Putnam patriot., 1920-11-19
GIN MILLS FLOURISH
 IN THOMPSON TOWN
Two Cases Come to Court As Result of Raids.-Three
 Fines Are Imposed
Gossip Says That Hooteh Is Going
 Strong Just Over the Border

Down in the Carolina mountains, if you have the right kind of a guide he will take you up to the top of 8 Blue Ridge or an Appalachian or so, and point to thin columns of smoke arising from various parts of the val. leys between. This, he will tell you is the smoke of many stills, where, of in the fastnesses of the mountains the industrious lawbreakers are mak. ing that particular brand of corn whis. key, that either kills or cures, and al. most always cripples.
 Windham county has plenty of hills of it's own and if the indications of the past week are any criterion, those happy and prosperous ones who are so determinedly and profitably defy. ing the volstead act will soon be able to show their rising smoke for the edi. fication of the countryside. Matters just now locate themselves in the vi. cinity of West Thompson, just over the border of Putnam, where if rumor has it right, moonshining and boot IcSkDiS dlt SOiilt Vi iitt itants as rich as profiteers.
 All Of which is by way of leading up to the fact that matters have be- come so open in the illicit liquor mar ket that the town constable of Thomp- son decided to take hand in mat ters this week. First he sent man to buy liquor at an out of the way house in West Thompson which has been suspected for some time as being a quiet, but prosperous manufactury of the elusive sshootch." Said man re- turned with the liquor. Thereupon the constable organized a party, went to the house in question and demand ed entrance in the name of the law. posse melted away.
 But the constable was still hot un- der the collar so he called into assist anee our own Captain Bulger and with the assistance of the Putnam officer another visit to the house was made, and when entrance was forced, all the ingredients of the stuff that fills pc lice courts on Monday mornings were found inside, such as mash hard cider and moonshine whiskey. However, no still was in sight.
 Along with the suspicious materials Adam Roles and Jules Stines were taken away by the officers and later forced to appear in a court session held before Justice Ryan in the town of Thompson. Result, a fine of $s2 and costs to each, charged with intent of keeping liquor for the purpose of sale. Sam Karansky, who was charg- ed with being a general bootlegger about town, was given a like fine.
 Next came the case of Albert Du- mag. who was charged with similar offenses. Dumaz' house was entered and certain suspicious ingredients were taken therefrom, but when At torney Charles L. Torrey took over the case he showed the judge plainly that he had an innocent client, and the case was nolled.
 This has not stopped the wagging of the tongues in Thompson town in regard to the sale of liquor. If the gossip is to be believed there is still plenty of drink of a sort being made and it is not Of the sort that is harm- less. It is said that certain men in the town are making fortune out of dealing in smuggled liquor and in the of various vile smelling and equally horrible tasting liquids which bring nocturnal joy and morn ing headaches. The authorities are hot on the trail and the last case in the matter has evidently not come to trial as yet