The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-15
rum CONSPIRACY
CHARGED TO Il
BY MOBILE JURY
All To Face Trial AS Al
legged Members Of
Liquor Ring

MOBILE, Ala, April 14-(Special
Leased Wire. )-Seventy-o persons
charged in one indictment returned by
the grand jury Saturday with conspif-
acy to violate the national prohibition
law were reporting at the federal build
ing throughout today and making their
bonds to appear for trial in the court
next Monday, announcement of the
indictment was made today.
Practically all of the defendants are
already under bond on charges made BY
the grand jury last November. Their
additional bonds were fixed in most
cases at $1,000. ~
This promises to be the most inter
esting of the trials growing out of the
liquor expose in this city and it will
probably take several days to conclude
it. The defendants in this case. are the
persons whom the government men
claim to have been members of the al
legged liquor ring in this city. The list
of defendants in the case include county
and former city officials aud several of
the other prominent men who were in
dicted last November on charges Of
conspiracy. The reason for including
all these defendants in one big case,
the government officials state, is to pre-
vent a repetition Of testimony of the
government men in many of the cases.
The special grand jury which was
in session last week and returned the
indictment is said to have probed GER
tain matters regarded as connecting
links" in the charge of the existence of
a general conspiracy in this city and
county in connection with the liquor
traffic.
= Charges Specified
The indictment charges that the de-
PENDANTS conspired at different dates
prior to November IA, 1923, to violate
the federal prohibition laws.
The. specific charge was in part as
follows:
supplies andS stocks of liquors to be
sold, as aforesaid, were to be obtained
from different sources and through DIFF
ferent channels, to said grand jurors
but that said conspirators
were to aid and assist and encourage
the general plan and purposes of such
sale by obtaining for those engaged in
such sales immunity from arrest for
such violations and contributing to the
general purposes of the conspiracy to
the end that such sales of such liquors
should be made, as aforesaid, without
interference from officers of the United
States of America, of the state of Ala
bama, of the county Of Mobile, and of
the city of Mobile, charged with the
duty of preventing the illegal sale of
liquors for use for bev-
erage purposes and with aiding in the
prosecution of persons making such
sales; to the end that said conspirators
might carry on and cause to be carried
on traffic in such liquors for bev-
erage purposes in Mobile, Ala"
Three alleged overt acts are listed
in the indictment. One charges that
pursuant to the agreement Percy FL.
Kearns paid 5000 to NJ. T. Gonzaullas,
a federal prohibition agent. The other
alleges that Harry O'Connor had in
his possession 800 cases Of whisky on
November. Is, and the third charges
that Robert L. Holconbe paid a prom
isSory note executed to Harry G..
French in the sum of $500.
Among the number were r. L. Hol-
combe, president of the Mobile Delivery
and well known in political
circles; Mr.. and Mrs. Carol Hartley,
Mrs. Cliff Hartley and Dorothy Hart
ley, charged with selling liquor, and
Arthur Sirmon, fined by Judge Erwin
a few days ago on a charge of ap-
juror in the Daniel L.
Jemison trial in the court on charge
of conspiracy.
MOBILE, Ala, April 14.-Federal
Judge Robert T. Erwin today took un-
der advisement motion Of government
counsel to set for trial in United States
district court next Monday, April 81, "a
case in which II persons were named
in one indictment returned by the
special grand jury last week charging
conspiracy to violate the national pro-
hibition law. Defense counsel objected
to the recommended date. Opposition
was likewise voiced to a trial, of the
defendants collectively. s.
Judge Erwin will hand down ruling
in the matter tomorrow morning. The
decision, it is expected, will apply to
both the question of trial date and
whether severance of the cases will be
granted.