The Washington times., 1925-10-28
LOTS
GOING BY
FREIGHT
Officials of Some Big Sys-
TENS Suspected OF Being
Implicated

By ROBERT S. THORNBURGH
A nationwide investigation of the
alleged transportation of millions
of gallons of bootleg beer and
liquor over the railroads may be
launched by the Treasury as the
result of disclosures of the $9,00O,-
900 Chicago beer syndicate.
Officials today asserted that the
use of railroads for bootlegging
purposes is an international prob
lem and that the Chicago case is
simply one feature of a far
reaching conspiracy.
cit is one of the biggest jobs
the new prohibition unit has to
meet" an official said.
Coming From Canada
Most of the beer and. liquor
smuggled into the United States
from Canada is carried on freight
cars, according to information OBJ
tanned by customs agents.
A vast quantity is moved on
passenger trains, resulting in spe
cial agents being detailed to ride
the trains" from Montreal and
other Canadian centers, to this
country.
Customs agents will be detailed
to operate on freight trains, not
only along the eastern Canadian
border, but in the neighborhood of
Detroit, Duluth, Minneapolis and
western points.
Members of the crews will be
held responsible for the presence
Of liquor on freight cars.
Railroad Officials Suspected
One official said that evidently
with such a quantity of liquor NOV
ing on the railroads Of the United
States some officials must have
knowledge of this violation of the
law"
An effort will be made to estab-
lish the connection between the
operation Of some influential men,
bers of the bootleg trust" whose
names are already in the hands of
the prohibition authorities. with
railroad officials believed to be in
league with the liquor merchants.
The cooperation of high rail ex.
ecutives has been asked by the
Treasury.
'Officials expressed the belief that
the corporations will assist in weed
ing out of the rail service the sub
ordinates believed to be. guilty IF
connivance with bootleggers.
The Chicago conspiracy showed
that tremendous volume Of high
power beer was shipped to that
city from the Pittsburgh district
and other production centers in
the East.
Rum Row Off Florida.
Officials are looking into the re.
port that smuggling is increasing
over the Florida coast, from the
reassambled rum fleet in that dis
trict and that the contraband Is
moving North ard West via the
railroads.
Some rail smuggling is said to
be taking place over the Mexican
border.
The Federal authorities have been
watching the railroad movement of
liquor for more than six months.
big movement of liquor from
Biloxi, Miss, to Kansas City, in
freight cars containing oyster
bi4OAS CcHISIeu the attention of the
washington authorities on this
mode of liquor transportation.
Watching Grand Jury
While local problems arising from
rail liquor shipments are being
handled by the prohibition admins.
traitors, II was understood that Cen
eral L. G. Andrews, dry car" NAV
decide to take a personal hand in
view of the remarkable disclosures
at Chicago.
1t was expected that the special
investigation force maintained for
operations in inter-district and inter
national problems would be called
upon to probe the rail case.
Trained investigators are watch
ing the Chicago grand jury probe
and, it was understood, will make
detailed reports on the results to
General Andrews
Officials anticipated that much
evidence would be brought out
which will / Indicate the general
scope Of bootleg transactions over
the railroads, not only in the mil
die west but in all sections Of