River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-09-10

customed to hard, everyday prosaic
work, and he plodded along steadily,
every minute coming nearer to the
goal.
From the information they had re-
ceived, all of the watchmen at the
distillery were either asleep or off
guard. They were soon undeceived.
Presently the walls of the building
doomed up in the distance. A gate
leading into the premises was locked
1t was forced open. AS Detective Kelly
stepped inside, figure emerged out of
the darkness.
''Who goes there?" called a voice.
"A friend" responded the detective
who had been given the countersign.
Something in the tone of the reply
must have reused the mans suspicious
for he hurried forth with a pistol in
his hand. He confronted the detec-
tive.
What do you want here?" he said
menacingly.
That's my business" was the jaun-
ly ICplJ. IOu ~ uc1Ch W yOul
post"
my posts here" was the stubborn
reply.
ooh, get away" cried the detective,
giving him push.
The trick did not work. Instead of
disarrling his suspicious, the move
only confirmed them. The guard lev
eled his pistol at Kelly.
Move one step and you're dead
man."
The detective had to move and act
quickly. Tt was either surrender or
fight. He determined to fight With
a movement almost as quick as
thought itself he hauled back his right
leg and raising it up high in the air,
gave the point of the pistol a kick
that sent it flying dozen yards away.
The blow struck the trigger and in
mid-air the weapon exploded with
loud report. In kicking the pistol,
Kelly struck the mans hand and
bruised it in a way that brought a
shower of profanity from the guard.
He made a mad rush for Kelly. The first
impulse of the detective was to pull
his own pistol, but on second thought
he refrained frosl doing SO. The
guard in his own crude way believed
he was doing his duty. He was de-
Tending the property of his employer
although that employer was a law
breaker.
AS he rushed on Kelly caught him
by the shoulders and the next moment
the two men had clinched and were
struggling in the mud. A half dozen
assistants were in the near distance,
but the detective disdained to cali
upon them for help. This was his
own battle. He would fight it out in
his own way. The guard was a pow
erful fellow. The chief moonshineI
had reckoned well when he selected
him to keep intruders from the plant.
But Kelly was in his prime at that
time. He had dealt with the most
dangerous criminals in America, and
he was not to be worsted by the un-
armed Waterman of an illicit distil-
lery. In less than minute he had
the man on his back. His associates
came UP at this moment, and in less
time almost than it takes to tell the
story, the guard was bound and
gagged.
Events moved quickly after that.
When they reached the distillery prop
er they met an armed resistance, but
the phalanx of secret service men, re-
enforced by a detachment of United
States soldiers, induced surrender
without the firing of shot. The dis
tillery which had caused so much
trouble was promptly seized and
placed in the custody of platoon OF
soldiers. When another great distil-
lery plant at Algiers was seized, uni
formed soldiers with fixed bayonets
were put on duty to guard the prop
erty. After that was over the detec-
tives had to recross the river before
daylight; and then before the people
of the Crescent City were at their
breakfast tables, Hammonds distil-
lery and Henderson's rectifying house
on the New Orleans side OF the river
were placed in government custody.