LAW VIOLATED.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1924, Page 5

LAW VIOLATED.

WHISKY DEAL IN AMERICA. GUILT OF FORMER OFFICIAL. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received July 2, 9.45 p.m. New York, July 1. Gaston Means, an ex-agent of the Department of Justice, whose investigatorial exploits read like romantic fiction, was, after a fortnight’s trial by a Fe»leral Court, found guilty of conspiring to violate the prohibition laws. Means, with a conspirator, will shortly be sentenced. The penalty is a maximum of two years’ imprisonment, and a fine of fire thousand dollars. The convictions resulted from a charge that Means and an associate collected twenty thousand dollarg from a Havana merchant, promising him to obtain the release of fifty barrels of whiskey, which by pre-arrangement was to be re-consigned to Pittsburg, but it would be diverted en route. The merchant testified that he paid the money but received neither the whiskey nor the money. The Government, through witnesses and defendant’s confessions, proved that the latter had witbin two years collected in excess of four hundred thousand dollars from persons seeking favours in high official places. Means contended that he delivered the money to Jess. Smith.

Meant’ conviction ends the myth of his immunity. This gained currency because previous indictments for murder and other crimes never made headway against him. Means throughout the trial insisted that th? Government was persecuting him for his revelations before the various Senate committees.