New Britain herald., 1926-04-07

building was one of collusion. At- tempts were made to bribe jury men even in the building"
 Before General Andrews took charge. Buckner said. prohibition agents were rated hy the number of arrests they made
 T found that as per cent or more of the arrests were of petty cases" he added. "They were not getting the men wdo were making the money, but subordinates.
 "The New York city police coy,- missioner told me he received 1So,o00 complaints year. Of course they came from speak easies. It was then l suggested padlocking."
 My proposition with respect to petty arrests has been msunder- stood" continued the district attor- ney. There have been petty ar ress, but my plan has been to get the proprietor and issue paddock in- functions. rather than arrest waiter or a clerk"
 Co-operates With Police Buckner testified that his office co-operated with the city police in efforts to break up dens of thieves and other crooks.
 These criminals gather in these places,' he said. They don't hold each other up there. They aren't violating any state law. If the po- lice find liquor there they make ar rests and they are entitled to have federal trials. We don't convict all of them, but at least they are put to the trouble Of defense in court.
 Prohibition isn't going to be en- forced until people begin to go to jail in large numbers. It would take one judge one year trying two cases day to dispose of the cases that the city police bring in during one month"
 Then 1t would take twelve iudg- es sitting all the time to keep abreast of the calendar?" suggested Senator Harreld. republican, Okla homa-
 "Yes, to take care of the city po- lice cases. Then there are the al- cohoi diversions, smuggling, and the like"
 The thousands the police arrest are only q small fraction of those who violate the law, are they not ?" asked Senator Reed. democrat Mis- Souri.
 Probably" Buckner said.
 Many Violations
 "As a matter of fact there are millions of violations in New York city every year." suggested Senator Reed,
 T will not commite myself on that" Buckner retorted.
 Commissioner Mclaughlin Is CO., operating with us fully" Buckner said, referring to the police comnis- sioner of New York city,
 The district attorney put new value on federal judges in his dis triCt.
 They are worth their weight in platinum to us" he said.
 He said he did not want to take up the judges time trying old cases in which the principal witnesses for the government were former prohi~ l bition agents whose testimony had | been repudiated by juties in the 1 past.
 Are juries in New York disposed to let offenders off on flin1sy ex- cuses?" asked Senator Walsh, demo- erat, Montana, leading dry on the committee,
 Our best judgment after six or eight months" Buckner replied. lis that probably q prohibition convic. ton in New York is more difficult than it may be in Texas. We | think the strongest element which causes acquittal is where the defend- ant is 6 subordinate. The iurymen will say:
 Get the fellow higher up. He's probably paying for and getting pro- tection'."
 You mean sixty millions in one year." asked Chairman Means.
 Yes, one year" Bnckper said,
 There appeared to be no falling off in the interest In the prohibition hearings. the committee room again being crowded with an overflow into the halls.
 To speed up the proceedings. the decided to hold a session tonight That will take up the unused three hours the vets now have accumulated to their credit because of the failure to hold af-