Evening star., 1934-05-18
Plan to Flood City With
Bootleg Rum Charged
by Agents.
REPUTABLE D. C. FIRM
TAKEN IN BY "SCHEME"
New Yorker Accused of Making
Investment Before Placing
Order With Accomplices.

Details Of an alleged plot by a ring
of New York bootleggers to gain a
foothold in Washington by buying
their way into a reputable local es-
tablishment - accomplished by an
original outlay Of $500 in cash
were unfolded today with the arrest
of two men in New York.
Government agents believe the New
Workers, II of whom are now under
indictment here, planned to food
| Washington with a cheap brand of
bootleg whisky in bottles bearing we'll
known labels without taking any local
distributing agency into their conf
dence
The two men under arrest In New
York, alleged ringleaders of the plot.
| are Sam Sellys, so, and Joseph Berl,
IS. Others under indictment here
are Gilbert Bruso, Benjamin Fem
berg, A. c. Wolf. Oscar Sapossnek,
Marcia Tobe, William Abrams. Nor
ris Goldstein, Betty Norman and Mrs.
Berl. They are charged with conspir-
ing to violate the liquor taxing act.
Gained Fox's Confidence.
Government witnesses will testify
that the first move of the alleged
conspirators was made by Berl, who
gained the confidence of Seymour
Fox, vice president of the United
States Liquor Distributing Co., South
ern Building
Fox told Federal agents he was
planning to enter the liquor business
when he met Berl The latter, ac-
cording to Fox. seemed familiar with
the business and offered to invest
$500 in a distributing corporation
to be formed if he were made treas
urer. This money was advanced Feb
ruary Is, according to Fox.
The local distributing company was
then formed, with Marion De Vries. a
former Federal judge. as president.
Fox as vice president and Berl as
treasurer
A few days later a mysterious let
ter appeared in the local Office Of the
concern. This letter bore the cap
ton of supposedly well-known liquor
wholesaler in New York and quoted
very low prices on Lincoln Inn and
Golden Wedding whisky.
Order Placed.
Berl, who had taken charge Of buy
ing for the company, then allegedly
placed an order for IS cases of this
whisky at S28 a case. After delivery,
it is charged, Berl paid s2,295 for the
product.
The Government contends the So
called wholesaler did not exist and
that Berl really paid the money to
Sellys
The liquor. however allegedly bore
revenue stamps which had been
issued to a well-known New York
importer. 1t Is charged these stamps
were obtained by theft or fraud"
Suspicious of Government agents
had been aroused and they communi-
Gated with Fox When the next ship
ment was made, Fox notified the
Federal agents and they arrested the
driver as he drove up to the rear of
the Southern Building. The liquor
was seized. Another man, accom-
panying Bruso the driver escaped by
threatening Fox with gun.
Telegram for Aid.
After this arrest, according to the
Government, the following telegram
was sent by one of the conspirators
in New York to an associate in
Florida:
I'VE have truck in Washington.
D. c., which was seized with rs cases
of whisky. This was given to US by
a New York firm for delivery. We
did not know it was not Government
stamped merchandise. They have the
truck and driver. The driver is held
for possession of untaxed liquor and
the truck under a Federal charge.
The driver, Bruso, is at police station
No. and the truck is at a Govern
ment warehouse. Just what can you
do on this? If you can straighten
this out. 60 to Washington"
The Government charges the fol-
lowing reply was sent on March %:
I am wiring police captain at
Washington, also w. Service man
will do everything possible to get you
Strengthened out. If I have to go to
Washington. the cost is about $40
Will advise you if I can do you some
good"
Bruso, who has agreed to testify for
the Government, said one of the
alleged conSpirators in New York told
him after his arrest that her brother
who was at present in Florida, had
great deal of influence in Washing
ton. and that she had wired him and
that he would get him out of trouble"
Bruso subsequently was released en-
81 900 bond.
Kept in Dark"
Government agents said they be-
lieved the local men connected with
the distributing company thought they
were buying legitimate whisky and
dealing with legitimate New York
concern. The belief was expressed
that the alleged conspirators intended
to keep the local men "in the dark"
concerning their operations.
The whisky shipped here as bonded
goods was a mixture Of alcohol, water
and coal-tar colorings, it is charged
Sellys and Berl, according to the
Associated Press, were arraigned be-
fore United States Commissioner Gar
rett W. Cotter, In New York yester-
day. Sellys' bond was fixed at $4,000
and Berl's at $500 less, pending a re-
moval hearing on May %.
Sellys, New York police records are
said to have disclosed, has been ar
rested 46 times and convicted on l6
charges.