The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-16
LINK MUNC|E
G, 0. LEADER
TO BOOZE CASE
Harry Hoffman Seen Drink
ing in underworld Mayor
Home, Court Told.

Testimony that Harry Hoffman,
Delaware County Republican chair
man, former sheriff and Muncie
Ind.) board OF works president, was
seen drinking IN the home of Wal
ter pete" Barlow, known as the
mayor of the Muncie underworld"
was introduced today in the liquor
conspiracy trial of Barlow, his wife,
Nora, and Robert Lawrence in Fed
eral Court.
Arthur PierSon, hardware store
employee and Republican precinct
committeeman, said he was present
in Barlow's home the night beforc
the primary election lost May and
saw Hoffman there. Liquor was
purchased from Mrs. Barlow, he
said.
Pierson testified Barlow was
known "unof1cially as a ward boss"
Zip Of" Is Charged
Robert Gamble of Muncie told
the jury ne worked at 6101a S. Wal
nut ST.. Muncie, operated by Law
renee, and at Barlow's home, selling
liquor at both places. He said
Lawrence told him Barlow owned a
half interest in the place.
Lawrence took the stand to deny
any connection with Barlow other
than borrowing 5000 to buy the
rooming house he operated.
Testimony to show Nora Barlow
was tipped off" after Federal dry
agents obtained a search warrant
for her home from Circuit Judge
Clarence w. Dearth and turned 1t
over to police was given by Agent
Joseph A. Dorr.
Dorr said he and other agents
went to the Barlow home an hour
before the warrant wa scheduled to
be served and that Mrs. Barlow told
him nothing doing tonight, but
come back any other night and I'll
have some"
Pair Attractively Dressed
"Pete" and Nora, an attractive
couple, offered a striking contrast to
the usual run of liquor defendants.
Muncie's underworld king" wore
blue serge suit with kerchief in
the breast pocket. Mrs. Barlow
wore a black chinchilla coat and
tight-htting black velvet nat, en-
livened with a border of metallic
lace.
pete" did not take the stand, but
Nora told the jury how she solo
liquor to prohibition agents, always
without her husbands knowledge.
Pete" she said, was at the cigar
store until after midnight and slept
at home until late each morning,
with no idea, according to her teS-
timony, that she was setting our
drinks to visitors at his home dur
ing his absence. Mrs. Barlow plead
ed guilty to sale but not to con-
spiracy.
Sidney Kennedy, prohibition Off
Ger, first to testify, said he bought
LIQUOR at the Barlow home, S26 E.
Second ST., Muncie, Oct. 26 and %,
1927, being served by Mrs. Barlow.
On Oct. IS andd Nov. 5 he made
his purchases from Lawrence, at
6lO1a S. Walnut st.
rs Others Await Trial
With him on one visit to the Bar
low domicile were Edward Stein
berger, paid informer; Dorr, fell
low agent; Mrs. Steinberger and a
woman friend. Steinberger and
Dorr repeated Kennedy'S version OF
the liquor transactions.
Mrs. Barlow said they brought a
can of olives and some pretzels to
the party" but the agents denied it.
Mrs. Jennie Cook, mother Of Rob-
ert Gamble, testified Barlow met
her In the Jail Office after Candles
arrest, offered to get him out on
bond, told her to tell Gamble not
to incriminate him (Barlew) and to
deny any transactions between the
two.
twenty-five other Muncie and In
dianapolis defendants were sched-
uled for trial during the day with
twenty defendants who have pleaded
guilty to be sentenced.
Ernie Reed. pool room proprietor,
514 w. Washington St., was con-
victed by a jury of selling liquor to
Federal agents. Louis Risto, an
employe, had pleaded guilty.