The New York herald., 1876-12-04
Daring Operations Of a Mob cf
Desperadoee.
REVENUE OFFICERS oVERPoWERED
COnfiscated Property Seized in Defiance Of
the Police.
Two United States Marshals As
saulted and Injured.

lawbreakers has than once been snown by
deeds, but seldom has 1t been manifested in 50 alarm
ing a way rs Saturday night No later in
the evening than ten O'Clock a street opening on
popuous thoroughiarc invaded by crowd OF men
who proceeded TO carry of lot connscated liquor
10 shut up number OF marshals guarding it, together
with the police duty, IN adjoining house. aud
attack and even maltrcat other revenue service
who were hurrying to the scene All this was done
publicly. too, in tho sight OF dweiers the
street and within few blocks OF tho station
house In yesterdays HERALD published
account of the seizure OF Illicit dstillcry West
Forty-nrst street by squad Of internal
officers. The establishment had been Kept by man
named Edward Roche, and perfect the
gcmens for the prosecution OF his unlawful business
that for long time he succeeded in evadng the
tiny OF the police. aud was only detected by
an injudicious sale OF too large quantities OF
liquor Over $4,000 worth Of property was
seized on the premises and this included orty-seycn
barrels Of spirits all Of which left in TIE cs.ab.
lishment under a guard of seven marshas Three OF
these lett in the rectying establishment, No $50
West Forty-rst street. aud in the Illicit distery
itself which is located the other side Of way,
but which communicates with the former building.
The marshas remained al tncr posts during tho early
part of the evening, but about O'clock some them
went to supper The others anticipated disturb
banco, and those In No 533 were sitting around the
Hovc chatting, when tumut arose in the rear The
police were called in when hands outside fixed pad
lock 10 the door and locked the whole party Then
the street swarmed with men, entrance was effected
into the dstilery the marshal duty abused and
the barrels OF spirits carried OF before his eyes Other
marshals returning 10 their posts, hurried into
alleys and hall ways by bands OF roughs ard held
lherc till the removal OF the liquor had been effected
Then the whole crowd disappeared quickly it had
n M VII n pliccfo thav
not q soul upon the street.
RECAPruRE.
HERALD reporter, who proceeded yesterday to the
scene oil these startling events. found that No. 533
West Forty-nrs street is old two-storcd brick
house, situated midway between Ninth and Tenth ave-
nues aad IN ncigh5orhood where tumble down sta
bles are sandwched in between old and seemingly
abandoned factories iona tenement house.
Inside the place had the appearance OF low bucket
shop which had been abandoned and from which
Ihc fixtures had mostly been removed. The walls
were tarnisE-l and in places and the
whole establishment wore dismal and forbid
ding look AT the OF the apartment which the
door opened was a low, dark shed, which had been
built as a continuation TO tho house. In this was a
boiler, from which pipe ran through hollow wooden
upright into tho cellar Here it travcrscd the OF
Me wall and passed underneath the sidewalk into the
aistiicry opposite. Several large tanks and small
mnsntuD S.-Ol TINS cellar and tho ground
sred with bits OF debris and hcaps or
rubbish. No great paus had been taken to con-
ceai this pipe. A portion OF 1t could be seen in the
upper apartment projecting from the wall, the
cellar it ran along the bare stones within arms
md without any attempt conccalment The windows
bf the store were toardcd up and the door was
fastened; but The place does not look like in
which \ couple of able bodci men could be kept
locked up for any length Of tme as the police and
some OF the marshals were. An easy wav OF egress
10 such an emergency occurred saturday night
lay through the rear, but tho windows could
not present any grea: obstacle TO couple of officers
whom rabbc had fastened IN From this the rectiiy-
Ing establishment, The reporter conducted the
secret chamber whore the actual work OF Illicit dis
ililnS was done. The selection of tho place and tho
cypedicnts adopted to conceal its purposes indicated
no htlo ingenuity. The OLD worm-eacn walls of a
stable rae on one side, and on The other there is
dismantcd factory OF some kind. An enclosure, which
has served for some time q sheep and cattle yard
lies front, and through this only the sccrc. sull
room can be entered. Ii is in builing. the front
portion of which Is used machine shop. Large
sheets OF bocr metal and unweldy masses OF lie
about the door which serve further divert attention
from the premises, and the wall which shuts the
yard rom the street Is high enough 10 shield any
Mysterious operation gong within from outside de-
lection. PassinI through little gateway the reporter
traversed the yard, which had heaps OF old axes,
broken wheels and diapldated two slowed in
served stable and here the masked entrance
TO the stnl only a rough wooden wall presented IL
seii 10 the eye, but pressure upon portion oi IL
caused two boarded sections To ny open and expose
lofty and spacious apartment, niied with mash uos,
tanks. donkey pumps and all the apparatus needed Tor
the dstilling of sprlts Treading these dark mazcs,
which nickcrIng candle served 10 only partially
ilumne, tue reporter ouud that ample room had been
provided tor the stowagc ol spirits a place followed
the ground anu that precautions had also been
lrken TO guard against a surprise From this recep
aclc he barrels liquor had been carried on saturday
lnd then carried away through the pdhlic streets.
Everything IN connection wiih tho ALTAR goes to
hoN that the ncIgnbors OF the aistlcry's
existence and that incy were willing to JON In
desperate act 10 snaIch from the law the confscated
properly There can be little doubt that the removal
o ihe liquor and the attack OF the officers
the result Of well organized plan, which was gen-
orally known, but The authors OF which will perhaps
be aUie to escape detection.
now MARSHAL SHAW WAS TREATED
Among the maisnals James Shaw old man rcsid-
Ing at No 10 Bccckcr street. seemcdto have received
the worst usage lie WIS found yesterday at the
scene OF the riot, and gave the following account to
HERALD reportcr:-.ihcre were four men detailed TO
waich the south side OF Fortyhrst street aud three
the north side Everything seemed quiet IN the cary
part OF the evening and no unusual excitement was
apparent; groups OF men and boys, 10 be generally
uund in this vcinity loitcrcd about the old boilers
md wagons on the street, and anticipated quet
,lghL Abont hali-past O'Clock the men went OF
% supper leaving me IN the stable yard adioin-
ing inc place where the Illicit studs were
discovered There large gate. very
strong, Forty-frst street, and smaller one; |
barred he one and locked the other IL VAS br.rht
moonlight night Marsnals Timothy shea and Martin
Wniic were the other side lnortnl OF the street,
and poce officers were detailed 10 duty outside of Tie
rcctying establishment At Rochc's, No $50. and also
In front OF he place. the interior OF which guard
ing. About huli-past ten O'Clock think, ! heard
hum noise accompanied by
] suspected something wrong, and rushed 10 the
small gaze, striking u with piece OF iron held In my
hand, give the alarm to tue officers outside In
moment The gate was forced open by numerous gang
OF nen--l should think thirty IN number-and they
Immediately grabbed me, threw me down, then
dragged me into DARK Place outside in hallway and,
securely guarding me, commenced their work OF re-
moving tho barrels Of whlskey IN the stlhouse that
had been seized by the government They had
double truck and single one, and they worked lively
l can tell you.p
RrroRrkR--D Did you make effort TO give the alarm
or TO get away
Marshal SHAw--Ycs, ! did, but big ruihan seized
me by the throat and choked me, saying, ''Xou -,
we'll fix you.u whereupon with piece oil gas