Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-29
Four Men and One Woman
Named in Alleged Conspiracy
to SmuggIe Intoxicants.
U. S. AGENTS "LISTEN IN"
ON PHONE TRANSACTIONS
Grand Jury Action Is First to Take
Place Based on "Eavesdrop-
ping" Methods.

The first Indictment in the District
of Columbia based on wire tapping
activities of Federal agents was report
ed today by the grand jury in the form
OF conspiracy charge to violate the
tariff act by importing liquor without
payment of customs duties. Those ac-
cused are Michael Tilton, Julia Tilton,
William w. Keeler, Walter Keener and
David Taven. The liquor is said to
have come "off the boat from a
schooner in the Atlantic.
The indictment resulted from CONVEX
sations listened in" on by Government
operatives and alleges that the defend
ants conspired, combined, confederated
and agreed to "feloniously, knowingly
and fraudulently import and bring into
the United States certain merchandise
contrary to law, to wit, whisky, cham
pagne, wine, gin and beer" on which
no duty had been paid.
Eight Offenses Listed.
The alleged conspiracy is said to have
dated back to January !, and in
of it eight overt acts are
alleged against the accused, as follows:
On January 81, Michael Tilton is
said to have telephoned from Washing
ton to Atlantic Highlands. N. j., and
to have arranger with Keener for the
purchase of so cases OF champagne.
On the following day Julia Tilton Is
alleged to have telephoned from Attain
tic Highlands to Michael Tilton and
to have stated she had purchased from
Keener Is cases of Scotch whisky and
5 cases of claret.
January "A, Julia and william w.
Keeler are alleged to have Travelled
from Washington to Atlantic Highlands
for the purpose OF bringing mtoxicanH
into the District of Columbia.
On the next day Keeler is said TO
have telephoned from Hyattsville. MD,
to Michael Tilton in Washington that
he had procured certain quantities OF
which Tilton Is alleged 70
have directed him to take to the home
Of David Taven.
Told Of Consignment.
On the same date David Taven is
alleged to have telephoned to Frances
Taven and to have advised her to pre-
pare to receive certain intoxicants
from Keeler.
On January 26 Michael Tilton is al
legged to have telephoned to Julia TIL
ton and directed her to telephone Keen
er and procure for him seven cases
of champagne.
On the same day Julia T1ton is said
to Keener at Atlantic Highlands and
to have arranged to purchase seven
cases Of champagne.
Two days later, 1t is asserted. Julia
Tilton and Keeler are charged with
70 bottles of champagne
from Atlantic Highlands to Baltimore.
Names Are Found.
Three books of alleged customers
names, seized in raids on the apartment
of Roland K. Davis of the 1700 block
Of Twenty-first street now under
charges of violating the prohibition act.
are in the hands Of the district attor-
ney. it was learned today.
The books contain many names OF
along with accounts.
believed by Federal agents who confis-
Gated the books in the raid. to be
amounts due for purchase Of liquor.
In addition to the books of many
names, understood to include several Of
prominence in Washington life, there
was found another book, which gave
not only a list of alleged customers. but
the names of other persons who were
listed as having vouched for the Gus
toners.
1t is known that attempts. by request.
to get the books of alleged customers
away from the Government have been
and the list is still in the
files of the District attorney.
The lists were seized on two different
raids During one of these Federal
agents reported they remained In the
Davis apartment and answered three
telephones for about five hours while
persons kept calling and giving orders
for the delivery of liquor. Federal
agents taking names and addresses In
this fashion and following them UP
are known to have obtained a mass of
Yesterday in the same apartment
house in which Davis lives agents were
admitted to a vacant apartment and
found and confiscated a quantity of
alleged Scotch liquor. alcohol and bot
ties of liquor labeled mt. Vernon" and
"Overholt." No arrests were made.