The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-08-08
M0ONSH|NE STILL
Z LOCATED near M|NOT
Plant Which Has Been in Operation
for Years Was Unearthed Thurs
day Night-One Man Arrested
Several Thousand Dollars
Worth of Booze Located
Under Ground.

Morgan and B. j. Anderson and
States Attorney o. B. Herigstad,
staged a raid in the outskirts of the
city at 10 o'clock last Thursday and
succeeded in unearthing $50 pints of
imported Blue Ribbon whiskey, retail
value $500 pint, and about 200 gal
Ions of moonshine whiskey, manufac-
tured right in an underground still
which evidently has been in operation
for six or eight eyars.
VIM. Kelley, better known as Kill
Hooley," who was in charge of the
place, was arrested and taken to Jail.
He is being held under $500 bonds for
violation of the state prohibition
laws. The revenue officer at Aber-
deem, S. d., has been notified and
federal agent will arrive in Minot
this week to file federal charges
against Kelley and others who may be
implicated.
The raid was the msot successful in
the history of Minot. Officers had
been warned that liquor was being
sold at this place but raid two
months ago resulted in the discovery
of nothing more than little brandy
in the basement, which could have
been there merely for personal use.
When the officers arrived at the
place, which is located on farm
reached by passing winding road
thru the north hills back of the Minot
Normal, they found Kelley engaged
in entertaining some of his friends.
They informed him that they had q
search warrant and he seemed glad
enough to let them search the prem
ises.
Going into the basement they found
nothing but the hot water furnace
and few jars of milk and butter set
ting on the floor. They were about to
leave, when Deputy Anderson felt
something give beneath his feet and
after several inches Of sanr and dry
clay were shoveled away, trap door
four feet square was found. This was
raised by means of a crow bar and
this opened into a square well, eight
feet deep and six feet square. In
the we'll the $50 pints of WI hiskey were
found. The we'll was boarded up on
all four sides and one side gave forth
a hollow sound This was pulled back
after it had been loosened with the
crow bar and as it leaned back against
the opposite wall is was found that
there were steps on the opposite side
of the wall, leading down into an ad-
joining underground room, about IL x
20 feet in size. Here the officers found
a moonshine still that would be
credit to any Kentucky moonshiner.
There are several watts Of ground corn
fermenting in one end of the room. A
big fire place was made of brick and
wood stacked up near it. The still
proper was located over the fire place.
A huge vat full of water was used for
running the pipes thru to condense
the whiskey. It was found that there
were underground pipes leading from
a pump and feed grinding house COM
bined, 200 feet away from the house.
This furnished an abundance of water.
Another pipe ran the water out thru
the room to the side of hill There
were several kegs partially full of
Minot made whiskey, fairly good
brand of moonshine goods that con-
tained sufficient alcohol so that it
burns when match is applied. There
was one barrel of so gallons complete
ly full and several more barrels about
half full. There were shelves of emp
ty pint bottles and vast amount Of
gaudy labels bearing a well known
Westby, Montana, brand. There were
sacks of feed ground corn, oats and
barley used in making the whiskey.
The writer doesn't know much about
distilling whiskey but it appeared to
him, when visiting the place the next
day, that the place had capacity Of
several barrels week, enough to sat
isfy the desire of hundreds of people.
We noticed a stocking cap filled
with coffee essence and tobacco, which
had been hung in the barrels to rive
the booze the proper color. The place
was filthy. There were millions OF
flying insects which had fallen into
the vats. But whiskey is always clean
so the presence of few thousand in
sects couldn't make much difference.
The booze, which is valued at three
or four thousand dollars, has been
turned over to Sheriff Nedreloe for
safe keeping. The still will undoubt-
edly be destroyed.
The still was located in an under
ground room, dug from under the side
Of the residence. The place is dark
a|nd damp and smells as sour as
hog pen. The only light comes from
a small square wooden pipe which ex-
tends up from the center to the light
above. The top of this room from
the outside has been camouf1aged SO
that one would not suspect what was
beneath his feet. The covering is Of
earth and half dozen large tiles fill
ed with earth, had growing flowers in
them. Another tile apparently had
not been used for this purpose for it
covered the pipe, One looking down
into the place would see only darkness.
The man who formulated the plans
for this joint ought to be sent to
France to do some camoufaging for
the army. He is certainly cuckoo
at the business and would surely fool
Kaiser Bill and the Huns.
The officers got the number of an