THE TRAIL OF CRAFT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 83, 7 April 1924, Page 7

THE TRAIL OF CRAFT

CHECKING A REFORMER

OPIUM IN PRISONS.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPIMSHT.)

(AUSTRALIAN-SEW .ZEAI AND OAtLE ASSOCIATION.) WASHINGTON, 4th April.

A sensational revelation regarding the opium traffic within the Federal penitentiaries was made bofaxe the Senate Committee by J. K. Dyeh, a former warden of Atlanta Penitentiary, who declared that he attempted to eradicate Uie conditions, but encountered opposition from H-. H. Votaw, Superintendent of the Federal Prisons, and brother-in-law of the late President Harding.' Dych said Votaw told him the publicity which would result from Dych's activities would be distasteful to Mr. Harding and Mr. Daughevty, and would disrupt prison discipline. Daugherty agreed with this view.' Nevertheless, Dych's efforts resulted"in tho conviction of "two dealers, whereas hundreds of other continued to sell the. drug unmolested, causing many convicts to become addicted to their use. Dych explained that the drug was smuggled into tha prison via mails food, and holiday gift packages. Dych added that his activities caused his transfer from the wardeuship to prohibition work. William Bums, chief of the Department of Justice Bureau of Investigation, appearing before the. Senate Committee, confirmed in detail Dych's testimony, appearing before the Senate Committee, confirmed in detail Dych's testimony,, n.nd declared that Yotaw ordered him to stop investigation of the illicit drug traffic in the prisons. Burns added that he appealed in vain to his superiors in the Department of Justice, and said that if inquiry had been permitted he would have apprehended the chief traffickers and stopped the traffic, which was still proceeding as a phase of the activities~of the nation-wide illicit drug syndicate.