The New York herald., 1920-01-29
CITY FLOODED WITH
HOME BOOZE STILLS
Federal Officers Seize Two,
Say Many Others Have
Been Sold.
HAVE LIST OF PURCHASERS
Warn Householders They May Be Ar
rested for Possessing Little
Devices.

Officers Of the Internal Revenue Service
have reason to believe that the city and the
metropolitan district have been flooded
with cheap whiskey stills of one gallon
capacity. manufactured and sold for do
mestic use." with the idea of making
every bibulous person potentially his own
distiller
James S. Shevln. Supervising Prohibit
tion Agent for this district. said yesterday
that his men had confiscated the files,
books and other records of a manufac-
turer. whose name and address remain a
departmental secret, but who has been
manufacturing these dlminutivc house
hold whskey stills by the wholesale and
selling them at IS apiece. Two of these
outfits were seized by Mr. Shevlins men
yesterday in private residences in Brook
lyn and were placed with varied collec-
ton of other contraband material in room
5l5 OF the Custom House.
The kitchen whiskey stills are rather
primitive in appearance They are simply
large round tin pans, somewhat deeper
than those used for the baking of bread
or puddings. Topping the pans is n bulg-
ing copper crown. and the device is fitted
with rubber tubes for the water supply
and a copper worm about as thick as Il
lead pencil.
"WiIl DO the Work All Right"
Though the apparatus iooks fragile and
smateurish, the revenue officers agreed
that it was perfectly practicable for the
making of whiskey in lots not to exceed
one gallon. AS John j. Quigley, one of
the experienced inspectors, remarked
'Give it mash that will produce whis-
key and this little outfit would do its
part all right"
No arrests were made in the Brooklyn
residences. Mr.. Shevlin said. however
that his seizure of the papers and lists
belonging to the manufacturer had put in
his possession the names and addresses
presumably of all customers who have
bought the pocket edition of booze fac
tories. Every instance of sale. purchase
or operation of one OF the machines since
January II renders all persons implicated
In the transaction subject to prosecution
Under the Volstead act. Any person
caught with one of the stills-no matter
how small--in his possession is liable tc
arrest and prosecution.
Il advise everybody who may have pur.
chased one OF these contrivances.' said
Mr.. Shevlin, ito lose no time in bringing
II to room 515 in the Custom House and
surrendering II. The law forbids the pos.
session or use of all such paraphernala
except In connection with chemical labora.
tories. Unless the stills be turned ir
promptly and voluntarily the field force
will be under the necessity OF checking uI
purchasers from the data now in our pos.
session. The contraband apparatus ther
will be confiscated and many arrests will
be made"
Two Large stills Seized.
j. B. Ellington ana William Mcclure
revenue agents, acting upon information
received by the department, seized also
two much larger stills from the cellar OF
residence in Second avenue. These ma
chimes. which were of about five gallons
capacity each. were not in operation wher
they were found and no arrests were
made. The facts were laid before the
United States Attorney for such action
rs he may see fit to take. The stills were
carried to the Custom House and added to
the already extensive and growing collec-
tion on exhibition there In room 5l5.
Robert Abrahams. proprietor OF saloon
at No. $50 Lcnox avenue. and his barten-
der, David Schwartz. who were arrested
Tuesday night by Thomas a. Burke a
detective of the Sixth Inspection district
charged with violating the federal Pro
hbtion law, were aligned before United
states Commissioner Samuel NJ Hitch
cock. They waived examination and were
held for the Grand Jury in $500 bah each.
In the United States District Court
Judge A. ~. Hand fined Michael Bern
u r9N saloonkeeper. and Max Seelig.
~ Mihder, of Third and fremont avenues.
IN the Bronx. $3.50 and so respectively on
charges OF having violated the war time
prohibition act on October % last.