The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-15
NEW YORK AOONSH|NE. p
Vinegar Works" and MAN
haitian Yeast Co." Made
Illicit Whiskey
AND DID A BIG TRAFFIC.
Two Successful Raids Made by the
United States Revenue Officersin
Brooklyn Borough.

| brooklyn Malt Vinegar Factory Seized JUS
Like an Illicit still in the Southern Noun
tain Districts-Three Prisopers. Ono I
| stockholder, Nabbsd, and Lot Of Wits.
key Coni1scatsd-Omcers Followed De.
livery Truck.
What was perhaps the largest and
best equipped Illicit distillery in Amer.
lea was seized early on a recent morn.
ing by Colonel Williams, Chief Inter.
nal Revenue Agent for New York city.
A raid was made also on the distrbut-
ing office Of the revenue dodgers. The
distillery was in Brooklyn, the Office in
Manhattan.
Moonshlne whisky brings up visions
of the mountains Of Kentucky and
West Virginia; OF fierce mountaineers
with guns ever ready to put away
a revenue agent; of little copper still
buried In hut, inaccessible to all but
those who know the paths; and Of
few gallons Of mountain dew delivered
in the night to trusted customers.
But in New York they do things DIFF
ferently. The $4,000 plant Of tho
Brooklyn Malt Vinegar Company"
stands at No. 227 Wallabout street,
Brooklyn. Heavy trucks carrying 20 to
rs barrels each hauled the vinegar" to
the Manhattan Yeast Company" at
No. 3l3 Henry street. From there the
vinegar" was delivered to saloons on
the East side. The vinegar" works
in brooklyn had been running n.gnt
and day.
Colonel Williams heard OF the I'M
nense business the Brooklyn works
was doing. ard he Investigated. He
vas convinced that the East Siders
were not drinking that much vinegar
and he did not believe they were drink
ing yeast.
So he set watch on the Manhattan
Yeast Company's warehouse. For two
nights the watch was fruitless, the men
appearing to have received word they
were watched. Early one morning their
vigilance was relaxed, and wagon
containing three barrels was driven
out of the warehouse. Two men on
the wagon drove through Delaney.
Essex and Suffolk streets, followed by
the revenue officers. The men saw
they were being followed and did not
stop anywhere.
Finally one of the men jumped from
the wagon and ran. He was captured
after chase Of five blocks. The other
man remained on the wagon and was
arrested. The three barrels contained
whisky.
Colonel Williams then went to the
warehouse Of the Yeast Company,
where a third man was found and ar
rested. Twenty-four barrels of whisky
were found among barrels Of vinegar.
Charles Ritskey Of No. 256 Marcy
avenue, Brooklyn, who attempted to
and who is said to be one of
The owners of the Yeast Company, was
held by United States Commissioner
Shields in $4,000 for trial, and two
workmen in $500 each.
Erastus Hayes of No. 316 Henry |
street, treasurer Of the Brooklyn Malt
Vinegar Company, went to the Federal
in the afternoon and surren-
Tered himself to Commissioner Shields.
He denied all knowledge OF whisky be-
ng made at the company's works, and
aid II any such thing had been done it
vas without the knowledge or consent
# the directors and officers. He was
'aroled in the custody of his attorney.
This was after Colonel Williams had
rossed the Bridge and seized the vine
ar works. This factory has capacity
+ fifty gallons Of whiskey day and
as been running night and day 1t is
ne Of the biggest plants of the kind in
re country. After the factory was
sized an inventory was made, the
lace was closed, and men put in