New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-27

A COMBINATION ENGAGED N SETTING Up MOON
SHINE" PLANTS AND PROTECTING ILLICIT
DlsTIL1ERs WHEN ARREsTED-HoW
THE PLAN is CARRIED OUT.
The Federal authorities In Brooklyn came into
nossesslon % facts yesterday which convince
them that a fully organized syndicate. backed
with abundant capital. has been at work for over
a wear In setting up in the business OF Illicit
vhiskey distilling Polish Jews who ore well paid
and protected in case the authorities catch them.
Circumstances connected with the raid made on
the plant near Huntington. Long Island, on
Thursday last tend to confirm the theory OF
Vanized lawbreaking in this respect. Collector
Kelley and his deputy. Alexander Mckinney. are
making things warm Tor the "moonshners," and
within a few weeks hope 10 secure evidence that
will convict lot Of guilty people in New-York
Il am convinced" said one officer OF the In
ternal Revenue Department Of Brooklyn. in con-
versaton with Tribune reporter yesterday,
',nat the work Of Illicit dstnng in this district
IS carried on by q syndicate and that this syndi-
cate is made up chiefly of Polish Jews. For
merly this business was largely in the hands Of
Irishmen but for the last SIX or eight years the
business has been practically controlled BY Polish
Jews.
THAT there is a syndicate behind this business
ie made manifest by the fact that in every case
where arrests have been made for the last SIX
months or a year the same counsel has appeared
10 defend the prisoners. When Pattiger, the
lessee Of the house West Hills. who was ar
rested last week first arraigned he pleaded
guilty The next day however the same counsel
who appeared for the men Who were arrested IN
the Eastern District in January last and also for
every man who has been arrested on a charge
OF violating the Internal Revenue laws. was pres
hat he -,-is wished
withdraw his plea and would waive examination.
I'VE have good reason to believe that there is
much of this Illicit dstillng going on in this
city. as well as in New-York and in the country
bordering on The two cities. There are six or
eight men who are backing this work. and al OF
them are men Of means but as yet we have not
been able to get sufficient evidence to warrant us
in making any arrests. The fact Of the matter Is
that we know of only three men concerned in the
scheme. and against these we have no absolute
proof but we have good reason TO believe that
there are at least half dozen principals engaged.
That is, l mean there are that number OF men
who are furnishing the means to carry on the
work
Their plan of operation is 70 find building
owned or occupied by a fellow countryman VINO
is in need Of ready money. To him they make
an offer for the use of portion Of the premises
they propose 10 carry and agree 10 pay MIN
rent or else 20 give him ar interest IN the ousl-
ness In plausible way they represent 10 MIN
that most OF the liquor made in this country is
made In this way. and that they nave as ihuch
right to engage In the business as Americans:
This plea almost invariably is successful me
style Of plant they use Is such that the acllVe
APPARATUS can De set up taken down within
q DAY or two, and can be easily transported from
one point 10 another II IS difficult task 10 10
cate these places We may receive Information
that an illicit still is running al certain place
and go at once 10 the point only TO md mat the
plant was removed two or three days earlier. We
have been duped in this way number OF times
within the last two three months.
The revenue officers Of New-York and Brook
lyn however, are keeping close watch, ana
think within a weeks time we Will have az least
work The boy. Pattiger. would believe, have
given valuabl information, had his mouth not
heen closed. On the day he was arrested
and brought 10 Brooklyn he talked freely. but
on the next day. when his father and tha work
man Allow were arraigned, he was as dumb as
an oyster
The stuff these men manufacture is mainly
disposed Of 10 saloon-kC epers on the east side
OF New-York but considerable portion is sold
in saloons in the Eastern District OF Brooklyn
and along the river front in South Brooklyn. i
think there is good reason to believe that we Will
have Chambraun the proprietor Of the still In
Pattgers house. well as HOeoer, who con-
Quoted the business for him. under arrest within
a weeks time. We think that the man who met
Deputy Marshal Koch ard told him that the man
ne was looking for had run across the helds TO
the woods har5ored Hoeber that night, but we
have not sufficient proof TO warrant his arrest
The examination of Allow, the workman in the
Illicit still at West Hills Long Island. who was
arrested on Thursday last, will be resumed be-
fore Commissioner Morle to-day.