The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-11-12
BATTLE BOOZE FORCES
MACHINE GUNS BEING USED
ON THE NORTH BORDER
Desperate Fights Going On Be-
tween Authorities and the
Law VioIators

machine guns by sheriff'S deputies
combating whisky running across the
Canada North Dakota border has
turned the fight into real border war
fare. AS result, a decided crimI
has been put in the booze conveying
enterprise.
Aids Of Thomas Hennessy, sheriff Of
Bottineau county, were the first Il
introduce the machine guns. AS {
result OF one OF their engagements
Clarence Kendall of Sioux City was
killed and Thomas Royan OF Minot
was wounded. The pair, driving 6
heavily loaded automobile, failed tC
halt at the command of the deputies
and put up fight. A third member
OF the automobile party succeeded in
escaping from the officers.
High powered rifles are being used
by force OF men Sheriff Scofield OF
Ward county has assigned to guard
the boundary between that county
and Canada. So successful have these
two bands been that the whiskey run
ners are avoiding that particular ter
ritory.
Whisky Ring Is Desperate.
The vhisky ring has not slackened
It's activities in other regions, how
ever. Rather 1t has speeded up. With
the prairie provinces of Canada seized
uled to go dry at the beginning of the
new year and the prospect OF a heavy
,snowstorm any day that may make
roads impossible for automobile trav-
ell during the remainder of the winter
the liquor conveyors are working ov-
ertime.
Eight or ten cars dash over the
border nin
to twenty five cases OF whisky each
II is estimated that $1,000 quarts OF
whisky are illegally imported from
Canada each week and transported
across this state to points in Mime
sofa, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebras
ka. About forty per cent of it Is be-
Neyed TO go to Omaha The length
OF the boundary line, with roads every
mile, enables the runners to use
different route almost every trip. This
makes it difficult to effect seizures
About two cars week is the average
captured.
/. Some Armed Resistance.
In occasional instances armed re.
slstance has been offered the author
tiles. Clarence Kendall OF Sioux CITY
Ia, an alleged whisky runner, was
killed and Thomas Rowan OF Minot
another alleged runner, wounded b,
Sheriff Hennessy's squad. Another
man, their companion, escaped. Sc
warm have the authorities in these
two counties made it for the trafficers
IN Illicit liquor that the runners are
generally ayaiding that territory.
Action of the Canadian authorities
In confiscating automobiles enterinf
Canada without permits ia ihconven
lencing the smugglers, and the policy
OF the Dominion authorities In con.
hscattng all firearms carried without
permits, causes the runners to leave
their firearms on this side of the line
All Cars Are From Outside.
Lately whisky selling organization,
OF Canada have been depositing the
liquor on this side of the border tt
save the runners trouble from thu
Canadian authorities. There is close
cooperation between the seller.
north Of the line and the runners OF
this side
! Minot men were in the habit o.
making frequent trips TO the line
but the authorities broke his prac
tice up. All cars engaged in thu
traffic nos are from adjoining states
with the larger percentage from Ne
braska.
Practically all the runners are arm
4 So. SSNSA "CiS cSl6u III one 10
recently and their load Of forty fiv,
cases of liquor and number of fire
arms was seized. They were in Ne
braska cars. Sentence of four. month!
in Jail and fines of $3.50 were imposed
on each.
County Courts Prosecute.
| Prior to the recent term Of fedora
court liquor law violators were turned
over to the federal authorities, blu
since the United States court torn
closed they are being prosecuted il
county courts. United States Distric
Judge Woodrough Of omaha, who pre-
sided at the recent term of court here
has under consideration a contention
by attorneys for liquor law violators
who were prosecuted in the loca
courts, cannot be prosecuted in tn,
federal courts, too.
| Crookston Is Liquor Center.
| orookston, Mimi, November S.-Du
to the highly organized methods o
whisky runners, plying their trad
between Canada and points in Min
nesota, alcoholic liquors are brough
across the Canadian border in
stream daily, with comparatively few
arrests. County officials say no dry
agents have been seen in this vicinit,
for several weeks This fact, appar
emily, has eNboldened the whisk,
rupnarS and hotfloooarc