The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-07-31
ALLEGED BOOZE
RUNNERS HELD
FOR j. s. COURT
Three Troy Young Men Arrest
ed Here Thursday Morning
WEIRD STORY OF HOLDUP
Rumors that Shipment Of Illicit Liquor
Was to Have Been Stolen Here
in Bennington

Joseph Matello, Daniel Costa ant
Daniel Rubin of Troy, who were ar
rested here early Thursday morning
by Chief Of Police Patrick Brazell
were given hearing in Rutland Fri
day before United S ates Commission
er j. p. Leamy and held for the Octo
Der term of United States court. Bal
in the sum of $500 each was furnished
by relatives CT the three young mer
who were released
When arrested the three young men
were in an automobile which was
found to be carrying IS gallons OF
liquor, The booze was confscated
was stored in the cellar a, the federal
building and later was turned over tc
Deputy U. S. Marshal Chapman who
was sent here to take charge OF the
case. Francis Il. Morr.ssey, depu }
collector CT internal revenue, accom-
panied the marshal to Rutland with
the prisoners.
There is good reason to believe tha'
Martello, who had the drivers license
and who was in charge of the ship
ment, is identified with the regular
consignments of liquor that have
been coming into Benning on fol-
some time, According to Martello's
statement his two companions were
merely acquain anCes who were rid
ing on the booze runner for the fun
of the thing.
1t was also disclosed during the
hearing in Rutland that there were
five in the parry when the big Buick
left Troy The two who escaped ar
rest were endeavoring to enter the
Bot um g. Torrance sheet and pillow
case factory at the corner of Main
and Mill streets when the night
watchman, Patrick Griffin, pulled the
whis le cord,
The attempted break at the Bottun
& Torrance mill has not been sd is
factorily explained. 1t is presumed
that there was come hitch in the
plans Of the booze runners. One the
ory is that they we're looking for ;
place to temporarily hide the mint
five gallon cans and another is tha
they desired TO reach telephone il
order to communicate with confeder
ates in the village.
A weird story has come to light il
connection with the arrest and seiz
ure. This story is in effect that plans
had been made to hold up the booze
car upon its arrival here and loo. the
cargo. When questioned by State'
torney Collins NJ. Graves, Matello
the driver, stated that he had beer
hired by man in Troy to carry thu
liquor to North Adams and that ont
of the two men who disappeared wher
he night watchman turned in thu
whistle alarm induced him to chang'
his route and come TO Bennington.
is fairly good guess that the pur
suasiye individual was in league will
the holdup men, provided the holdul
theory is correct.
The suspicious actions of fou
young men attracted the at ention o
Chief Brazell early in the night of thu
arresI and seizure and the chief haC
instructed Deputy Sheriff Edward
Shanahan to keep out of bed unit
early in the morning. The deput,
was on the scene of the arres. almos
as quickly as the chief The chic
admits that he had tip" tha
something was on but natural.
does not disclose the nature of his in
! formal on.
At Rutland Friday it was sta et
that the seized liquor was net rea
corn juice" but was the product o
one of the numerous stills known t.
4 be in eXis ence in Troy and whicl
turn out a decoction made from rails
! ins and other ingredients.