The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-06
Liquor Raiders Reward.
Blind Celler Found With
Blind Tiger Stuff in it.

The liquor constables and the po-
lice had big time Of it yesterday
searching for contraband liquor in
Columbia, and they found consider
able quantity stored in some very
peculiar places Just think of the
joke! The premises OF the Alliance
Warehouse Company, near the
union depot, were raided and
searched, and a large number of
cases Of export beer-real caonrt-
band stuf-were found and seized.
The raiding party consisted of
State Liquor Constables Speed, Beach
and Davis. Trial Justice Constable
Hartin, Sergeant Morehead of the
police force and Officers Daniels and
Sloan.
The first place visited was the
Alliance warehouse. and in an out
house on the premises thiriy.eight
boxes of "Kopf's Extra Cheer" ex-
port beer were found and seized.
Then the party came on up street,
and the place of Jumper & Co.,
which has SO often been searched,
was raided. Nothing was secured.
Then the men went into the place
of P. j. Kraft & Co., formerly Mr..
c. G. Habenicht's place. MIR.
Habenicht sold out his b. siness to
this firm when the dispensary law
6:st went into effect, and he has not
owned any liquor of any description
since The place had been searched
several times before, and nothing
was found. The constables and Pc
lice Sergeant Morehead went through
the store, the other two police off,
GERS being stationed at the door, but
nothing was found Then they went
into the cellar Therein they found
several barrels of liquor, but each
bore Commissioner Traxler's stamp.
They seemed to have been working
on information. however, and spent
a long line searching. Then they
went to the rear of the cellar and
came against brick wall. The
wall was apparently new They
came up stairs and asked for intor-
nation about the wall. Nothing was
told them. Then they went into the
Office room in the rear of the building
and all around it, searching for an
entrance to the false cellar they evi.
d-ntly we're aware was there They
went into the Office, bored holes ia
the floor and found that there was
a cellar beneath. Then they re-
turned to the other cellar and pro-
ceeded with a crowbar to cus a hole
through the wall When the hole
was large enough lantern
was put through and peep
showed that there were in the cellar
large number of barrels and casks
and bottles of all sizes and styles.
They were about to tear the wall
down when a stairway leading up
was discovered Then they went
up in the Office again, rolled table
aside lifted the carpet, and behold,
there was a trap door, which, when
opened, disclosed the top of the
staircase.
All went down then, and eleven
casks Of beer and large quantity of
whlskey, rum, wines, cider, etc,
We're found The constaoles at once
set to work getting it out and haul
ing it to the State Dspensary. They
estimated their find, off hand, as
worth about $500. Some liquor men
who saw it say all she stuff was not
worth S75.
Speed said he had been working
On this case for months and was
satisfied that there was liquor about,
but he could not locate it. 1t is
said that one of the barrels bearing
Traxler's stamp had been tapped, and
nearly ali of its conten.s taken there.
from. No arrests have vet been
made-7he State.