Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-01-22
IRON COUNTY MEN FOUND
GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT
Liquor Gases Are Rapidly Being Dis
posed of by Judge Lands at La
Crosse. Sentences at Close
of Term.

/ The case Of an Iron county man
was one of the. first three to come
TO. trial in federal court at La
Crosse this week, presided over by
Judge K. NJ: Lands. Tony Varda.
OF Hurley, was found guilty of
transporting liquor and of having
liquor i'll his possession. Varda was
in the automobile with John NJ.
Chiapusio on the night Of the
shooting affray on the Mercer road,
IN which Chiapusio was fatally shot
by federal agents while driving
from Milwaukee to Hurley with a
load Of liquor. Varda was an
important witness atsthe coroner S
inquest into the death of Chiapusio
and presented testimony which was
largely instrumental in exposing
the Irregularities of the federal
agents operating in Hurley, especi-
ally FIllion, who was dismissed
from service and who is now
fugitive from justice.
Attorney James A. O'Neil of
Ironwood appeared in hehalf of
Varda. Two of the federal agents
in the party which conducted the
ambuscade on the Mercer road,
J. I. Brereton aud Victor Dowd,
both of Chicago, appeared as witnes.
ses. Breretou in his testimony de-
clared that he had no knowledge
Of how Filion was operating in
Hurley, but on tip from Filion
had placed his men along the road
on the night of October 9, and was
under the impression that a whole
caravan of automobiles would pass
on its way from Milwaukee to
Hurley. In telling of the shooting
of Chiapusio 'Brereton said
II don't know whether. FAion
doablecrossed us or not, but the
only man we succeeded in getting
was Varda and then he was per
mitted to escape, as he says, under
directions from Filion to beat it.
The. shooting of Chiapusio is to be
regretted, but we had a signal from
Flion, who was in the car follow.
ing. We attempted to halt Varda
and Chiapusio by waving a red
lantern. That failing some of our
men fired at the. car, four shots
struck Chiapusio's neck. We
rushed him to hospital at Iron
wood, Mich, but he died the next
day"
Dowd said he and seven compan-
ions laid in the woods for two
nights waiting for the liquor laden
cars to appear.
eve were strung along the roads
for miles, said Dowd. II was en-
hill, and was to know which car
to stop by the sounding Of horn
by Filion. When the Varda carl
approached, l swung red lantern
but the car sped on There was an
exchange of shots.
Suddenly. the car halted. L
ordered the occupants to surrender.
Varda came out with his hands up
in the air He said his partner had
been shot. l was taking.no chances
aud commanded the wounded man
to come out. He said he YVES
pinned under the car, which had
swiped into the ditch. I found
this was true and that he was in
bad shape. We Communicated a
passing machine and rushed him to
a hospital at Ironwood
Varda in his testimony told how
Filion, after being in Hurley few
weeks, made the arrangements for
the trip to Milwaukee. Filion,
according to Varda, told him that
he knew where whiskey could be
obtained in Milwaukee at sl2s a
case and that he would accompany
him to Milwaukee, help load the
liquor and return to Hurley with
him, saying that everything would
be all right and that there would
be no trouble. Varda denied that
shotse had been fred from the