The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-12
RAIDERS DRENCHED
WITH THE WH|SKEY
Result Of Wrestling With
Men Pouring Liquor Out
Of Stamped Barrels.
ANOTHER RAID
NEAR CHATHAM
Proprietor Arrested for Violating
the Revenue Law, and Store
keeper and Gauger for Alleged
Collusion-Expect Sensa-
tions to Follow To-
Days Inquiry.
Especial to The Times .pispatcb. /

DANVILLE. VA, November ia
sensational raid was made early this
morning on the bonded tlistillery. op.
Grated about four miles from Chatham
under the name of S. ID. Shelton. by
Revenue Agent Knox Booth and Spe-
cial Enploye L. F. Harnsberger, who.
with a large corps OF other officers.
have been at work In this section for
several weeks.
Suspecting the distillery OF illegal
operations. the officers concealed them .
selves in the woods around the dis.
tillery, and at daybreak surprised
three men, who. 1t is alleged, were car
rying large quantities of whiskey in
buckets from the distillcry TO the re-
tall store and pouring 1t into stamped
barrels. Upon the approach 0f the
revenue officers the men started TO
pour out the wl1iskey on the floor in
order to destroy evidence OF the coll
tents of the buckets. The officers
wrestled with them, and In the me-
lee were thoroughly drenched with the
wh!skey. s. D. Shelton, the propric-
tor. was placed under arrest, and 90
was w. e. Ramsey, the storekeeper
and gauger, who is charged with COL
fusion to defraud the government.
Ramsey was released to-night on a
bond OF $1,000. required OF him by Com
missioner Martin. The two men will
be given preliminary hearing to-
morrow.
To Investigate the Frauds.
The Federal grand jury, which con-
yenes here tomorrow. with Judge Hem
ry C. Mcdowell. of Lync,lburg, pre-
siding, will begin at onCe an extern
siye investigation of the gigantic
frauds said to have been operated in
Virginia by the bonded distillers. 1T
is reported that the names of practi-
caily all of the bonded distillers are
in connection with the al,
legged frauds. and that the authoritiesI
are 30 confident of indictments that
the papers have already been drawn
up before the convening OF court. 1t
was learned tonight that four-f1fths
OF the saloonkeepers OF Danyille have
been served with subpoenas to appear
before the grand Jury and produce their
books. showing from whom they huve
purchased their whiskev during the |
past twelve months and in what guam |
titles. The books OF both the Southern |
Express Company and the Southern
Will be looked into by the |
grand jury. The government officers, II
IS said, hope to secure convictions byI
'ecords rather than by raids. It is said
hat several days ago while examiningl
he books OF the railway at Dry Fork
t was accidentally learned that 1877
,arrels OF unstamped whiskey had been
shipped under the name of lumber.
In addition to the Danville saloon-
deputy marshals have to-day
zen busy in Lynchburg and Roanoke,
md many OF the retail and wholesale
yhiskey dealers from these cities will
,e asked where they secured their
upplies.
Tested by the Officers.
rhe greatest OF secrecy characterizes
very movement on part of the off, |,
lals, who refuse to give out anyl /,
tatements.
There are in the vicinity Of Danville
bout twenty-five bonded distilleries,
nd 1t is said that the fifteen or twentylt
Ulcers who have been at work In this
ection have been testing the ca
acity OF these by operating them
'ithout the aid OF the proprietors. In
ONE instances 1t is said they found
hat the capacity was nearly double /,
he amount rated and reported to the