The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-18
HARGETT DEFIES PORT ACCUSERS IN WHISKY RAID Warrant Issued At Mobile
 Charges Illegal
 Search 'FRAMED' IS REPLY HteLEp@Y LEADER Charges Are Branded As Grossly And Deliber-
 ately False

Federal ProhlDltlon Director A. w. Hargett Monday night hit back at his Mobile accusers, charging that he and his dry agents had been framed" by the seaport liquor ring and promising a flight to the finish"
 A federal warrant charging Hargett and c. c. Robins, one of his agents. with conducting an illegal raid on the home of Carol W. Hartley during Mardi Gras, was issued last week, but had not been served Monday night.
 T have known for several days that the warrant was coming, and expect to be served Tuesday," Hargett said.
 The dry chief characterized the charges as grossly and deliberately false." He admitted he and his men had no search warrant, but asserted that Hartley invited the raiding party into his place and defied them to find liquor. Later, he said, Mrs. Hartley came in and denounced him.
 Bottle With Liquor
 "We found a bottle with a small amount of liquOr," Hargett continued, ''and during the discussion I made it plain to Mrs. Hartley that we were only doing our duty as officers. She &C., cused me of tearing up her bedroom, but such was not the case. We made no search whatever, but Mir. Hartley came out of one of the rooms with the liquor bottle in his hand."
 Hargett charged that members of the liquor ring got to the Hartleys and persuaded them to make capital out of the raid" He asserted that the ring is now trying to create animosity to- ward prohibition officers in an effort to swing over public opinion before the opening of federal court on March 26, when the case against various enforce ment officials are scheduled for trial"
 During Mardi Gras, Hargett de- clared, he personally conducted num- Der of raids and found the liquor traf- fife to be "bad.'
 T received word from Mobile after my return here," he added, ''that my entire staff of agents would be prose- cuted.
 Threats of various kinds have been made against us by liquor leaders, but l care little about them. I am ready for fight to the finish and my drive to clean np Mobile will continue.', -ss AaaQEdllc6 tn HaEgef Eelesaf Aren't Graves and several state enforcement officers, headed by Walter K. McAdory. chief law enforcement officer, accom- panied him on the visit to the Hartley home.
 To Issue Statement
 Fortunately" he went on, there are 8 number of persons who can testify as to what happened. The facts are ex. actly as l have stated, and the swear ing of warrant against me and mem- bers of my force will not swerye us from our course in the port city.
 "The liquor interests framed District Attorney Boyles and other public off cials, and now they are after my de- pertinent. refuse to be intimidated and wish to serve notice on my accusers that am ready and anxious to go to the bat with them"
 Hargett said Ae might issue A formal statement after the warrant is served on him. Meanwhile, he is leading his Birmingham agents in a series of raids in this territory. A number of stills were confiscated Monday and several arrests made.
 MOBILE, Ala, March 17.-A war rant charging Judge A. w. Hargett. chief state federal prohibition agent with an illegal search of a dwelling house without a warrant, has been sworn out by Joseph John, assistant federal district attorney. The warrant against the chief state prohibition off cer was asked by Jere Austill, an attor- ney representing Carol w. Hartley, resident Ot Satsuma, Mobile county. Ihls information was obtained today from Attorney Austill, who exhibited letters making q request on the district attorney for a warrant for Judge Har- gett and Federal Agent Robins. charging both with making a search of the Hartley home without the sem. blance of warrant.
 Attorney Austill said he did not know what had become of the Hargett warrant; whether it bad been served or whether Judge Hargett had made bond, but that he was of tile opinion that some action had been taken.
 In his letter to Attorney Austill. stating that he had issued the warrant for Judge Hargett, Mir. John stated that he had conferred with Judge Erwin. who said he could not issue a warrant for Agent Robins, as the latter was only dolng what Judge Hargett had told him to do.
 Wife Is Involved
 Attorney Austill said he had asked for the warrants when Carol W. Hart ley was acquitted of the charge of hay ing violated the national prohibition act at the request of bis client. The evil dence in the case showed that Judge Hargett and Robins searched the Hartley home without search warrant and found tablespoonful of whisky and brought it to court as evidence.
 My client also charges that Judge Hargett recently visited the Hartley home and shook his finger in the face of Mrs. Hartley and told her he was going to send her husband to the peni- tentiary. The federal agents have har- assed the Hartleys in an uncalled for manner" said Austill.
 CLAIMS nENTEn