The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-11-09
TWO ILLICIT STILLS ARE
RA|DED IN LATAH COUNTY

Two complete distilline plants for
making ''moonshine' liquor have been
captured in Latah county and the men
operating them are now III jail. Steve
| Weller was caught in the act of making
liquor in the basement of the Urquhart
building on Third street in the business
center of Moscow last night and was
placed in the city Jail
Charles Thyr, bachelor, was caught
in the timber between Troy and Avon
last night by Sheriff Jasper j. Campbell
and was brought to Moscow with COM
pete still and IS gallons of liquor he
was making, and he is i'll the county
Jail Both will be charged under state
and federal laws The United States
authorities have been notified and are
expected to take action in both cases.
Weller came here about six weeks ago
and secured employment as ianitor in
the Urquhart building. He had charge
of the furnace and fixed up still for
under suspicion and Charles Summer
| field, night marshal, has been watching
| him for several nights and last night,
when Weller left the basement the Of
| ficer, with John Sampson, special police
man, went into the basement and found
the still in operation with several gal
Ions of Intoxicating liquor nearing com
pletion on stove just back of the
furnace When Weller returned he was
placed under arrest and taken to the
city jail and guard was placed over
the stills.
The outfit is a complete one. A gaso-
line stove was placed back of the fur
mace and shielded by screen. On this
were two five-gallon coal oil cans, con-
nected with copper tube and from one
of these another copper tube, with COM
plete worm" ran into another re-
ceptacle where the distilled liquor
trickled through. A large supply of
raisins, rice, cider and other materials
for making alcoholic liquor was found
in the basement Several gallons of
fairly good liquor were found.
Weller is no novice at the business.
He was arrested at Orofino for the same
offense, having had still in the business
center of that town. according to the
statement of the officers who made the
arrest. He was placed in the county
began making liquor in the jail while
under arrest 1t is charged by Charles
Sumnerfield night marshal, that num-
Der of boys of tender years have been
getting liquor from Weller and have
been drunk on various occasions.
Sheriff Campbe1ls arrest was more
romantic and had all of the surround
ings of the old "moonshine stil1' of the
mountains of the south. The sheriff has
been working on the case since Wednes
day. He had trai1ed the distiller to his
home in the woods, where he had a
small tract of land rented and 'laid
for him" until he caught him in the act.
Thursday night there was big celebra
ton of the supposed signing of the peace
armistice at Tlyr's cabin and yesterday
evening the sheriff caught Thyr in the
act of making liquor. He had a worm
made of copper tubing he had secured
from an automobile supply house, the
line to the engine. This was placed in
vessel of cold water and the steam from
the "brew" passed through it. Thyr had
supply of rice and raisins and supply
of liquor. the nature of which was not
known He admitted that he had been
making the liquor for some time, but
denied. that he sold any of it His OK
cuse was that he could not drink tea,
coffee or milk and that he had to have
this liquor to drink. Sheriff Campbell
found a good supply of coffee in his
cabin. When asked what he kept cof-
fee for if he could not drink it. Thyr
said he kept it for his friends when they
came to visit him.
Thyr says he did not know it was
against the law to make liquor in this
way When asked if he wished to plead
guilty or stand trial, he replied, SO
Sheriff Campbell says: "If it is against
the law to make it I am guilty. If it is
not against the law, am not. | made it
for my own use
The still and IS gallons of the liquor
were brought to Moscow and will be
held as evidence against Thyr, who is a
bachelor and has lived in the Troy
for many years, but went
to St Maries few years ago, returning
to Troy about year ago.
Charges will be filed against both men
under the state law and they will be
given preliminary hearings before Pro-
bate Judge Nelson. 1t is likely that both
will be taken before the federal grand
jury which meets in Moscow Novem-
Der 25.