National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-03
BOLD M00NSHINERS.
An Illicit Dlstillery Ralded In this
City.
All the Paraphernaiia and SIX Prisoners
Captured-A stiil Set Up Almost Under
the Shadow OF the Treasury-Par-
ticuiars OF the Haid-A scheme
TO Defraud the Revenue
Nippod in the Bud.
Seizure by Revenue Omcers.

Seizure by Revenue OHlcers.
successful raid by revenue officers aud the
police upon an Illicit distillery In most aris-
tocratic neighborhood Of the city, within few
squares of the Executive Mansion and the
Treasury building, was the sensation in the
city yesterday. Tho raided distillery is To-
Gated in the second story of house No. 1881
street northwest The descent upon the es.
Enlistment was made at IL o'clock yesterday
morning, the raiding party consisting of
George W. Pearson, Deputy Collector of Inter
nal Revenue; l.. l.. Clements, of the District
Revenue Service Deputy United States Mar
shall Taylor; John C. Eclklof, of the Internal
Revenue Bureau, and Lieutenant Noonan,
Sergeant Buell. and other police officers. The
plans were carefully laid 50 that no one could
escape. Officers wero stationed in the rear of
the building to prevent the escape of any one
in the building, and the rest of the party,
headed by the revenue officers, entered by the
front way. F. /. Brooke, the reputed propri-
etor of the store and also of the distillery, was
| found in the store and put under arrest. Then
proceeding up stairs. tho officers obtained adj
mission to
THE DisTILLERY
ON the second floor and captured three men
getting things ready for the still. These mon
wero Robert T. Dyer, Richard Burke and
Charles II. 0'Brien. A young man named
Myron Lewis, employed in tho store. was also
arrested and a son of Mr.. Brooke. Lewis
when he comprehcnded the situation, told
young Brooke to run, and young Brooke ran
but was quickly captured by Officer Kirby.
| lie was, however, aftcrward released.
ALL THE PRISONERS
were taken to the Fourth precinct station, and
officers were left IN charge of the house. Mr..
Clements and Marshal Tayler meanwhile start.
cd to Georgetown to secure the person ofJames
II. Young, one of the principals in the case,
who was not found about the dlstillcry. They
mot Young driving in his buggy when near
Georgetown, and Immediately placed him un.
der arrest. The prisoners were kept at the
station-houso until about o'clock, when
they were brought down town in two hacks
and taken before United States Commissioner
Plant. Assistant District Attorney Coyle APP
peared for the prosecution aud Mr.. Taggart
for the defense After some discussion it was
decided to
CONTINUE THE CASE
until Friday at o'clock. Bail was fixed In
the case of Brooke, Dyer and Young at 1900
each, and in Burkes case at $1,000. O'Bren
and Lewis were released on giving their per-
sonal bonds to appear Friday afternoon. Short
ly afterward Dyer was released on bail-his
|
man. Tho other three were taken to Jail.
THE HOUSE
| in which the distillery is located is owned by
| John L. Kidwell, of Georgetown, and the store
was formerly occupied by him as q drug store.
II is q three-story brick aud stands alone, the
lots on either side being vacant The store
was opened by Brooke last spring as o meat
and provision store On the awning are painted
the words Farmers Market" and Of. l..
Brooke & Co." There Is nothing unusual in
the appearance of the store, it being fitted up
the usual way with meat-hooks, blocks, racks
and refrigerators. The third or top floor is
not occupied at ALL The rooms OIL the second
floor were used by the distillers. The apart.
ments are most conveniently arranged for the
purpose, as a person, TO gain admission to the
front room, has TO walk through n passage and
another back room. The house is bare of fur
niture, but the front room Is filed up with the
tubs, furnace, still and the other paraphernalia
of the distillery. When the officers entered
the front windows were found tightly covered
with blankets and papers, 50 as to exclude the
light and prevontany discovery OF the contents
of the room from the street. There was also a
sink in the room, with pipe leading to the
sewer-pipe, so that all Stops and waste could
be disposed of without leaving the room. In
the little rear room Is a cooks and other
kitchen furniture. The men employed about
the place cooked their own meals. The still,
| u
Ions. When the officers entered the place there
were four large tubs or watts filled with "mash''
ready for the still and six empty tubs. Every.
thing indicated that the process Of distlling
would have been commenced In very short
time. The furnace in which the still is set is
of brick and very heavy. Last Monday sup.
ports were placed in the store below, under
the ceiling, which was in danger Of sinking
beneath the heavy weight. 1t is estimated
that fifteen barrels Of forty-ive gallons each
could have been turned out of this place
weekly.
THE OFFICERS
have suspected the place for some time and
have carefully observed every movement Of
the men. On the 25th of August four large
tubs were hauled TO the place from the depot
having been shipped from Baltimore. Evi
IDENTIFY, in order TO avoid suspicion, they were
taken by way of X street, through an alley tc
the rear of the house. As they were too large
to be taken into the house by the usual way
the brick.work was broken away from a back
window on the second story, thus making u
large and irregular opening III the WALL and
the tubs were hauled up and taken in through
the window. Six more tubs arrived from
Baltimore Monday, and were taken into the
building In the same way. The window can
be seen from X street. The rye and corn used
in making the mash were purchased in Alex
andria already ground, aud carried to the store
, THE PRISONERS.
James II. Young, one OF the prisoners, Is
builder, and resides in Georgetown. 1t /,
stated that he furnished money to star
Brooke in business in the store, and also the
capital to open the distillery. The purchases
were made by him and he attended TO all the
business on the outside. Dyer is young
man, and most respectfully connected il
Georgetown. Burke is au old man. and al
old distlller, having been engaged in various
dstilleres at different times about the Dis
trct. O'Brien and Lewis appear only to have
been employees about the place.
THE WITNESSES.
Among the witnesses who will be called fol
the Government are Horace Jarboe tn,
Georgetown cooper, through whom the tub
were ordered and procured from Baltimore
and Ebridge Lansdale, plumber, who die
the plumbing work in the place.
Brooke, after his arrest, stated that nothing
had been done yet, and they intended to gel
out license Immediately. The law, however
a. 81