The Washington herald., 1909-07-15
MOB JOINS CHASE
WITH REVENUE MEN
Two MOOnshinerS Are Cap
tured in Avenue.
HAD FLED FROM VIRGINIA
Illicit DistiIIers Eiude Capture in
Mountain shack Near LynchburE
and Escape 10 WnshfREtOn-DfH-
covered by Detectives-Arreste on
Warrant of L. 5. Attorney Baker.

/ Like a chapter from the history OF pic
/ turesQue Kentucky OF a decade ago is
the story Of an exciting cross-country
chase by reVepue- -oaHcers- Of TWO alleged
-moonshiners- whc were brought 70 bay
\ IN crowded Pennsylvania avenue last
night after running three blocks with a
yelling crowd al their heels
/ The accused men, one a German and
/ the other an Italian. were escorted 10 the
Sixth precinct police station and lodged
behind the bars Of a cell as "fugitives
+ from the Virginia authorities"
The Washington police are IN possession
Of warrant issued by District Attorney
Baker az the request OF revenue officers
! charging the "distillation OF whisky with
intent 10 defraud the United States" The
specific charge is violation OF sections 544s
/ and 22sI Of the Revised Statutes.
l II was a merry as well as an exciting
chase they gave the revenue men. The
men call themselves Weary Willie"
Campus and Fred Conrad.
DistiIIery Near LyuchburE.
It was about July last that the two
were peacefully at work in a shanty on
the outskirts OF Alta Vista. a small town
in Campbell County. near Lynchburg. Va.
I II is said that in the shack they were
making corn whisky.
Revenue officers Charles NJ. Slnord and
c. F. BlalOck left headquarters in Roa-
uoke for a visit 20 the shack. The al
/ legged mooushiners saw their approach and
fled in a light buggy When the revenue
officers arrived they found the shanty an
empty nest. although It was plenufully
lined with evidence
The pair did not stop until they passed
over the Potomac River on the AQueduct
Bridge and procured lodging In a board
ing-house at Pennsylvania avenue and
Four-and-a-half street. Siff0rd and Bla-
lock arrived In Washington about twenty
four hours after and took up the lost
trail Detectives Vermillion Barbee,
Oriana. and Armstrong, OF the Washing
ton department. We're detailed 10 assist
Uncle Sans policemen The italian set
tlement was searched from end 70 end
and back again. with the result that two
strangers were located in q certain house.
Yesterday the detectives watched the
house with the revenue men. but neither
Campus nor Conrad appeared IN the VI
cinity. II was O'Clock al night when a
tip" was received and the watchers
abandoned the watch to run down more
promising clew
Policemen Lynch. Kelly. and Lauten
were detailed 10 watch the boarding
house until the detectives returned.
About 3 o'clock Campus and Conrad ap-
peared. Apparently unaware they were
under surveillance. the men entered the
house and remained about five minutes.
The policemen were not In possession OF
the warrant and feared 10 make arrests.
so they notified the detectives and reve-
pue men BY telephone
Hardly had the message been delivered
over the wire when Campus and conrad
left the house and started west IN Penn
sylvania avenue Two Of the policemen
followed the men. while the third re-
mained at the house awaiting the arrival
OF the detectives
In a few minutes the six appeared.
The policeman led the way. and the de-
tectives and revenue uen followed him.
Mob Joins Chase.
Two blocks were passed when Campus
and Conrad were espied, walking hur-
riedly through the throng OF pedestrians
in the north side OF the street The fu-
g!tives took TO the center OF the street.
and ran fast, while close behind ran the
nine pursuers. The unusual spectacle
created excitement. and in few min
utes the number Of pursuers increased to
hundreds % Ninth street they were
stopped By men who saw the mob at
their heels The detail formed a Gordon
about the prisoners and escorted them
10 the station
Campus declared he was a blacksmith
and Conrad asserted that he was
butcher. Campus gave his age as tven-
ty-thrce years. and Conrad. his as twen-
ty-eight.