The Washington times., 1929-03-30
Rep. Morgan May Face
Court on Wet Charge,
= Federal Officials Hint

Representative William M. morgan
R) of Ohio, known as one of the
dryest drys in Congress. may be
given the opportunity to answer in
court the charge that he brought
four. bottles Of liquor with him
d, when he went through customs at
. CONTINUED on Page 2, Column u
New York last Monday after a
: Congressional jdnketing trip to
Panama.
: Obviously concerned over the
statements Of two customs inspec'
!. tors that the liquor was seen in the
Morgan baggage and that he got
. in with it, Treasury officials today
exhibited more interest in the mat
( ter than was. apparent before Nor.
gan's denial was challenged by the
inspectors.
:, Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury Lowman, in charge of prohibit
ton and customs, said today that
he had not yet received an official
report from New York. but that If
= the report sustains the charge it
will be turned over to District At.
. torney Tuttle in New York flor
: action" 1885,.
= IAN 1 know of the matter so far"
said Lowman, lis what / read in
the newspapers. But IT, the law
b. was violated, the facts will be
) turned over to the Federal district
Attorney in New York for action"
Lowman said no special investiga-
ton will be made. He indicated
that it is up to the customs authori-
ties in New York to report the facts
to Washington, and when that is
done the Treasury will act on the
fact.
If, as the customs inspectors al.
1ege, Morgan succeeded in bringing
in four quarts of liquor he becomes
liable for prosecution under the
Jones law, which he ardently sup
ported and voted for few weeks
ago. He would be guilty of violat.
. ing. two sections of transportation
and transportation-wh is pun
lshable by five years and $4,000
fine.
No Free Entry"
Lowman reiterated today that
the congressional party Of which
given free entry.
. All that was done. he said was
. to extend them 1.-THE courtesy Of the
; port" which only entitled them to
an expeditions examination Of their
baggage, and did not permit them
to bring in contra band or escape
I payment of duty on dutiable goods.
In the face Of the customs agents
statements, Representative Morgan
said today:
II have already made a statement
OF fact and do not care to go into
the matter any further.
The statement Morgan referred to
was made several days ago when
the question Of the four quarts was
first raised. It was this:
'::'You just say l didn't bring in
four bottles in my baggage. never
took a drink in my life.
There the matter rested today.
What the customs and prohibition
authorities are going to do about
1t remains to be seen. They wish
the whole matter to be pigeon-holed.
In fact. they wish the question OF
the four quarts had never arisen
In the first place.
Pillar in Anti.SaIOOn League
Representative Morgan is one of
the pillars of the Anti-Saloon
League in the House. He has
voted for nearly every piece OF dry
legislation that has been offered
during his eight years in the House,
including the drastic Jones bill.
According to the report Of the
customs inspectors In New York,
4.
Baggage was searched and the four
quarts revealed. telephoning to
higher customs authorities. and in.
forming them he was on official
business and was entitled to ''free
entry" The higher authorities, &C
cording to reports from New York,
Instructed the inspectors to pass
the 'ConGressman's aSgage intact.