The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-08-23
SPEAKEASY PARADISE IS
INVADED BY OFFICIALS
PROHIBITION Me- RAID THIRD
FLOOR OF BURNS q CHURCH
BUILDING.
FIND luxurious Club Where Drinks
Are Served IN True styie-Raid-
era Enter From 3 & o. Train.

es enter FROM 3 & Q. Train.
In one o. a.. most sensational and
Productive raids ever STAGED in IVES,
NHginia. state prohibition officials,
yesterday afternoon. closed the 80.
called u on the third floor OF the
Burns a Church building. 2sOs.i7
Main street. taking into custody a
5 OF drinking men. alleged gam.
blers and untold fancy booze. Dave
Gervin, alleged operator and dispen.
ser OF. drinks. and Roy Reuttencuttcr
and John Wizard. said TO have run an
open poker table at the club. were
taken. Gervin furnished bond to ap-
pear this afternoon at , O'Clock be
fore Squire Hobbs.
The planning and carrying out OF
this raid was perfect. Chief Deputy
Prohibition Commissioner c +.
skip Rathbone was the instigator
and architect He arranged a meet.
Ing In Parkersburg for yesterday
morning - which the following state
prohibition deputies met. J. Walter
Bee. c. W. Reed. c. F. Barnes. A. r.
curry. officer Martin Neider. and
Bert Phillips. Excepting Rathbone,
no n knew of the raid that was TO
follow. Several secret service men.
also. were invited in the plot.
After the men had gathered in
P~arkersburg Rathbone ordered thom
to board the Ohio Valley express for
Wheeling. Arrangements had been
made with the railroad officials. and
the train was stopped behind the
Burns q Church building on reaching
Wheeling. The train had hardly
slowed down when the state prohibi-
ton men leaped off and ran into the
Rurns a Church building. They hur.
ried up a flight of stairs to the third
floor and burst open several locked
doors.
Caught Red Handed.
CONSERVATION followed. More than
30 men were gathered about tables
drinking. Glasses and bottles were
thrown aside. Men rushed for doors.
hut found that the raiders were ahead
Of them. Seventeen men were arrest
cd and taken away with the aid OF
Deputy Sheriffs Layfette Graner and
Thomas Smith.
This so-called club. according to the
officials. has been one of the most
notorious speakeasies in the whole
state. In the raid IL was found that
fancy drinks featured the selling.
Everywhere were the remains Of cock
tails, mini juleps. high balls and a
plentiful sprinkling of straight wills
kies and gins. Beer bottles OF count
less number were stored away or out
on tables or in ice. Tubs and barrels
of beer we're found. II was labor of
the worst kind to confiscate all the
booze that the club contained. More
than an express van load was taken
away to the county jail. In fact the
club had all tn Gear marks of n very
modern saloon with much of the grill
effect.
All the captured men were taken
TO the county jail where examination
followed last evening. The IL or more
witnesses taken in the club were ques-
toned. Each verified the fact that
Dave Gervin was the operator. Wit
neses heard made IL plain that this
club was of the most popular in
the state. There were many members
and each had a key. No one without
his key could ever enter the club.
Day and night the place was open:
Sunday the place was open with a
vengeance. being somtimes crowded
with 200 men. New members were Sc
cured every day by touts.
Heavy Gambling.
That gambling of a heavy kind fea-
tured the activity OF the club was
brought out at the examination. Roy
Ruttencutter and John Wizard admit
ted operating this end of the estab-
lishment. With them were arrested
Harry Malloney. IS Twenty-fourth
street. Charles Jones. 81 Twenty-third
street; Joseph Fresch. 10 T~wenty-sec-
ond street. and Charles Sorge. 1924
Jacob street. all alleged gamblers.
Poker was played for high stakes. in
fact II Is said that the roof was not
high enough for most of the bets
made. Dice were thrown and the
wheel sBun. according TO information.
One Of the things that surprised the
raiders was the luxury OF the cluD.
Good carpets covered the floors: the
rooms were well lighted. the turnI
ture was of the best. The bar Itself
was a modern one with all the ap-
paratus for mixing and cooling drinks.
Although the raid was very produc.
tive as far as capturing men ana
booze. II Is said hat the state officials
are disappointed. Claim Is made that
the real men back Of the club were not
NHNlNIfu AfN'l flNa 10 Nuf lUlNl lN-
ant. Dave Gervin Is only a tool Of men
higher up-that he operated the club
for a salary ss any steward
Step In Right Direction.
At the same time the Officials eX-
pressed themselves a. feeling satis
ned that a start had been made IN
the right direction. They minated
that sensational disclosures may tot
low The preliminary hearing viii
be held AZ 2 o'clock this afternoon a.
the county jan before Squire Hobbs
Last eveninE the many Witnesses were
let go on their own recognition 10
sTpear AZ the hearing Dave Gervtn
produced bond to appear Tho two
allegeded gamblers who were arrested
M the club we're rloased as were
other Witnesses n was Intimated
thar charges Of gambling would
later De- hrourlt against them.
IN fiscuss'uE Tho raid Chief "Skipp
expressed the opinion that
this club was the LARGEST speak easy
Boo fho state State officials had been
Informed oi tho establishment by re
putty Bort Phillips. and plans we're IN
m1kinE for several weeks. ror
The secrecy however. the state