Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-05
rs PERSONS SLAIN
i'm 15-MONTH PERIOD
| OF DRY ACTIVITIES
l6 Are Killed by Agents.
Officers Die in Arrest At
tempts.
| tL0WMAN SAYS VIOLENT
CASES SHOW DECREASE
Attributes Better Condition to Rule
Prohibiting Promiscuous Use
of Firearms.
By the Associated press

By the Associated Press.
Assistant Secretary Lowman reported
today that 16 persons had been killed by
prohibition agents and Coast Guards
men in enforcing the prohibition law
during the last is months.
In the same period, seven prohibition
agents and two mounted customs in
spectors were killed by persons they
sought to arrest.
In making public details of each case
In which citizen was killed by a Gov
ernment officer, Lowman said that the
number Of violent arrests was growing
materially. less and he attributed the
decrease to observance of the rule pro-
mulgated more than year ago prohib-
1ting the promiScuous use OF firearms by
prohibition agents. Following those in
structions, he said, prohibition agents
never resorted to the use of weapons ex-
cepr to protect their lives.
OF the total number killed during the
period IL persons met death in resisting
arrest by prohibition officers, who lost
only four less of their own number.
Coast Guardsmen killed five persons in
the Is months, but no persons were
killed by customs officers during the
year. The customs inspectors slain were
killed by smugglers near FL Paso, Tex,
in 1923.
In every case where an agent killed a
citizen in attempting to make an arrest
Where the officer was not abSolved of
blame by a coroner's or grand jury, he
has been found to have acted in per-
torrance of his duty when tried in
court. Lownan said. Several cases,
however, still are pending.
Synopses Prepared.
Mr.. Lowman prepared for Under
secretary Mills list of the killings
and synopsis of each case, as follows:
BY prohibition agents:
Lee Prudman, colored, near Julius.
Ark, January 9, 1923, when he resisted
arrest with shotgun during a raid on
a stu. Coroner's jury exonerated
Douglas Smith, colored. Louisville,
KY, January %. 1928, opened fire on
officers who raided his home. Offcers
acquitted at trial
Mike Soytick, May 10. 1923. near
Cumberland, Wyo, killed in duel with
agent after Soytick had killed one of
the officers who raided still on his
ranch Coroner's inquest exonerated
officer
Albert Edmunds. July IA, 1928,
Phenix City, Ala, resisted in raid on
saloon. Officer struck him with re-
volver, which fired, cutting Edmunds'
jugular vein. Charges against agent
pending in Federal Court.
Jose Villegas. July IA, 1928. near
Santa Maria, Calf, when he attempted
to shoot officer to whom he had sold
keg of whisky. Coroner's jury found
agent acted in Self-defense and in per-
formance of duty.
Bernard Cottrell, July 20. 1928. IN
raid on still in Kanawha County. w.
Va. Agent acquitted of charges of
murder.
jess Hughes, August 2. 1929. in raid
on still in Saline County, Mo. Hughes.
ex-convict, attempted to shoot agent
who rushed still and was killed by an
other officer. Coroners jury found
Staying justifiable.
jim Ratlif, August Is, 1928, Wash
lngton County, Tenn, in raid on still.
No record on disposition of case.
Ben Bailey, Negro, August 81. 1928.
Florence County, S. c., when he re-.
sisted arrest on warrant by prohibition
officers after he had assaulted State
officers and fled.
John Hysler. September 26, 1928, in
revolver fight with officers who stopped
liquor-laden automobile near Jackson
vile. Fla. Agent exonerated by grand
jury.
foea,,t, r. NEor.,,;.1 raoL-,. q ,ooo
at Laramie, Wyo., in raid on house
where he was resisting arrest on charge
CT murder. Cproner's jury returned ver-
dict agent was acting in performance of
MS duties and protecting his own life.
Killed by Coast Guard.
BY Coast Guardsmen:
Jacob Hansen, shot May 6, near
Lewiston, N. Y. died August "a. RE
fused to submit to search and tried to
run down officers"
zeb Powell "bootlegger," shot and
killed June. 16, 1923, on motor boat off
Bogue Inlet station when he refused
to heave to while running cargo Of
liquor
Leslie Adams, fatally wounded last
october 6 on motor boet. Refused to
heave to while jettisoning cargo of
1A4uOA O11 kOutA ECQhO, Odlu.
Carl Anderson, master of American
motor boat Bug, on last November 20
shot and killed when ne refused to
heave to. Papers in pocket indicated
he cleared Canadian port with cargo
of ale.
Leon Meingui, March %. 1929, sea-
man aboard Canadian schooner I'm
Alone, sunk in Gulf of Mexico.
100 Killed in Nine Years.
Statistics show that since the inaugu-
ration of the prohibition law total of
135 persons have been killed by prohi-
bition agents. During the nine years
SIS prohibition agents have met death in
line of duty.
The deaths by years were: 1920,
agents 6, citizens S: 1921, agents 8, citi-
zens IA; 1922, agents IL, citizens l3:
1928, agents 4, citizens II; 1924, agents
2, citizens %; 1925, agents S, citizens
20; 1926, agents 6, citizens IT; 1927,
agents S.. citizens Is; 1928, agents q,
citizens TO-. 1929, agents none, citi-
zens l.