The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1920-06-04
MOONSHINE OUTFIT
RAIDED NEAR GRANITE
BENJAMIN F. POOLE, FAaMER, AND TWO
VIRGINIANS ARRESTED BY DRY AGENTS.

Caught red-handed tending an illicit
whisky still on the farm of Benjamin
F. Poole, near Granite, two alleged
moonshiners who came here several
months ago from county in South
west Virginia were arrested in a raid
on the farm late Saturday afternoon.
Federal and State policemen seized
the still, a number of jugs of what
is declared to be first-rate moonshine
whiskey, a sample of the distillaet and
arrested Mr.. Poole and the two alleg-
ed moonshiners.
Mr.. Poole and the two Virginians
were taken to Central Police Station,
Baltimore, and locked up. They are
held for action of the United States
authorities. The alleged moonshin-
ers, who took their arrest calmly and
asked no questions, gave their names
as James Jenkins, Al years old, and
Stewart Vowel, 81 years old.
The raid on the farm was made. on
a search warrant.
One automobile took the prisoners
and their captives to the city and the
still and other evidence found by the
raiders were taken to the Custom
House and locked in a vault.
The still, according to the revenue
officers, was no riff-raff affair. 1t is
a genuine moonshine still, of 18 gal
Ions capacity, and one which the max
er knew how to construct. Two weeks
ago revenue and prohibition agents
received information that moohshine
whiskey was being sold at Ellicott
City in pint and half-pint bottles. 1t
took many days of investigation to
locate the farm where the alleged still
was located. Inquiry concerning Mr..
Poole developed the information, ac-
cording to Operative Hand, that the
two men, Jenkins and Vowel, were
presumably employed by the farmer,
They had a shack in the woods,
good half mile from the nearest road.
Mr.. Poole, it is said, had timber
rights on the farm, and when the pro-
hibition agents arrived there he was
in the woods experimenting the saw
ing of lumber at his sawmili. The
still was camouflaged by being sunk
below the level and hillocks of earth
were piled about it. When the Fed
eral Agents arrived within quarter
mile of the place they saw the smoke
/ and one of the men, a revenue ofhcer
of some years experience, got to the
! leeward and his nose detected the ar
oma of boiling mash.
Signals caused the Federal agents
to close in and within few minutes
the objective was taken. There was
no gunplay and no resistance was
offered. Operative Hand went to the
shack and he said he found number
of Jugs packed in a jute sack ready
il is said, for transportation.
Several men from Westminster Of
fered to pledge 100000 bail for the
release of Mr.. Poole. Mr.. Poole Is 6O
wears old and resides at Gambler.
BENJAMIN F. Poole, James jenkins
and Stewart Vowel, who are accused
of making whiskey for their own use
have been released ny giving security
in the sum of $1,000 each, for Their
appearance before the United States
District Court in Baltimore. Ile
Government officers found the still III
the possession of Stewart Vowel, Wno'
after his arrest, advised the omcers
that he and James jenkins maze
some whiskey for Mr.. Poole. jenkins
and Vowel live in Baltimore county
near Marriottsville, and work Tor MT.
Poole on a saw mill. Each OF them
are married and have large families.
Ivan l.. Hoff and Harry B. Wolf are
the attorneys in the case.