The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-09-20
Skillfully Planned
and Carried Out

While in DeSoto Tuesday, for the
purpose of investigating report that
certain men Of Bonne Terre, this coun-
ty, had rented storage room there
for the purpose of storing intoxicat-
ing liquors, with the evident intention
of later sending such liquors to Bonne
Terre and elsewhere in quantities as
demanded, Prosecuting Attorney
Mathews not only secured the infor-
nation he went after, but he also
performed smooth piece of detec-
tive work, which would doubtless
cause the original Sherlock Holmes to
"sit up and take notice.. The infor-
nation he secured is now being ham
died in the Prosecutors office, and
will be heard from later.
The detecting work was as follows:
While our Prosecuting Attorney was
passing along the streets of that
town he CHANGED to see Watt Eaves
and Morgan Conway, both pool room
keepers at Bonne Terre, loading a
wagon with double side-boards, with
beer and whiskey from the express Of
flee. Neither of the parties saw
Prosecuting Attorney, else this story
would have probably stopped right
here. But he removed himself out of
their sight, said nothing, and watched
their movements.
When Eaves and Conway were well
on their way to Bonne Terre, Mathews
call up Sheriff Adams here, and asked
that he meet him at the Big River
bridge, as he had something of i'm
portance to communicate to him. Up
on Mathews arrival at the bridge
designated, Sheriff Adams was in
waiting. After Mathews had given
the Sheriff the benefit of what he
knew about the booze that was on its
way into this county, they both re-
turned to Bonne Terre for supper and
to give the load of booze time to get
inside the confines of st. Francois
county.
Near the Primrose school house, a
short distance inside this county, they
met Eaves and Conway with their
load. An inspection of the wagon
disclosed that there were twenty
eight sacks of beer, each sack contain
ing twenty-four bottles of Budweiser
and National beer, making total of
672 bottles. Besides this, there were
35 quart bottles of Old Crow whiskey,
20 quarts of which were billed to B.
Ray, of Bonne Terre. The remainder
of the wet goods, so Eaves said, was
for himself and others. However, he
failed and refused to name the
"others."
Sheriff Adams then directed his son,
Roy, to take charge of the wagon and
booze, which was taken on to Bonne
Terre, where the booze was trans
ferred to an auto truck with the in
tention of transporting it to Farm
ington more speedily. But when ap-
preaching the heavy railroad grade,
in the edge of Bonne Terre, the ques-
tion arose as to whether or not the
truck would be able to make the
grade. Rather than take any chance
with the heavy load, Prosecuting At
torney Mathews then ordered the
Sheriff to destroy the entire load,
which was then and there done, after
the shades of night had gathered.
Informations charging both Eaves
and Conway with storing and keep
ing intoxicating liquors, in violation
! of the local option law, were aled We'd
nesdsy, 50 that their troubles have
| now Dafely Degun. IN discussing Ihe
situation which this experience
brought clearly before his vision,
Sheriff Adams said that the condi-
tions that were evidently in existence
in the north end of this county were
much worse than he had heretofore
suspected. He further emphatically
stated that he proposed to break up
such illicit traffic, regardless of
whether or not he received any as
sistance from the Bonne Terre off
cials. If any such bootleggers are ac-
quainted with Sheriff Adams they will
doubtless take him at his word, and
either change their business or go
elsewhere. If the Sheriff is compelled
to make some more personal demon
strations, it will perhaps be among
those who are unacquainted with him.
Sheriff Adams never attempts to put
over bluff, but always means exact
ly what he says. The Times now
confidently predicts that the bootleg
gers must say goodbye to St. Fran
co.'s county.