The Mena weekly star., 1920-11-25
PLANT IDEALLY LOCATED, AND
EQUIPPED, WAS UTTERLY
DESTROYED BY OFFICERS.
RETORT ONCE PART OF
LICENSED DISTILLERY
Said to Have Been Used Years Ago in
Dallas, but Was Stolen and Has
Long Been in Hiding-Left
Hogs Wallowing in Mash.

Polk county's most pretentious at
tempt at wildcat distilling was visit
ed by prohibition enforcement officers
Tuesday and demolished. Sixteen gall
Ions of white mule" were confiscated
and seven men were arrested charged
with assisting in its manufacture and
distribution.
The prisoners, who were taken to
Fort Smith Wednesday morning for a
hearing before Commissioner w. III.
Dunblazier, included F. 2. (Fete) Dav-
is and his two sons, Harvey and Mar
vim; Tom Heath, Steve Edwards, O.
A. (Gun Hammer) Cox and Frank
Hass. all well known residents of the
Big Fork neighborhood.
The illicit distillery, which was To-
Gated south and west of Big Fork, is
said to be the largest ever captured b by
federal officers in Polk county. The
retort had a capacity of rs gallons Of
mash and the distillery outfit included
IL large barrels for making and hold
ing malt and mash until ready for
cooking.
Discovery of the still is said to have
followed ana investigation made after
the arrest Of DIR. Charles Sanford of
Board Camp. Federal Officers John
I. Tisdale of Fort Smith and Ramsey
Foster of Talihina came to Mena Mon
day and secured the services of Sher-
itf J. A. Thornton, Deputies p. Reed,
e. r. Jaskson and p. A. Hazel
The six officers went to the home of
Tom Heath, who lives south and west
of Big Fork and within less than q
mile from the Heath home found the
ILLICIT still. Mr.. Heath declares he had
nothing to do with the manufacture
Of white mule,' but the officers in
sisted on his going TO Fort Smith to
answer before the commissioners
Operators Left Luncheons.
No one was at the still when the
discovery was made but the officers
found that some unidentified persons
had been. there and left only a. few
minutes before. The unknown MAX
ers of wildcat liquor had departed in
such a hurry they failed to carry away
with them their MONDAY luncheon.
Because large hornets nest was
found hanging from the limb of a
nearby bush, the plant was christened
the Hornet" dlstillery, and samples
OF the liquor found indicated this par
tlcular brand of white mule had a
more powerful sting to it than several
nests OF the scrappy insects.
tollowlng the discovery Of the still.
which was complete in every particu-
lar ana ready for immediate opera
ton, the officers posted two guards
fho =
members of the posse began t search
for the men suspected of having part
IN the distilling of the illicit LIQUOR
The two Davis boys and Heath were
arrested Monday and brought to
Mena. "Fete' Davis, hearing that his
sons were in custody, came in Mena
Monday night and surrendered to
heriff Thornton. Frank Hass also
came in and surrendered on hearing
ne was wanted,
Officers In ley Bath. V
While Deputies Reed and jackson
guarded the still Monday night and
Deputy Hazel guarded the only road
that lead to the Heath home. the pro-
hIbItion officers. Tisdale and Ramesy.
secured the adjacent country fo rother
men wanted In connection with the af
fair. Their nights adventures in
Guided diving off their auto into a deep
hole OF water in Butcher Knife creek
ana having to swim out of the icy
waters. The two officers worked hard
and Tuesday morning they had two
more prisoners to add to their LIST
Messrs. Edwards and Cox.
For added proof the still really ex-
isted, Officer Tisdale had Bert Hilte-
brand, local photographer. taken to
the white mule" factory and numer-
GUS Photographic views were made.
After this was done Tuesday the Of
hcers complied with the government
regulations by destroying everything
connected with Hornet distillery'
save those portions carried away for
exhibits in court.
These last included the retort and
the worm of the still and the I6 gaI-
ions OF iiqour. The latter was in stone
and glass jugs. A number Of fruit
jars, presumably left by Customers
and whose orders had not been filled.
We're smashed. The retort for boil
ing the mash is believed to be the
same one that was once used in
licensed government distillery located
some 20 years ago at Old Dallas.
Retort Long in Hiding.
This section of the distillery, the
most important of all, so the wild
caters say, was made Of copper and
was Of much larger size that is usual
ly found. 1t filed the entire back seat
OF Ford car and when it reached
Mena attracted much attention. Tho
retort is said to have been stolen whe,t
the licensed distillery went out Oh
business and its recovery Tuesday Isl
said to be the first trace officers have