The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-09
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
REVENUE OFFICERS THAT RAIDED
AN ILLICIT STILL IN INDIANA.
The Owner Had Previously Notified
the Ofic RS that He Was Out CT
Business-Lobby Chatter.

Several revenue officers from various
parts OF the State have been in the city
for the past two or three days to appear be-
fore the Federal grand jury. and among
others were three men. guests at the Hotel
English. who recently bad the distinction
OF raiding the first moonshine still that has
been discovered in Indiana for several
years They were Fred d. Conner, Of New
Albany. one OF the deputies for the Seventh
District, and Captain A. ]. Goodson and
Lee w. Redman, of Cincinnati, special Of
fcers of the revenue service.
The still was found in the hills OF Craw-
ford county. near Leavenworth- The pro-
prietor James r. House. had been engaged
in the manufacture Of brandy up until the
first of the year, when he registered on.
In revenue parlance. which means he noti-
fed the officers that he would not run his
still any more. No further attention was
paid to him, but few weeks ago Mr.. Con-
ner received an anonymous letter, telling
him that moonshine whisky was being sold
in Crawford county. Captain Goodson and
Mr.. Redman joined him in the investigation
and as preliminary step they drove out TO
Houses place to see what he was doing.
They caught him red-handed His still was
in full operation and he was turning out a
fine quality of moonshne, manufactured
from corn meal and sorghum molasses.
The officers compelled House to assist in
the destruction of the copper still and made
him tear down his furnace and knock to
pieces about fifty mash tubs. Some of the
tubs were concealed in his cellar. and there
the officers found between forty and fifty
gallons of the whisky. which they confis-
Gated The officers were called to this city
to lay the facts in the case before the
grand Jury and they brought with them
a piece of the copper still. House was well
equipped to turn out moonshine whisky
as his outfit. although small, was model
one. 1t. is understood that he pleaded In
extenuation of his violation of the revenue
laws that he was not making the whisky
to sell, but was merely laying in a small
supply for the harvest season.
Captain Goodson who participated in the
raid, is one of the veterans in the revenue
service and has done duty all through the
moonshine regions of North Carolina and
Tennessee. The captain met with little
accident recently. in the pursuit of his off,
cial duties at Evansville, that has furnished
his fellow-officers with good story. A
distillery at Evansville went into the hands
of a receiver last month, and Captain
Goodson was called there in connection
with the case. While he was going over
the plant he was bitten by a cat. 1t was
not a serious wound and he did not think
much Of it, but his companions. In looking
up the distillery case, found some data
which gave his injury some little signifi-
canoe.
The distillery was No. 13. 1t was started
and licensed on Friday, the 18th OF the
month The telephone in the office was No.
1913 and the plant went into the hands of a
receiver on April Is. Captain Goodson. in
visiting the establishment on the day IL
was turned over to the receiver was bitten
by a cat and his friends claim that IL was
a black cat at that. The captain, however,
smiles at that, and he said yesterday. when
a crowd of revenue officers were comment
ing on the affair, that IL 1t were not for
spelling good story he could prove that
the animal that assaulted him was dog.
would waive little detail like that and
let the story stand. Fridays, 13's. black cat
and ALL
Conner left for their homes last evening
-.he grand jury having finished with their
evidence.