Evening star., 1925-01-20
SENATOR EDWARDS
IMPLICATED IN RUM
SCANDAL IN JERSEY
Two Dry Agents Testify He
Was Link Between Buyers
and Purchasers.
PROSECUTOR MAY SHOW
EVIDENCE TO GRAND JURY
Witnesses Say $500 Was Given
to Senator in Deal Which
Did Not Go Through.
r. tho A.snciated Press.

PE tho Associated Press.
JERSEY CITY, y. J.. January 20
Senator Edward I. Edwards of New
Jersey was implicated today in the
New Jersey rum scandal at the trial
OF 12 Weehawken policemen indicted
for prohibition law violations, when
two Government dry agents testified
that the Senator had served as a
link between bootleg liquor buyers
and William +. Griffin. alleged mas
ter mind" of the conspiracy.
John Milton. prosecuting attorney,
said today that at the conclusion of
the trial he would give very serious
consideration" TO the question of pre-
senting to a grand jury the evidence
duplicating Senator Edward 1. Ed
wards offered i'll court today
Charge Fraud i'm Case.
George CutIey, counsel for the de-
Tense, in his opening address to the
jury, said the present prosecution
was conceived in fraud and intqutty
and "bolstered by hatred and malice"
Trior to the Federal prohibition
law. he said, this and other com
nunitfes We're tranquil" Passage
of the Volstead act, he asserted, had
introduced "a cataciysm of injustice
Charles l.. Hurlbut, a general pro-
hibition agent under Divisional Chief
Nerrick in New York, testified that
on November "A. 1923, he had given
Senator Edwards $3,S00, which was
placed in escrow to be held for pay
ment to Griffin for Scotch whisky TO
be delivered to him. Griffin became
suspicious, the witness said, the deal
did not go through, and the money
was returned. Lionel Wilson, an
other agent, corroborated Hurlbut' s
testimony.
Corroborates Testimony.
A third witness, Arthur Van
Tassel, also a dry agent, later corrob-
grated the testimony, declaring he
had seen Hurlbut and Wilson in
him to have been Senator Edwards,
who is president Of the First Ma
tional Bank of Jersey City.
HurIbut, called as a prosecution
witness, testified that he and Wilson.
representa- z themselves to be New
York City bootleggers on large
scale, called upon Griffin. a Jersey
city insurance broker, on October %,
1928 After agreeing to sell them
Scotch whisky al $3S a case in 100
case lots, Hurlbut testified, Griffin
told them to call upon Senator Ed
wards at his bank.
He and Wilson called on the Sena-
tor in his offices in the bank on No
vember Ii, the witness said, and had
a half-hoUr conference with him.
We talked liquor. the quality of
liquor ana the question of Griffin 5
responsibtlitv." Hurlbut testified. Ed
wards assured us that Griffin was a
straight shooter and wise boy
Tells of Money Deal.
Then, said Hursbut, he gave Ed
wards So, 500 in currency, the price of
100 cases of Scotch whisky. to be held
in escrow for payment to Griffin on
delivery of the contraband. The Sena-
tor. he said, counted the money over
placed il in an envelope, sealed it, had
Hurlbut white his name on it and
gave the deposit into the charge of
the bank cashier. Hurlbut said that
he and Wilson then went to Griffin 5
offices, which are on the second floor
of the bank building. Griffin was un-
easy, Hurlbut said, quoting him as
having said:
You know that l am in the liquor
business. but l am not so sure about
you. I'll have TO see about this"
Hurlbut said that Griffin asked them
to return the following day. Novem-
her ] 6, when he suggested that they
get the S3.S00 back from Senator
Edwards and pay ii to him. They told
the senator what had transpired
whereupoD the senator returned the
money, HurIburt said. and again as
sured them that Griffin is O. k
and that they would get square
deal" from him. Griffin continued
suspicious, however. the witness said
and the deal did not go through.
Story C0rToboratPd
Wilson did not add to Hurlbut's
story. but coroborrated it in every
particular. Van Tassel, third on the
stand, told Of having been stationed
in the bank to watch the operations
OF his two fellow agents. All three
witnesses emphaticaIly denied or
ss-cNamination intimations OF
counsel for the defendants that theil
testimony was part Of a plot tc
frame" Senator Edwards through his
former secretary, State Commission
g. Of Weights and Measures Foley
Continued on Page Q, Column -
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