn't go far enough into it for
that" Armstrong said.
Armstrong said there had been
enough wine released "for sacramento
purposes" in Illinois to flood the
state He told of q case at Joliet,
where a fellow agent shot him.
He claimed to have lost his head
Armstrong said.
But he really shot to get rid of
you?" asked Senator Wheeler.
II will always believe so.
On cross-examination. Armstrong
said administration of law in Chicago
had improved wonderfully" under
United States Attorney Olsen but
there was "stiu lots of room for i'm
provement. Olsen succeeded CLYDE.
As to the Department of Justice
policy in prohibition enforcement.
Armstrong said, there were spots"
over the country where there should
be a change. He said that Mrs. Mabel
Walker Willebrandt. in charge of this
work in the department. had said in
his presence within the past three
weeks that she was consulted only in
such cases as ".they" wanted to take
up. The witness did not elaborate this
statement.
BoOtIeggers "Non.Partisan."
The bootleggers. the witness said,
are "non-partisan.
They vote for the fellows that can
deliver" he said 1T is not confined
to the Republican party"
Counsel for Daugherty brought out
that the litigation division of the pro-
hibition unit. which issues permits
to brewerics, has no connection with
the Department Of Justice but is ex-
clusively under authority of the treas
ury. Armstrong insisted that all his
cases had been brought to the atten-
ton of the Department of Justice Off
Gals at Chicago.
The witness declared also that pend
ing criminal and civil proceedings
were opposed by the Department of
Justice and that telegram he had
seen showed this had been dictated -
by somebody in the Department of
Justice. He did not have a copy of the
message.
An order for seizure If the Stand
ard Beverage company had been OBJ
tanned by mot saying what brewery
was to be seized" he declared.
The fact that United States mar
shals were technically" in. custody
of the property. means nothing" he
said. because the "plant is operating
today
Charges Wholesale Graft.
Armstrong said he knew there
were collections Of graft every day"
in Chicago in regard to the issue Of
liquor permits. In his opinion every
plea of guilty in liquor case in Chi
cago in four years has been based on
an arrangement with the defendants
insuring that he would only be fined.
In 80 cases out of 100" he said.
the United States attorney made these
arrangements" without consulting
the prohibition enforcement officers.
Money had been paid to politicians
at the rate of hundreds of thousands
of dollars in a month" he said, ito fix
cases" He cited the case OF man
named FLOWERS" who had "squealed :"
he said, as to n $4,000 payment
made by him to negro politician ION
the south side, named McGowan.-
Armstrong said Mrs. Willebrandt
had summoned Hill to her office with
Il. G. Yellowley and James J. Britt
of the prohibition bureau last month.
She had always recommended seizure
of "outlaw breweries" Armstrong said,
and asked Britt to explain why she
had not been given complete files in
brewery eases.
"He didn't make an explanation, E"
Armstrong said.
The witness suggested that "Mr.
lellowley could tell you all that and
the committee agreed to call Yellow
| ley.
Refers to "BootIegger Lawyers"
BRITT had referred to "bootlegger
lawyers" the witness said. and on
pressure from Senators and represen-
tatives.' said what can ] ,Lo?''
Armstrong said Mrs. Willebrandt
replied she would send those who at.
tempted pressure "sOme place"
"A warm place." asked Rowland.
she didn't say that" said Arm
strong.
George W. Stock. Department Of
Justice accountant. was called to the
stand and questioned about "thq
Green case" a 100000. 900 mail fraud
case in Boston. II was "stock SILL
ing system" Stock said. and in hi,
investigation. Mr.. Green told aim that
ne could MT proceed as Harry VI.
Daugherty was his attorney" The
witness fixed the date. however. ms
before Daugherty became attorney gem
eral. He said he recommended the
case for prosecution.
And there never has been prose.
cutionF asked Senator Wheeler.
Not by the federal government
said Stock. adding that there had been
a state prosecution.
The witness read Testimony he
had made on his survey" Of the Old
Hickory Powder case in Tennessee
Assistant Attorney General John w
II. Grim. who assigned him 20 this
case. resigned after saying he had
urged the attorney general to. take
action in the case. In subsequent
conference. Stock said he declared that
his confidential memo 10 Mr.. Grim
on the case" had been turned over h