Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-20
MO0NSH|NERS'
PLEAD GUILTY
Trial of Seven Men at Fort
Smith Ends Abb
ruptly.
SENTENCE TO BE
PASSED THURSDAY
Defendants Alleged to Have Defrauded
Government Out Of Between $t0,000,-
600 and $15,oo0,o00 ia Revenues Dur
ing Past Ten Years-Former EN-
pIoyes Of Revenue Department Of
Governments Implicated.

Fort Smith, Ark, Oct. 20.-Seven
men on trial charged with conspiracy
to defraud the government in the
manufacture Of moonshine whisky
pleaded guilty in the United States
district court here today. Sentences
will be passed tomorrow. The case
against Fred Bowles, Of Fort Smith.
the eighth defendant, was dismissed.
The cases against the defendants
were begun yesterday and their action
today was q complete surprise.
Swindles Enormous.
The defendants brought to trial in
connection with the so-called moon
shine" conspiracy number over score
six of them officials or former OFF,
cials Of the United States internal
revenue service. They were indicted
by the federal grand jury last June.
The government authorities predict
that out Of the cases may grow q
gigantic prosecution Of many other
men who, it is alleged, have swindled
the government Of the United States
00) during the last ten years.
The alleged head of the conspiracy is
John L. Casper, an officer Of the Rush
Distilling Company of Kansas City, who
with Guy L. Hartman, of Kansas City,
James c. Brewbaker. Of Fort Smith
and others are charged with maintain
ing an illicit distillery at Fort Smith
and with shipping thousands Of gal
Ions Of spurious whisky. manufactured
at the plant, to the distilling COM
pany.
Revenue Officers Named.
The six revenue officers are named
with other defendants in q blanket In
dictment for conspiracy and one Of
them Knox Booth Is accused Of ac-
cepting bribes from Casper and Hart
man. Booth was formerly superin-
tendent Of the Tennessee revenue
division and was removed from office
after the. issue of the warrant for his
arrest. Government officers say he
confessed and gave valuable informa-
tion as to the working of the alleged
conspiracy.
The other revenue men indicted
were:
James Surber, Atlanta, Ga. former
superintendent Of the Georgia revenue
division; resigned shortly before in
dictment.
Thomas c. Mccoy Ashville, N. c.,
former revenue agent; resigned from
service five years ago.
S. L. Williams, Winston, Salem, n.
c., former revenue agent; resigned
several years ago and became as
sociated with Casper, in the distilling
business.
]. Henry Brown. Harrison, Ark.
former government gauger; still in
government service when arrested.
Newton c. Spradling, Aurora, Mo-,
former gauger; resigned when ar
rested.
Others indicted were:
John Farrabee, George Hartman and
Charles Brewbaker, of Kansas City;
John Coffey, Fred Bowles and J. NJ
Thomas Of Fort Smith; James L.
Smith, Jacksonville, Fla; Henry Cum
mings, Wheeling, w. Va; William
Smith, Tampa, Fla, and Leo F. Brock,
Ed P. Jarrett, Ernest Sumner J. w.
Moses B. Brock, Ed P. Jarrett, Ernest
Sumner, ]. w. Grider and c. NJ Haw-
kins, addresses unknown.
Made Bogus Bourbon.
Government officers did not have to
ride into wooded hills inha bited by
rough men of the "moonshine" type
to uncover the STILL" where 1t is al
legged fthe Illicit liquor was made. They
found it standing boldly on one of Fort
Smiths streets-a delapidated old
building. as innocent looking as some
deserted Arkansas farm house. But
inside machinery modern to the
minute the government alleges, manu.
factured "six-year old Kentucky bour-
bon." fine old private stock" and
''seven-year old rye" from pure al
cohol in fifty hours, the sparkle and
blend being given by means Of chemi-
Gals. With the aid Of attractive labels
the government alleges, the conspira-
tors sold their products thru agents in
Kansas City to the southwestern re-
tail trade.
The Fort Smith plant once was 4
legal distillery. In March, 1914, how
ever. its owners advised the revenue
department at Washington of their
intention to cease business. The gov
ernment Immediately withdrew it's
official guager and sealed the doors OF
the plant.
The seals, It is alleged, were soon
broken, the old machinery removed and
new machinery set up.
One day the government officials got
an anonymous letter that started an
Investigation. David A. Gates, deputy
internal revenue commissioner, took
charge Of the inquiry. His men quickly
covered Missouri, Arkansas, Geor4ia,
North Carolina and Tennessee, and
picked up clews here and there. which
finally resulted in the seizure OF the
distillery. Among the discoveries they
made was that the plant was connected
with q large sewer. with outlets so ar
ranged that the contents OF its eight
10.000-gallon tubs could be discharged
into the Arkansas river within few
minutes.
Six indictments in all. were handed
down. the first charging Casper, Guy