Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-25
CANADIAN LIQUOR
COMES INTO VERMONT
Some of II Fails to Reach Its
Destination Because of the
Vigilance of Government Of
ficials-FOur Men Caught
with the Goods and Arraigned

As the result Of the raids on those
implicated in bringing spirituoue liquor
into the United States from Canada,
four men were arraisned before United
States Commissioner j. J. Enright We'd
nesday. The men. Robert Farley. Adel
Desmarches. Eli Chevelier and Adelard
Bertrand, are believed to be involved
in the recent transactions which had Tor
their object getting hundreds of gallons
by the United States officers. Bail was
fixed in the sum of $1,000 in the cases
of the last three and was furnished
Farleys case is continued until January
The men probably will be brought before
the standing grand jury which II is ex-
pected will he called in the middle OF
January.
Just how much liquor is being brought
over the line at the present time is not
known. but that it is a vast amount is
certain Now that the available supply
in the United States is very limited. the
demand for she goods has reached a
point where almost any price can be
obtained and the immense profits have
attracted men from all parts of the coun-
try Men from the Swanton Office alone
in the last ten days have seized one
automobile. SIX teams, arrested six men.
key and alcohol. Every imaginable de-
vice has been resorted 10 in the attempts
10 get the liquor by, and it is believed
that some good sized organizations have
been built up to handle the goods. The
temper of the law evaders is pretty
ugly at times and the government off,
| cials. who are in the minority in many
cases. have some hard times. In order
that they may perform their offices more
efficiently, all government men are to
! receive service revolvers in few days.
While the number of inspectors has been
increased slightly along the border. the
force is far from adequate 10 take care
of the big stretch of country, and in the
seizures of $50 gallons the work was done
by three men from the Swanton office.
who are obliged to do all the train work
as we'll
Farley. who is believed by the govern
ment to have quite a record, was arrested
Tuesday night al st. Adams. He is
| thought to be one of the men who were
| in the Ford automobile which the govern
! ment men took on the night of the 18th
Oh the road between Swanton and High
gate Springs. The three men in the
| machine were stopped by two customs
| officials and later made their escape
Felix Pratt stopped a New York auto.
| mobile about ten o'clock at the point
! of their guns. Three men were in the
! front seat and in the tonneau We're eight
| ten gallon and two 20-gallon casks. The
| kegs were piled to the top of the car
| and their weight brought the body OF
the car down TO the axles
The smugglers were three 10 two. and
| in the struggle in the dark two escaped
| The man who was thought to be the
| ring-leader was brought along to farm.
| house. where the aid of deputy sheriffs
was called to assist in rounding up the
men. The deputy sheriffs came. but ir
| the search for the men who had fled the
third man saw his opportunity and took
| it. Shots were fired after him, but hi
kept up his retreat. The automobile
full of liquor was brought to St. Adams
The goods would retail at more thar
! $4,000 on this side of the line
The other three men are charged with
being connected with the 200 gallons OF
spirits which were seized Tuesday after
noon IN the barn OF Eli Chevelier ir
| Highgate. l.. d. Seward of the Swantor
office and II. B. Corlss of the Highgatt
office went to the barn. along with some
deputy sheriffs They found a pair o
horses hitched TO hayrack and ready t.
start out, Concealed under the load O.
hay We're ten casks of 20 gallons each
Adelard Bertrand of St. Adams wa
| about TO do the driving, Desmarche
and Cheveler were with him and al
three were placed under arrest The,
put up no flight.
The amount of liquor seized recent,
along the border has become so grea
that it will soon be difficult matter t,
store it, The big vault in the custom
house al St. Adams is completely filled
as are the other vaults along the line
AT the present time there is no mean
provided for the disposal of the contra
band goods and an act viii be passed sool
to enable the customs men to dispose o
the goods