Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-10-06


two dollars per gallon on whisky, and
Immediately Illicit distilleries sprung
up in all parts of the country. Com.
missioner Rollins very much desired
to break up the illegal traffic, and he
had selected Brooks as the man for
the purpose. The interview between
the two men was long and important
Brooks" said the commissioner
the frauds connected with the pro.
duction and removal Of spirits are be-
coming alarming. Great public dissatis-
FACTION has arisen from the failure to
collect this tax. Besides 1t is ruin
Ing discipline In the service, and I'M
less some remedy Is obtained, | fear
further Generalization"
Are the conditions as bad as that?"
Worse! l have figures which
show that so per cent of the whisky
reported made and warehoused has
been sold without payment of the rev.
enue tax. Such extensive fraud is not
possible without the knowledge Of
responsible revenue officers. 1t is
exceedingly difficult for officers in
washington to detect collision ON the
part of their subordinates in other
places. These frauds have not only
robbed the national treasury but have
corrupted many men of heretofore &C.
knowledged integrity Men of capital
put without conscience have some
times been found to be partners of
those whom they have put to the front
Tor bribery or perjury and the perils
or detection. Brooks, want Won
to help me break up this business"
After outlining the general situation,
the commissioner became specific In
his statements and informed the detec-
tive just what he expected him to ac-
complish. That night Brooks departed
on his assignment, which was to little
town near Cincinnati, and which, for
the purposes Of this narrative, shall
be known as Meadboro. He wore no
disguise. He never did. He was In
the habit of saying humorously that
his actual appearance was all the dis
guise he ever needed.
The man who alighted from the
train at Meadboro was a tall, com
handing figure. He had a benevolent
look which seemed to say: II am at
peace with all the world" Only two
parts of his organism could be said to
talk. His eyes bespoke intelligence
and his lips expressed determination.
He was about 40 years of age, but his
whiting hair gave him the appearance
of being much older than that. Be-
fore he had been In the little village
long, 1t was whispered about that he
was tract distributor and an agent
for some charitable institution. He
registered at the only hotel In the
place under an assumed name. It did
not take him long to get into converse
ton with the proprietor and SO some
Of the lourgers about the place.
The talk, aftor exhausting itself on the
weather, and horses, and politics, and
church matters, finally turned on
Meadboro and Its inhabitants.
He learned that John Davis was
probably the most important man In
the locality. He combined the bust
ness Of a distiller and a dairy man.
He had 20 COWS and distillery, and a
farm of hundred acres. Everything
seemed to be open and ABOVE board.
Davis apparently worked hard, and
with son and his hired men, did not
seem to have much spare time on his
hands.
Brooks managed to come In contact
with Davis, but there was nothing
about the personality of the man that
gave him any clue. Davis wore look
as though he we're constantly exhaust.
ed through lack of sleep. His coun.
tenance did not give any Indication of
the operation of his mind. He was
a man Of few words. He had prefer
ences, but no friendships The dull
horizon Of his life seemed undisturbed
save by occasional streaks of tact In |
business matters. One of the loungers |
in the hotel credited him with having
once brought about q corner In pork |
on limited scale. Another indicated
that he had once mixed fine white
meal with his lard. These things did
iot seem very important In them.
selves, and yet they were traits of
character which made 1t possible to be-
lieve the charge that he had habitual-
ly withheld from taxation nearly three
fourths Of his yield of whisky.
Brooks contrived to visit his farm
on various occasions. He went through
the dairy, examined the live stock and
managed to get peep into the distil-
lery. He arranged his visits so that
one day he went in the morning, an
other in the afternoon. and still an
other In the dusk of evening, but he
was never able to find anything out
of the way. From time to time whisky
was sent out In casks, but 1t was al
ways properly gagged and the govern
ment appeared to be receiving its tax.
Among other persons with whom the
detective became acquainted was a
queer old character named Ezra Wal
lace He was a Scotch Presbyterian, and
was the sexton of the village church.
He was an intensely religious man and
hungered for discussion OF theological
subjects. Brooks accommodated him
more than once, and 1t was not long
before he found himself among the