The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-21
By Associated Press

MoAISoIHely, reUI IudIy ~. As an aftermath of the raid on the Colias Candy company plant at 2227 Second avenue, Birmingham, last Tuesday, when a huge copper still and 700 gallons of mash were found on the second floor, Attorney General J. Q. Smith this after noon directed Assistant Attor- ney General Horace Wilkinson at Birmingham to confer with Solicitor Joseph R. Tate of Jef- ferson county with regard to instituting condemnation pro- ceedings against the property. Such action would be taken under lature recently adjourned. which pro- vides for seizure and confiscatiOn of property on which illicit distilleries may be located, as well automobiles or other vehicles in which 1t is trans ported with containers.
 The Birmingham property which l would be confiscated, condemned and sold by the state is valued at $5O00o Birmingham, Jefferson county and the state of Alabama are agog with the possibilities of the Weakley prohibition i law, following the raid upon the Colias 1 Candy company, the capturing of two monster-stil and the confiscation of the property, including the building and real estate, as we'll as the equipment of I the candy business and the whisky dis tilling outfit.
 | From all over the state come visitors | who express their interest in the out come, and every man who visits Bir- mingham has heard of the big haul
 made by local detectives. and is ask | ing questions before he hits the ground. almost. They also want to know what will be the outcome. That question has not been answered yet, nor will it be until the Colias case has gone | through the mills of justice. The courts will most likely have a considerable grind before the final chapter is writ | ten in this case, and in the meantime interest will hang curious and tenaci- ous.
 l While no statements have been made by the defendants, it is quite
 natural to suppose that fight will be made in view of the amount of money l involved. Some estimate the property
 both real estate and physical improve ments, at $75,000, while others fix $5O,- 900 as fair valuation.
 NEGRO "SPILLS BEANS" The stills are believed to have been 1 in operation for about six months, and l it is estimated that the operators had a veritable tub mint in the proceers I from their decided game of chance. And l the fact has developed that falling out between Colias and one of his col l ored employees was responsible for the l "turn-up" which stopped the trans | formation of corn meal into that stim- l ulating fluid that is at such a premium | these days.
 It is stated at detective headquar- ters that Colias said the colored em- ploye who spilled the beans" to the de- tective department received $10 day. The employe soon began to figure the profits of his employer and demanded $2O day, owing to the high cost of living, and when Colias refused this 100 per cent increase in wages, it was
 then that his trusted man Friday took
 his secrets to police headquarters, and
 soon Colias was sent to jail and his
 property was in the hands of the of-
 ficers.
 Why, they tell me that you can buy small office still now" said local attorney yesterday. T got one of the circulars the other day, and the manufacturers proposed to install in my office a still about as II big as a coffee pot. and while dug
 out legal problems my appetizer
 and stimulator would be cooking
 along peacefully in the corner of
 my office. I am not making any
 statements for publication, but, be- l lieve me, I would certainly like to
 have one of those things working
 for me while plug away trying to make living without any assist
 ance from my old friend John Bar l leycorn"