The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-10-07
Get Plenty of Raisin Mash.


Besides the two stills and worms,
almost a hundred gallons of raisin and
prune mash was found. Samples of
these were obtained and will be used
as evidence in the case A cese of
prunes was also found which bore the
label of up. Schultze, Kenosha" and it
is assumed that the prunes were pur-
chased from that source. No grapes
were found but there were a hundred
and fifty empty cases which plainly
showed that grapes had been used in
the manufacture.
The mash was destroyed by the state
officials by pouring kerosene in it.
Samples of it were obtained, however.
and the officials are making a chem
ical test to determine the amount Of
alcohol contained.
Otto Worked on Case.
Deputy Otto has been working on the
case for the last three weeks but Il
was only the other day that he got the
goods on Scherca. A lady came into
the sheriff's Office and asked that the
tenants of her nine-acra farm be
thrown off. eriee p 70 the wo1aan
gave forth the evidence that it was
the nine-acre farm on which one Joe
Scherca lived with his wife and seven
children. She gave the reason for her
actions, saying that they were unde-
sirable tenants and would not allow
her on the premises.
Nick Otto, who has been sent here
by the governor to take care of the
sheriff's office, went out to the place
and it was then that his suspicious
were aroused. A suspicious scent was
in the air and it brought back mem
1ories to Otto of pre-prohi days when
the Volstead act was Utopian dream
of Bryan. Nothing, however, was done
because Of the lack Of evidence and
Otto retired for further investigation,
Enlists Fishers Aid.
He laid his suspicious before District
Attorney Peter Fisher, who counseIed
him to continue the investigation on
the quiet and who assisted in every
way. Accordingly, the other night.
Otto again went to the little home
stead Of the fragrant atmosphere and
it was there he saw Joe and his wife
making the mash Slipping quietly
away, Otto came into town and had a
special deputy sworn in to assist him
in the case. A special search warrant
was obtained and armed with this and
accompanied with the two state Off
Gals Otto went to the farm this morn
ing at eleven o'clock and made the
arrest.
Scherca, who is Of Polish blood. was
confined in the county jail, but the
woman was allowed to remain to take
care Of three-year-old child. Besides
the three-year-old child, the family
has six children who were in school
at the time of the arrest.
Explains to Reporter.
In talking with a representative Of
the Evening News, Scherca explained
that the "hooch" was good even if it
was Of doubtful parentage. He insist
ed that the raisins used were first class
and that better prunes could not be
obtained at any price. When asked
about the method of manufacture. he
stated that it took him about two hours
to run off batch and that he only
made a quart at a time. When askeA
if he used both stills, he said that the
first one had been obtained in Mil
waukee but that it was no good. Ac-
cordingly about three weeks ago he
said he intended to increase his rev.
enue and purchased the new boiler
from someone in Kenosha county.
State Officials Here.
The new still was of much better
pattern than the old, said Joe, and he
could make much more at time and
that explained the several demijohns
that had been set aside to age.
The two state officials, Bloodgood
and Parkinson, stated that the still.
were much along the same line as the
ones used generally by home brewers
They also wanted the people of Keno
sha to know that they appreciated tba
cooperation of the good people of Ks-
nosha in helping run down illicit traf-
fic in the liquor game.
Sheriff to Raid More.
Following the successful termination
Of the raid, the sheriff announced tbst
this was the first of a series Of raid
and that illicit distillers would -
prosecuted to the full extent