Evening star., 1925-09-01
II DELEGATES ARRESTED.
Dry Agents Raid Tulsa Hotel and
Search All Rooms.

Search All Rooms.
TULSA. Okla. September ! LP).-
The first day OF the annual encamp-
r1ent of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
was marred here last night when Fed
eral prohibition agents raided hotel
at which several score nf convention
delegates were staying and placed Is
former service men. Il Of them dele
gates. under arrest. The men were
released after vigorous protests by
convention leaders.
A blanket warra Mt was the sis OF
the raid and w. l.. coffey. assista mt
district attorney. issued q statement
declaring that the action was not
aimed at the service men, but ~ boot
leggers, and that the a gents had made
a mistake. A small quantity Of liquor
wps seized. all personal effects being
returned.
Take Over Hotel.
Officers were placed In charge of the
hotel telephone board. the clerks desk
and all elevators. Officers also rode
the elevators during tho raid. which
continued for an hour ap1 a half. The
room Of Gen. John n. Dunn Of Bos-
ton. national comma nder. was sea re he'd
III the presence of the general and
Mrs. Dunn. but no liquor was found.
a deputy sheriff from New York.
whose name was not learned det1ed
the raiders. He sauntered into the
hotel during the raid and asked one
NJ the raiders If he had q search war
ra TO enter the various rooms.
S"Don't need any" the officer said.
I'VE served warrant on the hotel.
The New Yorker responded that
warrant was needed. I've got some
liquor in my room. Try and get il.
III dare any one of you to set your
foot cross the threshold unless you
bring a search warrant for my room.
That liquor is mine and Is goin- to
be used by my friends and myself"
Still Has Liquor.
The New Yorker is said still to have
his liquor.
County. Pa. happened into his room
while raiders were searching IT. He
peeled off his coat and ordered the
officers out. They retreated.
Five grips containing liquor were
seized and is men. II of whom were
delegates. were arrested ard taken to
the marshals office.
Veteran officials Immediately pro
tested and the members were reIeas sed
and their personal effects, with the
exception of the liquor. were returned.
y W
national adiutant general of the or.
2anization was a leader in protests
against the Federal officers action.
Lawson's room was raided. and his
grips. dresser and other personal be-
lontings were searched.
Commanders Room Searched.
Its an outrage" Lawson declared.
You say YOU were after certian boot
leEgers. Why. please tell me. was it
necessary to invade the private rooms
of all the veterans and arrest them =
We are not bootleggers"
One of the raiders searched the
room of Gen. John II. Dunn of Boston
national commander. while the general
and Mrs. Dunn were there. No LIQUOR
wa found.
During the raid the Indiana delega
ton filled a five-gallon bottle with
soft drink diluted to the color of
whisky and held open house in the
lobby. Everybody was invited to step
up and drink. and many accepted in
the presence of the officers. Wry faces
were made by many. who expected
different sort Of beverage.
James Lavery. a delegate from Erie
County. Pa. was particularly incensed
over the raids. He declared he was
locked in his room by raiding officers
with two other men, after they had
protested against the search avery
said there was no liquor in his room
Later, Lavery said. one OF the Off
GERS threatened To shoot my ears of"
when he raised his voice against the
proceedings in the hotel lobby LaIery
said the officer was disarmed by other
guests and held until brother officers
came.
Fo5r Thousand Attend.
Four thousan nd delegates. represent.
ing half dozen expeditions of the
United States military forces on for
eiEn soils, are attending the conven.
ton
Included are many Army and Navy
officers of high rank. grizzled men
who saw service in China. the Philip.
pines, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti:
younger men who chased Villa into
his Mexican mountain retreet and
doughboys of the World War.
The, delegates were welcomed to
Oklahoma by Gov NJ. E. Trapp Greet
ings from the American Legion were
extended by Horace H. Hagan, past
department commander of that organ
ization. SerSts. Samuel Woodfill and
William Sandlin of Kentucky and
Maj William r. Kelley of Ohio. World
War heroes, were given ovations by
the delegates.