The Duluth rip-saw., 1920-03-06

RAINIER, March 4.-(Special to the
ip-saw.)-At about 1880 p. m, Feb.
1S, strong and well organized force
of federal agents raided several blind
pigs in Rainier with the result that
Jack Beaton, "Long Bob' Blessing
ham and Terry Beaton stand an excel
lent show to spend at least six months
in jail, with fines Of $500 each, addi-
tional.
John Oliver, alias "Kid" Oliver,
also was arrested, but he made break
for liberty and managed to win his
way across Rainy River into Canada.
The raid was made under the au-
thority of Steenerson, state director of
prohibition enforcement. It also had
the backing of his superior officers, A.
v. Dalrymple and H. F. Price.
The lawless vendors of booze in Ra-
nier have felt very cocky and quite
safe from arrest.
"I can, spot a federal agent the mo-
ment 1 set eyes on him." many OF
them have boasted. They failed to
spot the sleuths who secured the evil
dence for the recent raid, however,
despite "a tip from below that sleuths
were com&g. Even the underworld
birds here consider it clever coup.
"It was one Of the smoothest stunts
sever -s5w puffed adnitted'
prominent Rainier gambler. ~.-
Early one morning, a few days be-
fore the big pinch, couple of lumber
jacks sleepily tumbled off the G. N. R.
train from Duluth. They at once sought
food, lodging and means slake burn
ing thirsts.
Rainier is infested with redlight
women, something as mongrel dog is
with fleas When these sleuths, garbed
as lumberjacks and having every ap.
pearance of being the real thing, sat
down to eat in hotel or restaurant,
redlight women fairly swarmed around
the tables, importuning the men to re-
tire with them to act shamefully, or to
buy the drinks, or even to set up a
package of cigarettes. 1t made the
sleuths think of fly time on the farm,
before the days Of screens.
When the pseudo lumberjacks braced
Jack Beaton for some booze, he looked
them over coldly.
"Where you from9" he crisply
asked.
"We work in the woods and have
just come from celebration in Supe-
rior.'
"Whom do you know in Superior9"
asked the cautious vendor Of illicit
booze.
One of the lumberjacks reeled off a
long list of names Of those prominent
in Superior g underworld.
"You are all right decided Bea-
gled Canadian rye whisky at 81 half
pint. ..
Having broken the ice with Beaton,
the sleuths had little difficulty in get
ting booze from "Long Bob'' Blessing
ham, Beaton's bartender. Terry Len
non, at one time bartender for the no.
torious Mcdonald dump, also fell for
the lumberjacks opportunities. "Kid'
Oliver, at the Rainier hotel, also proved
easy.
When the time came to make the ac--
tual pinch, the federal agents enlisted
the help of deputy sheriffs Reedy, Day,
Tweland and game warden Powers.
There was some excitement in this
lawless little burg when two officers
swept down on each of several dumps.
When men and women came pouring
out of the Rainier hotel, it made one
think Of the effect when an ant hill
has been punched with pole.
"Kid' Oliver, was handed over to
deputy sheriff Tweland to guard. A
local gambler passed between the pris-
oner and the officer. The former took
opportunity to make a break for lib
erty. He headed for the depot and got
behind some merchandise ears.
Halt" commanded one of the fed
eral agents.
kid" Oliver refused to halt. When
the agent pulled down his automatic,
it jammed. By the time the sleuth
was able to fire, Oliver was a block
distant. Several shots were fired at
him. The fugitive was. heard to give
one yell. 1t may have been in derision
or he may have been nicked. Be that
as it may, he won his way across the
railroad bridge into, Canada.
Later, the fact of divers informal
entry into Canada was reported to the
immigration officials. If caught, the
fugitive will be liable to six months
Imprisonment in Maple Leaf Land.
There is a rubhor, however, that Oliver
eventually made his way to st. Paul
and got under cover.