Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-17
Begin Coralling
Al Indicted in
Cleveland Dry Case

Cleveland, March 16.-(AP)-The
task Of arresting Al of the 112 per-
sons indicted here yesterday for al
legged conspiracy to violate the ma
tional prohibition laws developed
today upon government operatives
who have been sent to widely sep
arated cities to take the defendants
into custody. Sixty nine Of those
named had been arrested before the
indictment was returned and two
are serving life sentences in prison
on murder convictions.
The indictment connects 165 overt
acts with an alleged bootleg alcohol
conspiracy. The allegations describe
the handling of IS carloads of pure
grain alcohol. recite the contents Of
kilograms used in the traffic and
deal with the exchange of money be-
tween those named for alcohol, po-
lice protection and for storage and
moving of contraband liquor.
Twenty-one men in st. Paul and
Minneapolis remained to be taken
into custody. Five Cleveland men
had nots been arrested and the fol-
lowing number were wanted in the
various cities: San Francisco and
San Jose, four; Pittsburgh. and
Philadelphia, three each; Chicago,
two; Duluth. Detroit and Boston.
one each.
With the reconvening Of the Fed
eral grand jury on April 1. further
investigation of the alleged conspir-
arcy is to be pushed by District At
torney A. E. Bernstein. Fifty or
sixty more persons will be indicted,
Bernstein said, including residents
of New York. Baltimore, Scranton
and McKeesport, Pa; Atlantic City,
Milwaukee, st. Louis and Cambridge.
Mass.
Among those named in the indict-
ment yet to be apprehended are:
Benjamin Fogel, Benjamin and David
Gersonstein, Philadelphia, three of
the four alleged originators of the
conspiracy charged in the indict-
ment. Ben and Abe Gleeman, are
the alleged conspirators now serving
life sentences in Minnesota state
prison following their conviction for
murder of an alleged hijacker.
The first step on the part of the
government, was taken by Thomas
E. Stone. former prohibition agent
in Ohio. Stone made a raid on the
plant of the Superior Alcohol Com
pany, Cleveland. Aug Is, 1925.
Suspicion developed when the dis
covery was made that the Superior
Industrial Alcohol people were SELL
ing. was about Is cents a gallon
below market price. Books of the
company were in perfect order and
the Fe>leral guager was on proof
ing" all the alcohol made there.
Stone was not satisfied. He put
distillery specialist in the plant
unknown to the operators. Two
months later a carload of grain al
cohol was seized on Its way to Chit
cago, billed as machinery" 1t was
traced back to the distillery here.
From that time on, Federal prohi-
bition officials have continued their
inquiries.
In addition to the Superior Alco-
hol Company the indictment refer
red to the operation of two other
manufacturing plants in Cleveland,
a rum ring in Minneapolis and st.
Paul. use of warehouses and trans
fer systems in Detroit, Cleveland,
Duluth. Boston, st. Paul, and Min
neapolis. protection by internal rev.
enue employees in Cleveland: aid of
railroad police. police protection in
st. Paul. and o. era ito, ~ Chicago
concern supposed to be dealing in
perfumes.