Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-09-09
STILL IN A MILL.

Hooked up with the boiler In the
mill, the steam thereby being used for
the purpose of extroding the spirits
from the mash, distillery Of ordinary
size was discovered in the boiler room
of the Arcade cotton mill In Rock
Hill Friday morning by Constable s.
H. White and. other officers and r. e.
Spencer, master mechanic at, the cot
ton mill and Will DeGraffenreid. a
negro night watchman at the mill,
were placed under arrest, charged with
owning and operating the plant. A
warrant has also been issued for
George Barnes, negro formerly en-
pioyed as fireman in the boiler room
whom the officers believe had some
connection with the plant. Spencer
gave bond in the sum Of $500 and 1t is
possible that he will be tried at the
present term of the court Of general
sessions. DeGraffenreid, unable to fur
nish bond, was lodged in Jail here.
OFFICERS found the still located IN a
dark corner behind the boiler in the
mill, still further concealed by a num-
ber of bags which had been thrown
over 1t. Two/gallons Of ''singlings". q
couple of sacks of meal and barrel OF
mash were also discovered. The plant
was disconnected at the time the dis
coyery was made and 1t was evident
that no liquor had been made for some
time.
Just how long the distillery had been
there is a question over Which there is
much difference Of opinion. Some Of
flc3rs are of opinion that it might pos
sibly have been in operation for several
years, Judging by the rusty appearance
of the pipes which We're being used.
Spencer claims that he knew nothing
of the distillery and that 1t does not
belong to him. He says that his arrest
in connection with the matter Is the
result of frame up" of certain union
textile workers, at the Arcade mill, who
are now IN strike, in an effort to get
back at him because he has refused W
join the union.
According to information from Rock
Hill. the still was first discovered by e.
r. Dill, ID. r. Broom and William Dill,
who have been stationed at the mill as
pickets since the beginning Of the
strike which is now on. 1t is alleged
that they smelled sour mash and upon
investigation they found the plant,
promptly notifying the authorities OF
their discovery.
Discovery of the distillery recalled TO
the mind of a well known young man
of Yorkville, who has often made trips
to the Arcade mill during the past sev-
cral months on business, that he had
number Of, times smelled a peculaiar
oGor in the boiler room and had sew
cral times made inquiry about the odor
and the contents of q barrel which ne
had noticed in the boiler room. lie
had been told that the barrel contain
cd sour kraut. His advice that the
kraut be eaten or disposed Of in some
other way before it spoiled entirely
had not been followed.
A former policeman Of Rock Hill,
told The Enquirer that the authorities
in Rock Hill had long suspected that
there was still somewhere in the VI
cinity of the Arcade mill and had often
to locate it without success
although none of the officers entertain
ed the suspicion that it was located III
the boiler room Of the mill! This Of
ficer said that he had once been inVit-
ed to taste q pint of blockade whisky
offered him by one of the men alieeeo
to be implicated in the affair. He tast-
ed the liquor and it was moonshine
corn, all right. His inquiries as to
from whence it came produced no IN
formation. That was several years
ago. 1t is possible that it come from
the still broken up Friday. He would
not say as to that, however.