Omaha daily bee., 1919-01-13
Iowa Farmers Take Big
Risks Smuggling Booze
Continued FFom Page Ons.l

Continued From Page One.)
smuggler is concerned, in Iowa. A
number of farmers in the south
western part of the state, who other
wise bear respectable regulations,
and who have considerable social
standing in their communities, trans
port liquor from St. Joseph to their
farms in machines that are not sus-
pected by officers because of the ap-
parent innocence of the drivers or
owners. The liquor is concealed in
hay stacks or straw stacks and is
delivered across the Missouri boun-
diaries to the men who make a BUSH
ness of the game. The farmer is
paid from $40 to $40 per case for his
risk The bootlegger then brings
the booze to Council Bluffs, where
he sells it to the Omaha distributor
who has to take the risk of trans
porting it across the bridge. This
precaution of dealing in the contra
band within the confines of the
Hawkeye state is to defeat the Reed
law, which makes illegal transport
tation a crime.
Bootleggers agree that the most
dangerous man to come across is
the conscientious local deputy
sheriff, town marshal or constable,
who is determined on enforcing the
law.
THE fools amt got any sense"
said one. "A hiek marshal or a rube
constable pulls his gat and shoots
first. then asks questions after
wards"
Omaha Man Killed.
It was under these circumstances
that Dan Houston, Omaha, was kill
ed in a fight in the outskirts of
Nebraska county seat town, and Joe
Bolster was wounded in a battle in
small village in Iowa. Several
other bootleggers have been wound
ed by officers in skirmishes that have
occurred in this state and Iowa, the
victims being rushed to this city,
where they were secreted in rooms
known only to the fraternity and
treated by surgeons, whose dlscre-
ton is summed in the Chinese motto,
"See nothing, hear nothing and say
nothing" II
For a long time there was a well
defined booze route that ran from
Pine Bluff, just across the border
from Wyoming, then wet state,
TO Omaha. The route was finally |
discovered by booze sleuths, who de-
termined to make it war zone and
unsafe for whisky pirates.
Two of them were guarding the |
road one night when a car approach
ed.
"Haltr commanded the officers.
The car stopped. One of the oc-
cupants called out genially: you |
think we are bootleggers don't your
"Yep," responded an officer.
"Well, if you are from Missouri,
come and be shown. Look the car
over" called the driver. The Of
fcers accepted the invitation and
while their heads were bent in an
of the interior of the
they were assaulted by the
crew of the auto who beat the Of
fcers into insensibility with the
butts Of their reviewers, leavingJ
the guardians of the law lying un-
conscious on the lonely prairie trail.
Bootleggers themselves have some
exciting experiences. One of them
when he felt he was being pursued
Dy officers in the southwestern part |
Of Iowa, hastily ran his machine into
/ meadow and unloaded his cargo
and concealed it in a haystaek. Just /
is he had finished the task he was
startled by a huge dog, which,
without warning bark or growl
seized him by the leg, embedded
is teeth in the calf of his limb and
leld him. After suffering excrutiat-
ng pain and mental torture for a
moment the man thought of his pis-
ol pulled it and shot the dog.
Just then the owner appeared and,
coking quietly at the quivering
,ody Of the slain canine said: "Yod
lave killed the best watch dog /
.ver had. That booze you have
.ached in the haystack, which is on
ny premises, will just about pay
he bill"
The bootlegger was in no position
o bubble. He had to let it go at
hat. The cargo was worth about
800, pretty big price for dog.