Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-09-29

kO government We're greatly
perplexed. Congress had
placed the almost prohibitive tax of
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
q selected Brooks as the man for
the purpose. The interview between
the W 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 ak. Besides it is ruin
ing discipline In the service, and IN
less some remedy Is obtained, | fear
further decentralization
Are the conditions as bad as that?"
Worse! l have figures which
show that 60 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 s~ubordinates 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
but without conscience have some
times been found to be partners Of
those whom they have put to the front
for bribery or perjury and the perils
of detection. Brooks, I want you
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 &C
compl1sh. That night Brooks departed
on his assignment, which vas to a 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 hat
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: Il 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 a tract distributor and an agent
for some charitable institution. He
registered at the only hotel in the
place under an assumed name. 1t did
not take him long to get into converse
ton with the proprietor and so some
Of the loungers about the place.
The talk, after 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 d distiiioT Z g dairy man.
He a 20 COWS and a distillery, and a
farm of a hundred acres. Everything
seemed to be open and o board.
Davis apparently worked hard, and
with a con 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 a look
as though he were 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 u
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 a corner in pork
on a limited scale. Another indicated
that he had once mixed fine white
meal with his lard. These things did
not seem very important in them
selves, and yet they We're traits OF
character which made it possible to be-
Iieye the charge that he had habitual-
Iy 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 a 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
ouee old character named Ezra Wal
lace. He was a Scotch Presbyterian, and
was the sexton of the village church.
He vas en- intensely religious man and
hungered for discussion Of theological
subjects. Brooks accommodated him
more than once, and it was not long
before he found himself among the