Evening star., 1932-06-19
fContinued From First Page.)

fixed a minimum of $50. The smaller
places sought a compromise of S25 a
week. The captains men returned word
that it was $50 or trouble. The small
fellows held meeting and resolved to
pay no more than S25. The graSping
captain detailed three husky policemen
to batter down the doors of the defiant
ones. The terror inspired by the
three horsemen," as the raiders were
called. quickly crushed the revolt. But
the activities of the three horsemen"
and the milder-mannered agents of the
captains and inspectors ceased when
Seabury's appointment was agreed upon
And thus it happened that the
scholarly Seabury, former judge of
the Court of Appeals. the scion of a line
of distinguished churchmen numbering
the first Episcopal bishop in America
whose diocese embraced the whole
United States, unWittingly became the
best friend the speakeasy owners of the
metropolis ever had. He reduced the
average annual tax on them from 81 $50
keeper paid to the State and Federal
governments before prohibition.
But the creation of the legislative in
Vestigating committee did not stop the
other collections. Prohibition agents,
who collected more than half the graft,
were immune from a committee sub
poena. being Federal employees: and SO
were nearly ell with whom they shared
the S32,000,000 they collected. the cor
rupt Republican politicians to whom
they owed their appointments. Their
Democratic predecessors had done the
same with their political sponsors.
The speakeasy owners say the average
prohlbltlon agent is an unsuitable graft
er. He has reduced collecting to a
science. He exchanges graft informa-
ton with his fellows. His reputation is
writ IN large characters in the Wicker
sham report and in court records. He
collected from a speakeasy near the
Grand Central terminal 5000 weekly
1or nearly two years. He refused to
come down in hi7 tax, and his averice
closeu the speakeasy The extortior
from this place averaged s3l 200 a year
He visits small speakeasieS about once
a month. He does not leave unless he
Is richer by at least 500, or has another
arrest to his credit Sometimes he is
suspended for the good of the service"
Then he drives from one speakeasy to
another and "bcrroWs" $50 or more in
each. Only the most witleSs would deny
him the loan"
Since the early davs of February. 1892.
the grating prohibition agent has been
tapping new form of revenue bv
threatening to act under section 1853
OF the Internal Revenue Laws. which
permits the seizure of fixtures wherever
LIQUOR is sold without a Federal license
Thls has led to levies of 5000 and up
One downtown speakeasv proprietor
IL
furnishings
Nest prohibition agents live extrava-
gantlv. and it is amusing to see one on
his day off having good time. He is
usually drunk when he reaches a place
"here he intends to play the role of
sport; and all at the bar must be his
guests Ha orders round after round of
drinks, and. marvellous to relate. paws for
them. No one else may buy Every one
humors him, even those who despise
him. There is no choice for he is a
coarse fellow, a gangster, irresponsible;
and he has revolver.
The testimony before the Wickersham
Commission by those who should
know'-the phrase is from Federal
judge kenyon's statement-demonstra
ed that at least so per cent of the pro-
hloitlon agents prior to the time they
We're placed under civil service were un-
mt for the position and inccmpetent as
law enforcement officers But civil
service has not noticeably changed
them. Some apparently sought the
positions because of the opportunity for
graft and openly boasted CT what they
could make therein" said Judge Ken
yon. He quoted Maj. Chester P. Mills.
a West Pointer, one of the few honest
prohibition administrators, who said
that "three-fourths of the $500 dry
agents are ward heelers and svcophants
named by politicians" Referring to the
conditions in New York City. as barred
by Maj. Mills, Judge Kenyon said:
Politicians, some of them high in
national affairs, attempted to force upon
him men with criminal records-sc me
; the very lowest grade of vote-getters-
which, apparently, was the test of the
politician for good prohibition agents.
Prohibition was expected evidently by
some politicians to furnish a fine field
for the operation of the spoils system
IN politics Their expectations have
been largely realized. One of the lead
Ing political bosses of New York City
Informed Mills that he must let him
control the patronage in his Office or
ne would have to get out. Another told
him that efficiency must give way to
patronage. One agent with criminal
record whom he discharged was re-
tnstated after Mills ceased to be admin
1strator and was continued in cffice
until about year ago, when he was
indicted for alleged conspiracy to violate
the provisions of the national prohi-
bition act. One of the parties whcm
it was insisted he should appoint had
shortly before shot man in row in
a how l1nI h11 i
with burglar tools upon him. Maj. Mills
tried to do an honest job and soon dis
covered, according to his statements,
that he was not wanted on the job"
Special Agents Honest.
In discussing prohibition agents. boot
leggerS always stress that the special
agentS-the Secret Service men of the
Department of Justice-and all other
special agents CT the Government are
honest. They are A we'll informed one
in the retail end of the booze racket
said solemnly that the average prohi-
bition agent makes his first million at
the end of the fifth year He was but
saying what is heard all over town.
The speakeasy owner does net mind
paying a dollar on each half barrel to
rhe patrolman on beat nor the petty
graft to the "chowder boys" But he
sees red when he talks of the prohibition
agents who eXtort annually an average
Of at least $1,000 from each drinking
place.
The "chowder boys" are survival Of
the old days when the saloon and saloon
vote were important factors in every
large city. They received their name
in the 70s, when New York City was
synonymous with Manhattan Island and
the ward leader hired tugboat to tow
q barge or two on trip up the Hudson
or down the sound, where beer, clam
choWer, lobster and chicken and other
foods were served amid rustic settings.
But as a great deal OF drinking was
done On the way to the grove, only
few had desire for anything save the
Chowder, which is noted for its SOLDERING
effect With the coming of Winter, the
"chowder boys" gave balls. and those
who went on the trips up the river and
down the sound attended the dances