The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-21
SPEAKER SAYS
LIQUOR STORY
'e AN OUTRAGE
Declares That Former Depart
ment of Justice Agent
Failed to Tell All Truth
EXPLAINS SHIPMENT
Says Prominent Citizen Sent
Liquor TO His Office in
Trunk Before VOlstead Act

Washington, April 2l.--(By the A.
P)-Speaker Gillette appeared at
the Daugherty hearing today and
questioned II. l.. Scaife, committee
witness, as to his statement that
wicker seats by prohibition agents
some years ago went to Gillette's.
Where did you set you, informa-
tlon, the speaker asked.
Most Of it,c came from Mr.. Wood
ruff. said Scaife.
congressman Woodruff"
"Yes."
Representative Woodruff, Re-
publican, is from Michigan.
Scaife, a former department of
Justice investigator, insisted that his
original testimony needed no cor
rection to his knowledge" He rel
terated that his information was that
the speaker got the liquor for a con-
stituent.
The witness then turned to the
speaker and asked if he denied"
that the liquor had gone to his office.
81 certainly do said Gillette.
'Do you deny that trunk went
there?" Scaife persisted.
Gillette said constituents trunk
had been taken to his office but that
it had no liquor in it,
Makes Statement
Speaker Gillette then made a state
ment to the committee under oath.
He said that in the spring of 1922
he had heard and denied the report
that trunk Of liquor had come to
his office.
"On investigation, he said, he
found that trunk from which liuuor
had been removed had been sent to
his office for constituent in 1919.
Department of Justice records
were produced by the speaker to
show that the liquor had been re-
moved and he said Scaife knew this
when he testified.
81 think it is an outrage" the
speaker said. 81 don't know what
his motive is. If he had told the
whole facts, it would have entirely
eXonerated me- 2n
This was before the Volstead
law but it was against the law to
transport liquor through dry terri
tory" the speaker said, adding that
his friend who owned the trunk" a
very distinguished citizen of Spring
field, Mass. had been bound on a
fishing cruise and had six bottles
OF liquor in the trunk" 1t was the
breaking of one of these which led
to the seizure.
The speaker said he was out of
the city at the time and his secretary
arranged to obtain the trunk and the
clothing it contained, but not the IL
quor, and ship it to Mr.. "B" in
Springfield.
Later he told Rep. Woodruff ali of
the circumstances, he added. and was
assured that Mr.. Scaife would not
give any more publicity to the mat
ter. 1t was limited in Springfield.
however, the speaker added, as
have told it here.
Everybody likes joke on
prominent man." he said. For
witness before you to throw out a
bold statement that got liquor from
the Department of Justice when he
knew the facts or had opportunity to
know .the facts-well, that's an out
rage. | won't try to conjecture what
his motive may be--he may desire
notoriety."
Scaife insisted his Conformation"
not only came from Representative
Woodruff, who had been active elong
with Scaife in the impeachment fight
against Attorney General Daugherty
in 1922 but from various sources"
Much Liquor Around
F. NJ. Voucher, former Depart-
ment of Justice agent, testified that,
during his employment "there was
always a supply of liquor in his safe
in the chiefs Office" meaning the
office of the chief of the Bureau of
Criminal Investigation of the Depart
ment of Justice. This liquor was sal
ways given to people," he said.
Among other things, he said, there
was report by special agent Cox.
He also named DR.. Samuel Rice
and "a man named Bunch" who
brought suit to recover some of Ne
liquor seized at the Union station
here