Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-07
DRY CHIEFS BAN USE OF TRAPS
U. S. Speakeasy in Norfolk Closed,
Prohibition officials State.

OuhCtAlS 6tdtC.
Replying to charges by former SEN
ator Reed of Missouri that the Govern
ment is operating speakeasies to entrap
State and other officers, it was officially
stated at Prohibition Bureau headQuar-
tiers here that the administration does
not authorize any such policy, nor will
1t tolerate any practices of "entrap-
ment' among prohibition personnel.
In the past, 1t was explained, there
have been instances where overZealouS
prohibition officials or agents have over
stepped the bounds. A ''speakeasy" at
one time was operated at Norfolk, Va,
by Government orders. it was admitted,
but this was found to be in error and
was done away with and the practice
was abandoned.
Norfolk Case Called "OId"
The case of the Norfolk speakeasy.
like many other facts referred to by
Reed, was said by those in closest touch
with the situation here. to be "old ma
terial," turned up and made public
when Reed was chairman of a Senate
committee Investigating prohibition con-
ditions.
The reference to Federal Judge Frank
Cooper of New York, it was said. came
out of the old Senate investigation,
and 1t was against Federal Judge
Cooper that unsuccessful impeachment
proceedings were brought in Congress
The case of the alleged speakeasy in
Indianapolis brought up by Reed. how
ever, is of more recent date, and re-
suited recently in decision by the
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in
Chicago. releasing Indianapolis police
men who had been found guilty by the
Indianapolis Federal Court Of violating
the prohibition law The Chicago Fed
eral judge scored the activities of the
prohibition agents in indianapolis, de-
claring they had conceived the con-
Spiracy to arrest the policemen. The
judge further said 1t shocks the courts
sense of justice to permit q prosecu-
ton to proceed where the evidence
shows the offender was innocent of
wrongdoing and free of evil intent
prior to his acquaintance with the
Governments or State representatives. -
ID. c. ONCE Unaware
Washington headquarters were I'M
aware of the case carried on in Indian
apolis at the time, 1t was explained.
here, but later learned that the agents
had rented room, where they congre-
gated with others. This Federal agents
sold no liquor in this place, according
to information reaching here officially
At any rate, the general policy of the
Prohibition Bureau under the Hoover
administration was clearly stated today
as diametrically opposed to the entrap-
meut policy with which the Govern
ment is charged by former Senator
Reed
If q bootlegger already has been vio-
lating the law, 1t was explained many
different devices have to be resortsd TO
in order to catch him.
But prohibition agents are warned not
to carry on any kind OF operations
which win result in the "entrapment"
of Heretofore innocent parties.
Taxing Legality Upheld.
'Entrapment is to induce some one
to commit q crime, Z It was explained
by an official of the Prohibition Bureau,
land we don't tolerate that ct all
Concerning Feeds charge that Uncle
Sam is taking ECU" IN the profits Of
the racketeer, Il waa explained IN Of