The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-06-02
Arrests in New York Will
Stop Flow Of 5000 Quarts
Into Indianapolis, Federal
Men Say-Posed as
Customers
LOCAL PURCHASERS OF
WHITE HORSE KNOWN
SIeuths Obtain Address of
Eastern Real Estate Men,
Buy Booze and Then Go
for Personal Interview
Charges Follow.

Indianapolis is 5000 quarts a
month drier this month than
last, according to Federal Pro
hibition Agents George Winkler
and Seth Ward.
With the arrest Of three men.
posing as 'rea lestate men" in New
York City last Friday. the flow of
900 quarts of real whisky" a month
into indianapolis by express was
stopped, the agents said upon their
return from the East.
The real estate men" conducted
the largest mail order liquor busl-
ness serving customers in the Middle
West, according to Winkler and
Ward.
Weeks ago the agents received a
tip that a number Of business men
and others able to write a check for
$50 a case without having financial
cramps were getting frequent ship
ments of very fine booze by express.
In some manner the agents obtained
the address OF the real estate men,"
Agents Order Booze
So adopting assumed names. they
say, they wrote orders for liquor
to III. Bernstein Company, 1907
Broadway. New York City"
Sure enough the liquor came. The
agents sent a draft for $50 in pay
ment. They tried again. Another
case came through. Ascertaining
it was regular STUFF the agents
stored it in the basement of the
Federal Bldg. and started after their
men.
Winkler and Ward, using the
names under which they had or
dered the liquor, called upon "Mr
Bernstein" and his company" in
New York last Friday.
The fire. complained that the In
dianapolis business men" had failed
to pay for the last case of liquor.
A thousand pardons Ward. who
was posing as a jeweler. explained
he had been to Chicago on business
and did not know the stuff had ar
rived He would hasten to write a
check as soon as he got home and
ascertained that the liquor was
safely delivered.
Excellent. said the real estate
v,oay, - -,thloipns fhaiy hands
broadway as Yours"
would the gentlemen from Indi-
annapolis desire anything else? 1t
was a pleasure to deal with men
who paid their bills so promptly.
would the gentlemen care to go
on little party Friday night?
broadway Is yours" the agents
said they were told.
wen be back" promised Wink
Ter and Ward.
When they went back they took
deputy United States marshal and
warrants with them.
They arrested the real estate
men" who gave names as William
Max Fisher, Edward A. Fisher and
George Overland. Defendants were
held under 50 900 bonds to appear be-
fore a commissioner in New York,
June IL.
The agents said they found
records showing deposits in New
York bank averaging $500 daily in
the real estate office"
Agents Know Customers
Checks signed by Indianapolis,
Louisville and Cincinnati men and a
long list Of customers were found.
Winkler chuckled as he said there
were fifteen indianapolis names on
the list, but he refused to make them
public.
Most of the liquor sent to Indian
apolis was labeled white Horse"
agents say. It was carefully
wrapped, packed in corrugated
paste board and excelsior and
packed twelve quarts in a box.
Statesmen on Road
The headquarters at New York
sent representatives who took
orders. the agents said The buyer
received the goods and inspects It
before he forwarded his draft. For
this reason the representative Of the
company ascertained before the
order was filled whether the buyer
Is good" for payment of his bill.
Ward and Winkler were asked to
recommend the III. Bernstein" com
pany to their friends here and send
in more customers. The New York
concern did not sell liquor in New
York but confines its activities to
the mail order business only, agents
believe.
A gold-lettered sign over the new
York office said "A Fisher real
estate" the agents said, but there
was no evidence Of any papers on
which any transactions i'm real
estate were recorded Three quarts
OF champaign were found in the
-