The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-14


OF whisky from Superior Judge Al
lens court the night OF June 4 filed
the following report with Presiding
Judge Boyd j. Tallman Satur.
day:
We, the grand jury, duly convened
\ by this honorable court. on the 18th
day of June. 1919. and having now
/ been In actual session rs days. feel
| that IL IL proper that we should
render to the court "A report OF our
actions and proceedings up to the
| present time. Pursuant to tho in.
| structions given us on the 10th day
| OF June when we were convened as
a grand jury, we have investigated.
SO far as IL has been within our
power, all phases pertaining TO the
handling OF the Intoxicating liquor
seized and introduced In evidence In
connection with the case of the State
against Ifcnsgen. In this connection
we have subpocnaed and have heard
the evidenee given by all witnesses
whose attendance We were able to
secure. who had knowledge. or APP
parent knowledge. AS well ms those
who were deemed 10 have knowledge
I Of the way In which said liquor was
handled and disposed OF. Immediately
/ following the trial OF said case, aud
we have also investigated tho way
| IN which the liquor vas seized on
the search warrant under which the
seizure was made. and. In this regard,
we have also Investigated the method
ordinarily used by the sheriff and
/ the deputy sheriffs under him, In
their manner OF SELLING and disposlng
OF intoxicating liquors. Certain In
dictmenta have this day been re.
| turned into court as n result OF our
| investigation. Numerous other Of
lenses have apparently been com
mitted In the handling and dispos-
ing OF intoxicating liquors, which
have occurred at the time OF seizure.
and also>in the subsequent handling
and disposing OF liquor after seizure.
but great difficulty has been met
! by us when the question OF fixing
the direct Illegal responsibility for
the handling OF the liquor was con
sidercd. This has arisen generally
owing to the loose and careless man
ner employed in the seizure, and In
the subsequent handling OF the
liquor, and also, owing 10 the mum
Der OF different persons often en-.
gagged therein. and the way In which
the liquor was handled By those var.
ious parties. so that IL was difficult
10 fix the direct criminal responsible.
ity upon any definite person.
1860 Quarts Seized
Taking up first the liquor con-
tanned In Hcnsgen's barn, we lind the
following 10 be the facts:
f'irst--On the morning OF April IA
there was stored near the Meadows
IN a barn. which is commonly known
az "Iiensgen's barn." 1880 quarts OF
whisky; that portion of said whisky
was contained In l6 tin. or metal, con.
tanners. each containcr containing 3s
quart bottles. the remainder OF said
liquor was contained in gunny sacks.
each sack containing II quart bot
ties: that said liquor was all known
as bonded whisky" and was labeled
"Boone's knoll--Old Bourbon" ex.
cept four sacks, or cases, containing
II bottles TO the sack. or as bottles
In all, which was known as Fishers
Scotch whisky"
Second-That on said date all OF
said whisky was seized by the sheriff
OF King county. acting under and by
virtue OF a search warrant which was
issued by Justice OF the Peace Otis
w. Brinker. The seizure was not
made by the sheriff directly In per
son. but was made by sundry deputy
sheriffs. by virtue OF their authority
as deputies.
Shrinks CSC Quarts
Thlrd-That on said date a portion
OF the whisky seized was removed
from Hensgens barn by the officers
engaged In the seizure thereof. and
stored in a vault at the old court
house. That the return, as made by
the sheriff. acting thru his deputies.
showed that 3,2s4 quarts had been
seized and stored and was in the pos
session OF the sheriff.
Fourth: That on May e2nd. the
amount of liquor SO stored in the
vault at the old court house was
counted by the sheriff and others,
representing the prosecuting attor-
neys office and Justice Brinker,
and II was then ascertained by said
count that the amount OF liquor so
stored In said vault was 3.22S quart
bottles, OF which "a quart bottles
were broken during the count, leav-
ing 1904 quart bottles. The count
also showed that there was in the
vault at the time of said count "a
quart bottles OF said Usher's Scotch
whisky. At the time OF said count
there were Is metal, or tin, con-
tainers. each containing 38 quarts.
The remainder OF the whisky was
placed in kunnysaclxs. 12 quart bot.
ties being placed In each gunny-
sack.
Stored in Vault
| Fifth: That al the time the
liquor was stored In said vault.
and at the time the same was
counted. the combination TO the
vault had been. and was changed
and the only person possessing the
combination was the sheriff him
self
Sixth: That a part of the liquor
so seized at Hensgen's barn. by
virtue OF the search warrant, was
never delivered. or stored in the
vault. A portion OF the liquor
which was not stored was taken
possession OF by one of the deputy
sheriffs, and was never included in
the amounts returned on the
search warrant. Other portions OF
the liquor which was not stored I'm
the vault were carried away from
Hensgen's barn In automobiles. but
this grand jury has not been able
to ascertain definitely the persons
so carrying said liquor away.