The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-05
DOPE RING
HAD SHIELD,
SAYS BURNS
Votaw Stopped Atlanta
Roundup, Bureau
Head Ayers
$4,000 PAYMENT
FOR PAROLE HINTED
Wheeler Shows Copy Of
Offer To Mortimer
For Release
X STREET BUTLER
ADDS TO HIS STORY
Tells OF Uniformed Guard Over
Liquor Shipments To Gen.
Daugherty Rendezvous
$4,000 PAYMENT
FOR PAROLE HINTED
X STREET BUTLER
ADDS TO HIS STORY
q .ased Wire 10 Ihe Az. Hsraldl


WASHINGTON, April New
sensational disclosures uncovered before
the Daugherty investigating committee
Friday have caused the Senate commit
tee to abandon its previous intention
of bringing the hearings to close.
After hearing testimony that Heber
Fl. Votaw, brother-in-law of President
Harding, had ordered halt in the in
vestigation of dope ring at Atlanta
prison and after evidence regarding an
alleged $4,000 parole deal had been in
PRODUCED, Senator Wheeler of Montana,
chief prosecutor of the committee, in
dictated that hearings would continue for
Il month or six weeks.
More disclosures threatened to de-
velop from evidence of aircraft frauds
placed in the committees hands by Sec
rotary of War Weeks on condition it
be held confidential.
The days important disclosures in
cluded:
1. William ]. Burns, chief of the bu-
reau of investigation, declared he had
been called off, an investigation of
dope ring in the Atlanta federal peni-
tertiary by Heber II. Votaw. brother
in-law of the late President Harding.
.. Senator Wheeler of Montana, chief
investigator of the committee, intro
duced n photostatic copy of letter
purpOrting to be from Charles Vincent,
Baltimore bootlegger, to Elias II. Nor
timer, setting forth an agreement where
by Mortimer was to get a parole for
Vincent for $4,000.
3. j. e. Dyche of Oklahoma, former
warden of the Atlanta penitentiary,
testified huge drug ring had been OPP
Grating in the prison, but that he had
lNnnV .a1.ln k, 81
Attorney General Daugherty and Heber
II. Votaw, superintendent of federal
prisons, had refused to aid him.
4. Daniel f. Smith, formerly butler
| for Howard Warrington, testified
whisky, gin and other liquors had been
delivered to his masters house in 20
case lots under guard by a man with
a badge and a gum" and that Harry
NJ. Daugherty, Harry +. Sinclair, Will
Orr and MFR. Christian were frequent
visitors at the house.
5. In executive session, the commit
tee decided to go to Washington Court
house, Ohio, TO inspect the books of the
Midland National bank, of which Nal
S. Daugherty, the former Attorney Cen
erals brother, is president, to ascertain
how much money Jess Smith, Daugh-
erty's friend, really had on deposit
there.
Burns Called Off
Burns testimony that he had been
prevented from breaking up the Atlanta
drug ring by 'higher-ups behind the
dope traffic" coming after Dyche's
sensational disclosures of the machina-
tions of the ring, furnished the sensa-
ton of the day.
Declaring one of his agents told him
Votaw. brother-in-law of the late Presi-
dent Harding, had ordered investigation
of the drug ring stopped, Burns said
he appealed to his superiorS in the de-
partment of justice, but without sue
cess.
He told the committee that had he
been permitted to push the inquiry he
would have caught those behind the
ring and placed them in prison.
Dyche told the committee that Votaw
opposed stamping out the drug ring be-
cause of the unfavorable publicity at
tendant on it. Dyche declared Daugh-
erty had not opposed investigation, but
he was so lukewarm that when Votaw
put down his foot, he made no efforts
to see the inquiry pushed.
In the midst of testimony on the
drug ring, Dyche suddenly preached the
pardon question and said dope ped
dler named Dyke" of Buffalo had paid
$4,000 for a parole. which he never
got. Cross questioned by Paul How
land, counsel for Daugherty, Dyche adj
mitted the Dyke pardon was only
rumor and he never had been able to
run down the case.
Asked whether he was prevented from
Continued on Page TwO)