New Britain herald., 1924-04-21
Speaker Of House Re- plies To Accusations In Daugherty Hearing And Explains Myster- ious Trunk.
Mentions Prominent Spring field Man as Owner, But Says It Was Before Dry Law Became Effective

Washington, AprA 21.-speaker Gillett appeared at the Daugherty committee hearing today and aues- tioned II. L. scaife, committee witness. as to his statement that liquor seized in Washington by prohibition agents some years ago went to Gillett's office.
 Where did you get your informa- tionr" the speaker asked. Most of it came from Mir. Woodruff" said Scailfe.
 Congressman Woodruff"
 "Yes."
 Representative Woodruff, q repub- lican. is from Michigan.)
 Scaife. former department of justice investigator, insisted that his original testimony needed no cur rection" to his knowledge. He re- iterated that his information was that the speaker got the liquor for con- stitnent.
 Gillett Denies Charges
 The witness then turned to the speaker and asked if he denied" that the liquor had gone to his office.
 q certainly do." said Gillett.
 Do you deny that a trunk went there?" Scaife persisted.
 Gillett said constituents trunk had been taken to his bffice but that 1t had no liquor in it.
 Speaker Gillett then mhde a state nent to the committee under oath. He said that in the spring of 1929 he had ba,r1 and a,V,n1 t1.. .a..ns .a.. trunk of liquor had come to his office.
 On investigation he said that trunk from which liquor had been removed, had been sent to his office for a constituent in 1919.
 Primint1it Springfield Ma1
 This was before the volsttNd law but it was against the law to trans- port liquor through dry territory the speaker said. adding that his friend. who owned the trunk "a very distinguished citizen of Springfield, Mass" had been bound on fishing cruise and had ''six bottles of liquor in the trunk" It was the breaking of one of these which led 10 the seizure.
 Department of justice records were produced by the speaker to show that the liquor had been removed and he said Scaife knew this when he tes- tified.
 "I think it is an outrage" the said. T don't know what his motive is. If he had told the whole facts, it would have entirely cxonerated me"
 The speaker said he was out Of the city at the time and his secretary arranged to obtain the trunk and the clothing it coVained. but not the liquor. and ship 1t tc "Mr. E" in Springfield.
 Later he told Representative Woodruff all Of the circumstances, he said and was assured that Mir. scaife would not give any more publicity 10 the matter" It was printed in Springfield. however, the speaker added. substantially as l have told it here"
 Everybody like a joke on a promi- nent man." he said. "For a witness before you 10 throw out a bold state ment that got iiquor from the de- rartmeut Of justice when he knew the facts or had opportunity 10 know the iacts-well that's an outrage. I won't try to conjecture what his motive may be--he may desire notoriety.".
 Always Booze on Tap
 F. NJ. Boucher. a former justice de- partment agent testified that during his employment there was always a supply Of liquor in a safe in the chiefs office" meaning the ofIice of the chief Of the bureau Of criminal in. vestigation Of the department of justice. This liquor was "aIways