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Show . Drug Addict, Imposter Is Caught By Federal Agents During the past few weeks, The News has presented n number of articles ar-ticles by K. K. Conroy, special agent in charge of tlie Charlotte, N. C, office of-fice of the United Slates bureau of investigation. This week's story follows: fol-lows: As a preface to my story this week, 1 believe it advisable to make brief references to that section of the United Unit-ed States criminal code known as the impersonation statute. This law prohibits pro-hibits unauthorized persons from representing rep-resenting themselves as being- employees em-ployees of the federal government. It provides that any person, who falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee of the United States may be prosecuted in federal court. Of course, the law sets forth that the impersonator must either act in a false capacity or in such pretended character must demand or obtain some valuable consideration. It is the aim of tl is l.'.w, not merely to protect innocent persons from actual loss through reliance upon false assumptions assump-tions of federal authority, but to maintain the general good repute and dignity of the services of the United Suites government. It is imperative, not only that the authority of government govern-ment officers and employees be respected re-spected in particular cases, but that a spirit of respect and good will for the government and its officers shall generally prevail. The investigation of persons who make false pretenses of federal authority au-thority is delegated to the United States bureau of investigation. This scope of activity covers a very broad field. It brings the special agents of this service in touch with every branch of federal activity. Today, the investigator may be checking the movements of a shrewd "confidence man," who has represented himself to be a United States senator. Tomorrow, Tomor-row, the same agent i"iay be making Haider's room was localed. lie pointed point-ed out the room, ami then retired. Agent Cordon cautiously walked on the carwted floors to 1 larder's room, lie listened for a moment., lie heard movements within the room, lie motioned mo-tioned to the other agent, who quickly quick-ly came to his side. Agent Cordon gently rapped on the door. "Who is lit?" inquired the occupant. "Hell hop," I was Cordon's response. The door was thrown open. The agents quickly en-'tered en-'tered without waiting for an invitation. invita-tion. Harder was startled. His keen, rat-like eyes surveyed the situation. He demanded an explanation for the intrusion. The agents revealed their identities. They told Harder Unit he was wanted for impersonating a government gov-ernment officer. He denied that he was the man who was wanted. His glances became more furtive, however. how-ever. Beads of perspiration stood out jon his forehead. The crazed brain of i a drug addict reflected itself in the distorted features of his face. The 'agents attempted to reason with him. They told him that it would create less commotion if he would quietly accompany them to the office of the United States attorney. The mention of the prosecutor seemed to have a psychological effect. Harder said he would go, but that he must dress first. He walked slowly towards the dresser to get a necktie. His cunning was not underestimated. Agent Gordon was at his side. Harder then slowly proceeded to dress. Fastening Fas-tening his collar with one hand, he casually slipped his other hand into the top drawer of the dresser as though to produce a necktie. A revolver re-volver flashed from the dresser drawer. draw-er. A smash to the chin sent-Harder sprawling on the floor. This would-be killer, a crazed dope fiend, moaned as his revolver dropped from his hand, his wrist aching from a terrific twist. As Harder was regaining his feet, an object dropped from his clothing. He attempted to kick it under the bed. The article was quickly recovered. recover-ed. It was the gilt badge with the inscription, in-scription, "Special Officer." i Harder was whisked to police headquarters. head-quarters. His baggage was taken with I him. There, a careful search was; made. Slender vials of morphine pel-j lets, cocaine tablets and opium cards were found sewed carefully into the , linings and hems of his clothing. His brief case contained a large supply of . narcotics, most of which were identi-1 fied as having been stolen from the-Crown the-Crown drug store in Kansas City, Kansas, the day before. A diary was found. They revealed operations overj a long period of time. The illicit drugs and all information regarding same were turned over to the inspectors inspec-tors of the narcotic bureau. The prisoner was confronted with the information in the agent's possession. posses-sion. He was identified by the druggist drug-gist from Kansas City, Kansas. Then admitted that he had TTeen violating the law. He advised that his correct name was William Ralph, and that he had used numerous aliases. He informed in-formed the agents that he was almost a hopeless addict, and that he had been using narcotics for fifteen years. He also admitted that he had served terms in the Missouri, Iowa and Illinois Illi-nois state penitentiaries. He stated that he was anxious to go to the penitentiary, peni-tentiary, where he might be cured of the drug habit. A short time later, the United States grand jury returned an indictment indict-ment charging Ralph, alias Harder, with possession and transportation of illicit narcotics, the most serious of the charges pending against him. Upon Up-on a plea of guilty, Ralph was sentenced sen-tenced to a long term in tlie United States penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. The impersonation charges were not pressed. Perhaps Harder, during the few years that he spends behind the bars, where narcotic drugs are not available, will be cured of the habit. I hope so, but I am skeptical. When he is released, his jangled nerves will probably overcome his will power. He has too long been a victim of the vicious drug habit. inquiries in a "speak-easy," ferreting nut evidence against some "hijacker," who searched this dive for liquor by means of impersonation of a federal j prohibition agent. On the following day, inquiries may be made concern-I concern-I ing some sailor or soldier who has 'cashed a fraudulent check by means of using the title of his superior of-' of-' f icer. Impersonation investigators are I many and varied, and every type of criminal is encountered in connection : therewith. I The impersonation case I will relate ; this week deals with the traffic of narcotic drugs. It might be pointed out that the control of the drug traf-I traf-I fic is brought within the jurisdiction ' of the fedural government by means I of tax legislation. In view of this circumstance, investigations of violations viola-tions of laws restricting the possession, posses-sion, transportation and sale of drugs come within the primary investigative jurisdiction of the bureau of narcotics j of the treasury department. The narcotic vendor is generally iccognizcd as one of the greatest enemies of society. He plies his ne-; ne-; farious trade in a serpentine trail I from Shanghai to New York, and J from Siberia to the Straits of Megel-I Megel-I lan. Purveyors of illicit narcotics are often the most dangerous element of the criminal classes. Frequently these peddlers are narcotic addicts them-svlvcs, them-svlvcs, known in the parlance of the underworld as "hop-heads," "hyps," "dopes," and "snow-birds." While under un-der the influence of drugs, the in-sentive in-sentive chi' anery of the ingenious minds of these derelicts of society is often astounding. They are often cunning cun-ning and vicious. They stop at noth- i ing in obtaining their illicit supplies, and in attempting to evade the talons! of the law. The forces of the federal, state and municipal governments are waging a continuous battle against them. With this background, I will i elate this week's story. Here it is! During the early evening of Janu-!ary Janu-!ary 13, 1920, a middle-aged man of i medium height and of sallow com-I com-I plexion, walked into the Crown drug store in Kansas City, Kansas, and asked for the proprietor. He introduced introduc-ed himself as Harry Harder, narcotic inspector, and at the same time flashed flash-ed a gilt badge bearing an eagle and the inscription, "special officer." Harder demanded the privilege of examining the narcotic prescriptions on file, and also stated that he desired to check the supply of narcotics on hand. Prescription records were produced pro-duced for his perusal, and the narcotic nar-cotic cabinet was opened for his inspection. in-spection. Harder appeared to make a thorough examination of all the prescription pres-cription records. Then, while the druggist was busily engaged in attending at-tending to the wants of customers, Harder proceeded to the narcotic cabinet, cab-inet, where he apparently checked the diugs on hand. A short time later, Harder nonchalantly left .the drug store without further comment. Later in the evening, the druggist went to his narcotic cabinet with the intention of locking- it for the night. He glanced glanc-ed at the shelves. .Bottles of cocaine and morphine were missing. The druggist thought for a moment. He had not required this self-styled inspector in-spector to produce his credentials. Probably this man had been an imposter. im-poster. Early the next morning the druggist drug-gist called the inspector in charge of the narcotic bureau at Kansas City, M issouri. He made inquiry as to whether whe-ther there was a narcotic agent by the name of Harry Harder employed at that office. Upon receiving a negative nega-tive reply, the druggist related the events of the night before. Shortly after the receipt of this information, the narcotic bureau reported the facts to the office of the United States bureau bu-reau of investigation at Kansas City, Missouri, -with the advice that it was apparent that Harry Harder was an imposter. The special agent in charge of this bureau at Kansas City, Missouri, Mis-souri, stated that he would give the matler immediate attention. A special agent, whom we will call Carl Gordon, was assigned to the ! case. Inquiries revealed that a man by the name of Harder was registered at an exclusive hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, Accompanied by another agent of the bureau, Gordon proceeded proceed-ed to that hotel. Inquiries were made ' at the hotel desk regarding the iden- tity of their guest named Harder. The house detective was summoned. Upon 1 questioning, he stated that he knew ; Harder, who was a government of-. ficer i',1 Kansas City on some special undercover work. The house detective ! further stated that Harder had been j -obtaining some wonderful results, i and I hat he should not be disturbed. He advised the agents that he would show them Harder's room, but that he did not wish to enter because he ei rtainly would not interfere with the operations of a government officer. Upon request, the house detective : took the agents to the floor where |