Twelve Years' Imprisonment and Fine of G.$12,000 for Ezra Brothers: Drug Ring Believed Broken San Francisco, Sept. 23.
HE "Shanghai narcotics case" was removed from the calendar of the United States Dist court to-day when Federal Judge Adolphus F. St. Sure sentenced Judah and Isaac Ezra to twelve years' imprisonment and their associates to lesser terms. In addition to the terms in the Federal prison, the Ezra brothers must pay fines of G.$12,000 each Before they are released. Reduction of the sentences resulting from good behaviour may amount to as much as three years in each case.
The associates in the smuggling ring whose evidence was largely responsible for the mass of conclusive evidence against the Ezras will not have to pay fines.
Frank Baris and Mrs. Amelia Cuneo, both residents of San Francisco were sentenced two years each, These two were engaged in the di buting end of the narcotics trade and when arrested they made full confessions, according to the Federal District Attorney Mr. H. H. MePike. Confronted with these statements the Ezras broke down and told what was at first believed to be the whole story of their oper the illicit drug. traffic ho was closer to the Ezras than the others and who acted in the capacity of adviser and sometimes attempted to act as "fixer", was sentenced t3 five years. No announcement was made' with regard to the indictment against Alan Zimmerman who Jeff the jurisdiction of the court before the lenders were arrested and went to Shanghai.
Immediately after sentences were Most of the raw opium was passed, Mrs, Judah Ezra said she shipped in small tins and these were would file an action for divorce concealed in all drums. The raw within ten days and upon" the product was distributed in that form granting of an interlocutory decree in some cases and some of it was would sail for Shanghai. Upon the sent to laboratories where the alkashowing that her husband has been laids were removed, convicted of a felony, Mrs. Ezra As the evidence accumulated the! can obtain the decree within a few Ezras were caught in the web and after the case is filed. The When Federal agents visited the 1 decree will be granted after' home of Judah Ezra they found the expiration of one year. Mrs.
Ezra. willy however, not be com-Jdrugs said to be worth $50,000 at "bootleg" prices. pelled to remain within the jurisdic Judah Ezra said that he had attion of the court in order to obtain the divorce. tempted to recuperate his finances by means of the doug traffic.
When the defendants were called What money he and his brother before the court to-day, many ex-were believed to have possessed was pected that a comparatively light thrown into their defence.
Sentence would be pasted on Isaac Ezra, His twin brother Judah Judah Ezra Penniless Ezra. had done Judah Ezra said to-day that he power to free virtually penniless. An apart- 20 Gials that Tsang Ezra had entered ment house that he owned in one the smuggling busines sauctantiy the good residen and at the persuasion of himself, The building brought but a cently sold to satiety Mr, MePlke, however, told the court that he could not with justice
two brothers joined in smugd Fecommend a fighter sentence, "The cit. worth in nor narcotics into the country" and both money judgment, After the sentences "were passed Participated in the distribution, he Mr. MePike said that "he and. all Said. He. also. declared that both members of the Department of men put their money into the busi-[Justice were elated at the conclusion ness and he could see no reason fof the case. for recommending clemency, "This roughly Private Code Submitted opium groups that has operated Al the records in the case of the the West for more than a decade, defendants, all of whom had pre-he said. "It has taken months of Mlously pleaded guilty and. thrown effort and many thousands of dollars themnsebves on the merey of the court, to run it down. We bel were submited to Judge Se Sure the Ezra ring is now entirely broken cable cole. Phis code. appended. to cluding private. telegraph an up."—United Press.
Sethe most damaging of all the compl of the drag mitted for ie gave.'a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.