Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-07-02
VERMONT MOONSHINE.

THE SEIZURE OF ALFRED woRDEN's CIDER BRAN
by MILL AWAY UP IN THE AUdEB HOLE.
On Thursday Of last week Deputy Co.
lector Lllis and Special Agent Larkin Of the
Internal Revenue department seizsd an illicit
cider brandy distilleTy which Alfred S. Wor-
den had IN operation on his farm in Nj irl-
boro, together with about 800 gallons of BRAN
dy. On Thursday evening U. s. Attorney
Haskins issued a complaint against WoTden
for violation OF the criminal laws, and on Fri.
day Deputy Marshal Sprague arrested him
and brought him to BrAttleboro where he
had hearing before U. S. Commissioner
Waterman and WAS held in $1,000 for his ap.
pearRnce at the October term Of the U. S.
Circuit Court to be held at Rutland. On Sat-
urday Col. HAskins filed an information IN
rem against the liquors seized, the distilery
and apparatus, and the farm on which il was
located, and on Tuesday OF this week Marshal
Henry came down from Burlington and at
tached the property in behalf OF the United
States upon a monition issued by the clerk of
the United States court founded on the infor.
nation filed. The information and monition
are roturnable before the District Court at
Windsor on July %. The brandy, distillery,
etc, are in charge of Thos. A. Morse OF Viii.
Evansville as keeper. The main facts in re-
gard TO this seizure were known TO US last
they were withheld by request Of the govern
ment officials who hoped to further the ends
of the law by keeping the matter out Of print
! for few days.
1t appears that Worden has run his dstil.
| ley for some 2 years and has had It regular
| ly bonded until May Of last year About the
| first Of June this year he applied to Deputy
Collector Lillis for blank bond, which indi-
Gated that he was still in the business, and
when Special Agent Larkin came around Mr..
Lillis took him and started on a tour of in.
vestigation. They overlook a Wlliamsville
farmer with load Of cider which he said he
was taking TO Worden's still, and he also said
| that he had brandy made there last year. The
! place they finally found to be on hill at the
end of a road leading of the "auger hole "
road on the "South branch" above Pondvlle
The still was in operation out door near the
house, with no attempt at secrecy When first
| questioned WoIden said that the three OF
-four barrels of partially distilled goods which
we're in view were all the goods he had but a
search of the house disclosed in a room under
lock and key, which he said was his wife,
dairy" several barrels Of brandy. with meas
ures and other applan oes showing that a reg.
ular business was being carried on there. A
jug in bag aud other similar indications all
pointed to the same thing. Evidence has al.
ready been obtained of over 80 gallons which
Worden made and disposed OF last year.
Worden claimed to the officers that he thought
he WAS not obliged to bond and pay the tar
so long as he kept the liquor in his possess
ion and did not sell it, but it is evident thai
he has been selling regularly.
While Marshal Henry WAS in the house tC
make the attachment the blank bond Spoken
of came from the mail the application beinl
made and sigued by Worden's brother who
lives in Massachusetts,.
This case Of moonshining is one OF the larg
est which has recently been unearlhsd In Yer
mont. The upshOt of ii will ba a settlement
with the government, but it will cost Mr.