The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-08
ILLICIT OSCILLATION.
Hearing Before Commissioner Rand
in the Case of F. D. Harvey.

A hearing was given before U. S. Commits
sioner Rand yesterday afternoon, at O'Clock
in the case of Foster D. Harvey. charged
with keeping and operating an illicit distil-
lery at his house in Waldoboro. District At
torney Bird appeared for the government.
and ID. w. Swasey as counsel for Harvey.
Harvey is man of apparently about thirty
years Of age. He is small man. with light
hair and moustache, and is lawyer by pro-
fession The father of the respondent was
present at the hearing
The complaint alleges that Harvey has
kept still in his house at Waldoboro, with
out giving bond, and for the purpose of de-
frauding the government. The respondent
pleaded not guilty to the charge.
United States Marshal Geo. d. Bisbee.
Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue Rack
Lift and o. S. Head, merchant of Waldo
boro, were sworn Marshal Bisbee was the
first witness to testify. He described hi.
visit to the house of Harvey at Waldoboro,
in company with Deputy Collector Rackliff
and the finding of still. His testimony
was substantially as follows: In company
with Mr.. Racllliff, he visited the house of
the respondent ON Thursday, Aug 9th The
house is situated a short distance from the
village, on the road to Friendship. They
went to the cellar, Harvey going with them.
The cellar was well lighted and contained
one large room. Besides ordinary articles.
such as are usually stored in cellar, the
officers found coil of lead pipe, one end of
which was fitted into piece of wood which
had hole bored through it lengthwise. to
receive the pipe The coil was found inside
an old BARREL with no bottom or head, the
pipe resting on the ground. The pipe, with
other articles, was brought to Portland, and
taken charge of by Mr.. Rackliff.
A copper tank was also found.
in the cellar, about the size and shape of
barrel There was faucet near the bottom
OF the tank and hole in the top which ap-
peared to be about the size of the piece of
wood on the end of the pipe. The tank was
partly full OF what the respondent called
molasses. A cook stove in the cellar was
connected with the chimney. Three or four
hogsheads were found full of some dark look
ing liquid which the witness knows to con-
tain molasses, but which on being exam
med proved to be thinner than molasses.
1here were also number of barrels, half or
tWo-thlrds full OF the same substance. Some
bottles were found by the officers containing
what the witness would call rum. A ditch
in the floor of the cellar connected with the
drain OF the house, and there were evidences
that water had run through it recently.
While In the cellar, the respondent was
twice discovered by witness in the attempt
to stralghten the coil of pipe, and when on
second visit to the cellar, the witness saw
that the funnel which connected the stove
with the chimney had been removed.
The witness then described the finding of
more of the liquid substance in small room
IN the second story of the house, and a guam
tlty OF what the witness would call rum was
found at the Office Of the respondent, who
had told them it was there.
Harvey talked freely while the officers
We're in the house and told them that the
substance found in the various places mem
tloned was to be used in making vinegar.
Marshal Bisbee had heard that a man had
worked with Harvey on the Saturday night
previous and told Harvey that he had
better make his statements conform to those
made by that man, whereupon Harvey said
that the man had better keep still and made
other remarks to the same effect.
In response to questions by Mr.. Swazey,
the witness stated that Harvey had told him
that man who owned large orchard was
to bring some cider to his house and make
it into vinegar there
Deputy Collector Rackliff was called and |
corroborated the testimony of Marshal Bis |
bee He had tested three samples of the liq- |
uid found in the house and found them to |
contain Ia, so and 70 per cent of alcohol. |
The witness had tried the piece of wood
found in the end of the coil and it exactly
fitted the hole in the tank.
The hearing was then adjourned until
O'Clock this morning.