The Garden Island. [volume] (Lihue, Kauai, H.T.) 1902-current, 1919-08-26
REVENUE MAN
MAKES BIG HAUL

j. :. Gawne, internal revenue
officer, arrived on Kauai a couple
of weeks ago representing the
tax department, and for the pur
pose of assisting special taxpayers
in the making up of their returns,
dealing with delinquents, etc, and
has been devOting himself mainly
to this work.
An Eye open for MOonshine
incidentally, however, he has
been keeping an eye open for illicit
distillatiOn and the sale of the
spurious product.
In a quiet and very modest way
he has kept his ear to the ground
passing as a thoroughly good fel
low who could be trusted, and
who didn't mind taking nip
once in a while if it was good
stuff, and so winning the conf
dence of those who knew where
to get it.
Where to Order.d Still
Casually dropping into a local
tinshOp one afternoon, he found
two stills in process of manufac
ture. and on inquiry found that a
number of such had been turned
out and distributed to custom dis
tillers in the surrounding country
The innocent tinsmith was not
able to give the names of his Gus
toners, but yielding to pressure
finally gave detailed directions
by which the distilleries might bt
found.
Plays Pool to Good Advantage
A little later the officer dropped
into a pool room in Nawiliwili
complaining that it mas awfully
dull in Lihue, with nothing to do
and engaged some of the boys il
a friendly game. Now, he doesn't
know pool from ping pong, but he
made a bluff of chalking his cue
meantime keeping an eye on the
open window, through which he
could overlook the front of the
building in the rear. And just at
that moment the door opened and
an oriental came forth hugging a
five gallon demijOhn, which he
was hurrying out to the wOOdshed
to hide there.
Makes TUenty Gallon Haul
Gawne popped out, cOmman,
deered the demijOhh, and bOlted
into the house, where he found
ten gallons more and, later, care.
full search revealed five gallons
more in the wOOdshed.
Cryptic Distillery Under Floor
1t was very evident that he
wasn't far away from the source
of supply, the visible evidence be.
ing further confirmed by the
strong vinous aroma that pervad.
eel the neighbOrhood-but there
didn't seem to be any place where
it could be made-the premises
seemed to be entirely innocent of
stills or other distillery applianc,
es. Finally, however, treading the
nicely carpeted floor with careful
footballs, loose boards were de,
tected under the mating, aud
when these were pulled up a sort
of cellar chamber was revealed, in
which were two big barrels of
mash in process of preparation
$50 gallons or so. This was away
long in the night. He Immediately
arrested the owner of the premises
and turned him over to the deputy
sheriff, while he, himself, took pos.
session of the discriminating eyi,
dence az the property of Uncle
Sam, and placed them under seal,
another FeUOW Beats 1t
He had noticed rather suspic,
ious looking Dodge car hanging
about the premises, evidently with
some ulteriOr purpose, and when
he got back from the deputy
sheriif's, this car was "gone
mauka," they told him. He follow
ed in hot pursuit, and overhauled
it at Lihue Store.
HOOnshine in the German Forest
interviewing the Dodge man,
the latter declared that he was
taking his passenger home, sup
mauka" pointing toward the Ger
man forest. Gawne said that he
was going that way himself, and
would take his passenger for him
and save him that trouble. The
chauffeur consented, the exchange