Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-08-16
JURY |ND|CTS %
IN LIQUOR CASE;
BIG RING CHARGED
Smuggling of 1000 Gallons
Weekly Into Capital
Claimed by Officials.
BOOTLEG PRODUCT HELD
MADE IN VIRGINIA
Disclosure of Alleged Conspiracy
Is Result of Long Effort by
Officers.
An Indictment charging existence OF

olitSClS.
An indictment charging existence OF
huge illicit liquor ring which Is
alleged to have smuggled l 900 gallons
| Of corn whisky into Washington weekly
At loss to the Government OF APP
proximately 5000 900 in revenue during
. the two years of it's operation, was re-
turned today by the District grand
Jury.
From the foothills of nearby Vir-
9ina. where great stills were operated
day and night. the contraband liquor
was run into Washington by cars and
trucks. usually equipped with smoke
screens and accompanied by conveys
to block possible pursuit, it was
charged.
Here. investigators stated. it was
distributed wholesale to bootleggers.
who piled thriving trade in the rela-
lively cheap beverage, mostly among
the colored population.
Opera tons of the ring were said by
police and Treasury Department in
Nestigators to be second in magnitude
Nnly to that of a similar bootleg band
, indicted in 1884. which supplied Wash
neton with illicit spirits during the
FIRST year of repeal. Thirty-four men
end women were named in that in
Eictment. A number pleaded guilty
end Is we're convicted. but the jury's
verdict recently vas reversed on a
technicality by the United States
Court of Appeals
33 Named in Indictment.
Thirty-three men. both white and
tolored, were named in the indictment
fodav. All were charged with con-
Fpiring to violate the revenue laws.
Conviction would carry maximum
penalty of 4 months to two years i'm
prisonment.
Alton B. Cissell. "a. a one-armed
nan Familiarity known as "Onie" was
thief Of the gang, according to As
istant United States Attorney Roger
Robb. who presented the case to the
Erand jury He alleeedlv supervised
both the distribution of the liquor
here and its manufacture in Vir-
mia.
In direct charge of the sales force"
Robb declared, was James Allen Nc
Iaddy. 36, eolored gasoline station
proprietor, while Tom c. Young alleg-
dly managed the stills.
One of those indicted was George
F. Burns. manager of large and re-
putabe wholesale house. who is al
egedly to have sold CisSell 10000
hounds OF sugar during six months in
935. which was used at the Virginia
tills. Burns lives in Chevy Chase, Md.
Warrants for all Of those indicted
ave been issued by United States Com
n.ssioner Needham c. Turnage and
many have been arrested and released
N bail
Disclosure of existence of the alleged
conspiracy was the result of long and
ainstaking effort by police and
Alcohol Tax Unit opera tives. The Fed
raj men who worked on the case were
Earl o. Spiess, special investigator,
nd Francis j. Sweeney James w.
Rogers and William G. Harding, in
estiga tors.
Is Cars Are Seized.
During the course of a year or more
; liquor laden cars were seized as
hey sped into or toward Washington.
fanny long and dangerous chases
marked the seizures.
BY painstaking investigation and
interviewing of witnesses, enforce
,ent officials finally pieced together
he picture.
The still-a huge affair-was 10
ated in hilly glade and its product
transported to country store about
NO miles away. There it was stored
ntil picked up by the fast cars which
pok it to Washington.
Officials believe the organization
Maintained no storehouse in the city,
bat operated entirely on order, deliv-
he the contraband directly to boot
esers.
When Federal agents finally dis
nvered the still and destroyed it,
mother was established. then another
I'D another. Most we're near Middle
: lre and Delaplane The sixth and
st was near Brandywine, Md.
Trucks Believed Kept.
The organization kept two trucks
nd four or five cars on hand at all
mes, officials believe. Supplies for
he stills were purchased both in
Washington and in Front Royal, Va
WAS said.
Investigators say the leaders of the
ng had a falling out in the Summer
1896, and split up. The conspiracy
narged in the indictment is dated
eptember l, 1884, to September l,
p36.
Those indicted, in addition to those
aid to be the leaders were Charming
trother, 59-year-old farmer: Melvin
parrough, Aldridge H. Sutphin, IS;
lso Virginia farmer; Hampton
ALLEY, Manuel Bailey, storekeeper
ear Paris, Va; William o. Turner
1alter Bailey, Raphael F. Bush, Sam
FL Lucas. Norman Sparrough, George
ichie, Clinton Eugene Colvin, Rich
I'd Adams, Frank Posey, Henry john
bn. Carl Dixon, John James Haw-
ms, Walter A. Hopkins, William B
base, Hasker Jones, Carroll Thomas
|ndrew J. Standfeld, William F
NTH. Louis w. Wright, James Miles
T.; John Hitter, James Hutchinson
emes Jackson, Wallace Lyon and
turns.
Confederate Sons to Picnic.