New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-23
The News OF Brooklyn
INCONSISTENCIES" CAPTURED.
INTERNAL REVENUE OFFICIALS MAKE A
SUCCESSFUL RAID.
A COMPLETE DIsTILLERY IN MEEKER-AVE.
BROKEN UP AND THE MEN WHO RAN IT Ar

BROKEN UP AND THE MEN WHO RAN 1T AR
EESTED-LlQUOR AND MATERIAL SEIZED
United States Internal Revenue officials yes
terday afternoon made a raid en- an Illicit dis
tery in Meeker-ave.. Brooklyn. and captured
five prisoners all of whom were locked up for
the night in the Humbold.-st. police station.
The officers also seized two stills both Of
which were in operation at the time. several
gallons OF mash. quantity Of sugar yeast
and other material used In the manufacture or
liquor and quantity of distilled spirits
The Secret Service men had been watching
thu house, when the capture was made, for
two weeks or more. II is a two-story and
basement frame building. No. 100 Meeker-ave.
The first floor is used ostensibly as a tailor
shop. conducted by Marcus Flom, who occu-
pies the front room on the second floor as a
living room. Flom has few coats hanging
in the show-window of the store, but the
neighbors say that the store was closed Tor
the greater part of the time and that they
never saw customer going into leaving
the store.
The raidng party composed of Agent
Brooks. of the Secret Service Bureau, and two
OF his deputies. Alexander Mckinney. Assist
ant Internal Revenue Cole and Deputy
Collector Hawkins The descent of the officers
upon the Illicit distillery was made about
o'clock in the afternoon and was complete
surprise and they captured the prisoners in
the act Of manufacturing the "moonshne
liquor. On the second floor which was first
visited by the officers a copper still. in full
operation. with twelve barrels of mash was
found Here also they captured their first
prisoner. who gave his name as Morris Vein
stein and said he lived in room between the
front and rear rooms the same floor OF the
house.
Weinstein who is thirty-fve years old. was
in his shirtsleeves. and cane out from the still
as Agent Brooks entered the room. He pre-
tended ignorance Of any wrongdOnC, ana also
made the pretensc that he could not understand
the English language Beyond giving his name
age and residence. his only reply u questions
put to him a shrug of the shoulders and
dubious shake of the head. Nothing was
found in the room. which he said he occupied as
bedroom, but in another room were found
five-gallon demijohn filled with Illicit Equor
and ready for delivery.
Descending to the basement, the officers found
another still in full operation which they
seized together with ten barrels of mash
man who gave his name Louis Rufmann. and
who is believed to be the owner and manager
of the still, found In charge Of this stllL
He had his coat Off and there was every indi-
cation that he had been attending the still in
person. Here also hve-gallon demiJohn OF
liquor found. Ruffrlann said he was forty
years old. and lived in Bloomfield. \ J. some
books and railroad tickets found IN his pocket
seemed TO bear out this story. Two other prison
ers were captured here also. one of them said
he was Harry Schiller. twenty-five years old
and lived at No. li9 Delancey-st. New-YOrk
City. The other prisoner was Abram Schiller
twenty years Old WI lived in the house. Harry
said he had come over to Brooklyn to visit his
brother He said he knew nothing about the
illicit dstillery, and did not know what business
going on in the house. The younger brother
remained mute. alleging that he could not under
stand the question 3 put to him. woman who
said she was the mother Of the young men
was found on the second floor. She said she hal
N IN GET
rested.
All this time Fom. the tailor kept at work
pressing pair of trousers. He did not raise his
head. and refused to answer any questions put
TO him. At first Agent Brooks hestated about
arresting the tailor lie consulted with MI
Mckinney and it was decided search the
room. In heap Of old clothes the officers found
q box of compressed yeast used in fermenting
the mash. Mr.. Mckinney alsc found in the
drawer of a desk several bills made out in the
name Of David Raffmann. for materials used
in the manufacture of whsKey.
The tailor arrested. but even this did not
seem to disturb him. he merely shrugged his
shoulders. After the Internal Revenue officers
left the house. two detectives from the Hum,
bodt-st. police station went to the store and
made an inspection. 1t said that they had
reason to believe that Flcm conducted fence"
where stolen clothing disposed of Mr.. Nc
Kinney said that from the papers he found in
Floms store he believed that the taiors real
name is David Raffmann. and that he was in
terested with his brother Louis in the manage
ment of the stills
Besides the two stills captured both Of which
copper stills or about nifty gallons capacity,
which have seen use before. but are in good con-
dtion, the mash and the two demijohns. filed
with liquor Agent Brooks and his men found
two more five-gallon Gemjohns both filled with
LIQUOR in the cellar Of the building; ten bags Of
brown sugar weighing about seventyfive pounds
each and other materials used in the manu-
facture of liquor
In stable in the of the house they cap
tured horse and wagon used In the delivery
of the liquor: The wagon was built in pc
culiar way. The top part was divided into two
compartments. the tightly enclosed,
with door fastened by copper lock- at the rear
Of the wagon. 1t was learned that load Of the
"moonshine' whiskey had been disposed Of
earlier in the day. The Schiller brothers, ii is
believed were employed as drivers of the wagon.
When Agent Brooks and Mr.. Mckinney had
made complete search of the house. the pris-
oners were taken TO the HumbOldt-st. station.
where they turned over to the custody Of
Police Captain stephen Martin They will be
arraigned before United States Commissioner
Morle this morning. All of the prisoners are He
brews and it Is believed that most OF the product
Of the distillery was disposed Of in East Side
oil iy, Maui Xor