The Washington times., 1929-06-07
NOBLENAN
INNOCENT
HE SAYS
BY DAVID P. SENTNER
Information News Service staff
Correspondent

Correspondent
NEW YORK, June THE
lowly-sounding "five and ten"
Jones law-five years and
$4,000 fine for violating the
Volstead act-was scheduled
to "crash" the social register
in its first real coming-out
party.
Indictments under this drastic
measure against the illustrious
Count Maxence de Polignac and 80
others were being planned today by
Federal authorities in connection
with the alleged million-dollar so
ciety bootlegging ring whose slogan
was said to be better liquor for
the best people"
In addition. hundreds OF the
select thirsty of Park Avenue ana
other exclusive districts face prose
cution under this Jones law which
is considered dreadfully unsocial in
certain circles.
Find Names
r Approximately $50 names of So
cial registerites were in the hands
of the dry phalanx who sWooped
down on the Fifth Avenue read
quarters. arrested Count Polfgnac
in his sumptuous hotel suite ana
mopped up warehouses and sentry
POSTS charged with being the ration
dumps for the bootleg forces.
These society purchasers may be
prosecuted. according to William J.
fol h. -
ing agents. on one or all of three
charges-procuring the commission
of crime, conspiring to violate the
yolstead or Jones act and having
knowledge of a crime committed
against Federal laws and failing to
report 1t.
The raid on the fashionable
source of supply here-one of the
most thorough and spectacular sor'
ties since passage of the prohibition
law-was seen as the farewell ges-
ture OF Mabel Walker Willebrandt.
prohibition enforcement chief. whose
resignation has been accepted by
President Hoover. effective June Is.
The raid. which followed the
promise of Mrs. WiIlebrandt. to
"go after the higher-ups," is but
IHB IOlSI VI IL Va F'Ah'''''Nh
planned dry expeditions into the
trenches of a dozen cities. Federal
officials said today.
Real Count
Count Polignac is bona fide
member of one of the first families
of France His ancestral lineage
goes back to 1881. and he is listed
in the Almanach De Gotha, the in
ternational social register.
He is a handsome man, not un-
like the moving picture type of
count He owns small, we'll
groomed mustache. curly wave
trained hair and likaable person
ality.
The count today was out under
SIS. 900 bail. He denied emphati-
cally the charge. against him.
Count Polignac said that the only
other time he was ever under arrest
was when he was a prisoner in a
German camp for three years du"-
/ ing the war.
Whiskies nd fine wines to the
value of $3.50, 900 have already been
seized in a series of swooping raids
on various places in this city
Count de Polignac and the other
defendants. 1t was intimated to
day. may face the severest statute
of prohibition enforcement - the
Jones law, which provides maxi,
mum fine of $40, 900. At present
they are held on charges Of con,
spiracy to violate the prohibition
law, but it Is believed indictments
under the Jones law will be sought
by Federal prosecutors
De Polignac is free under bail
of $25,000. and his codefendants
under amounts ranging from 81 500
10 81, 500 each. The ring according
to the allegations of prohibition
men. is did to have carried on a
bootlegging business Involving
many millions of dollars. most of
its clientele being recruited from
among society folk Of New York
and other big cities throughout the
country.
Count Maxence de Polignac is go
ing to get no help frem Tie French
Diplomats in the country in his
collision with the Jones law.
Inquiry at the French embassy
today revealed that embassy Off
eials are mot interested" in tho
plight of their countrymen
The counts case is considered d
private police matter, in which the
embassy has no concern" one Off.
ciaI informed International News
Service.
At 'the Department of Justice II
was intimated that special prose
cutor may be sent from Washington
to conduct the cases against the
FrenChman and his alleged accom-
pliCes. That. however and other
details are up tn the district attor,
nev in New York.