New York, Jan. 30—Gaston B. Means, one time confidential agent of the department of justice under director William J. Burnes, was fined $10,000 and given two years in the federal prison at Atlanta today when a jury found him guilty of having conspired to obstruct justice.
Thomas B. Felder, Means’ former attorney and co-defendant on the conspiracy charge, was fined $10,000 but got no prison term. Both men were granted permission to apply for writs of error, automatically staying execution of their sentence.
Sentence was imposed by Judge Lindley on a sealed verdict returned by a judge-picked jury after five hours’ deliberation last night. The sealed verdict declared the defendants guilty on all counts. Mercy was recommended for Felder, but no recommendation was made in the case of Means.
Jarnecke’s case was put off to June 20; he was known as secretary to Means when he was in the department of justice. Jarnecke, indicted with Felder and Means, pleaded guilty at the start.
Both Means and Jarnecke were convicted last July on a charge of bootlegging conspiracy.
Means at that time was given the maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and Jarnecke the same term and $5,000.
From the front page of the North Wilkesboro Hustler, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92072938/1925-02-04/ed-1/seq-1/
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