Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-07-09
AYERS, ON STILL HUNT
Is REWARDED BY
FINDING MASH
TRAILS EVIDENCE
DISCOVERY is MADE WHILE
SEEKING EVIDENCE AGAINST
SHERIDAN MAN HELD ON
CHARGE or OPERATING BOOZE
PLANT - DEFENDANT DENIES
GUILT.

Wheat mash, the first that has been
found in any moonshino raid in La
Sale county, was discovered by Shgr-
iii Ayers late yesterday afternoon,
when he unearthcd the place G, b.
have been manufacturing his 'liquor
Wautland was taken in charge by
Sheriff Ayers on Wednesday when his
home and garage in Sheridan were
raided. Yesterday at a preliminary
hCaring before Justice Kocnig he Sc.
cured continuance, alleging that h =
wss innocent and intended to contest
the case.
At the time of the raid only some
empty bottles which had contained
moon9hine were uncarthcd Ncster
day afternoon, determilmd to find The
source of Wautlahd's alleged supply
Of intoxicants. Sheriff Ayers started
out to scour Sheridan for evidence
He found that Wautland had rcntcd a
small house between the river and the
railroad tracks two miles east Of Sher.
idan. He went to the house TO inycs.
tigate, and upon approaching tbs
building found a strong odor OF grain
mash which was fermonting. The
doors OF the building were padlocked
and the windows locked MIR. Ayers
broke IN and found kegs, buckets and
Jars that had contained hcotch In
Eredients but no mash.
Searching in the weeds around the
house. he found three largo piles Of
wheat mash that had been omptie1
out OF the jars. The mash had neyc.
been cooked. A still could not be 10.
Gated
Many people are said to have seen
Wautland going back end forth from
tho building, a man who is said to
live either in Chicago or Aurora i3 al.
legged to have been associated with
Wautland in his alleged violation Of
the prohibition laws,
Wautland is said by the authorities
to be between the age of 50 and -
years. although he has the appearance
OF q comparatively young man.
Scandal Involves Streator Man.
One of the most sensational stories
ever recorded in the legal documents
of La Sale county broke today, when
ii became known that two Streator
men had been placed under arrest
charged with criminally assaulting
Bertha Hodges sixteen year old
girl, and that a third man proprietor
of a StreatDr soft drink parl0r, had
closed his place Of business and left
town, presumably to avoid being i'm
plicated in the case. Bertha, The girl
in the case, is being held at the coun-
ty detention home in South Ottawa,
pending delinquency proceedings.
Two of the men involved in the
case are said to be married Ber-
tha's story is one of the most re-
voting ever told to the authorities.
Warrants for her assailants were is
sued by Justice of the Peace Koenig
in ottawa q few days ago, but news
of their having been issued was sup.
pressed until today although it has
been rumored since Bertha's plight
was made public two days ago, that
the apprehension would follow.
The charge as told to the Streator
police. is to the effect that a few
nights ago, while her parents were
in Canada on a visit, she went to the
Streator fair grounds to attend a
dance After the dance, she alleged
some men took her to soft drink
parlor of silk Nichol" on Blooming
ton street, where they gave her
moonshine, which she believes con
tanned knockout" drops
From the saloon, she alleges she
was taken in taxi out in the coun-
try by the men, where she claims to
have been brutally mistreated. I'm
der the influence of the drinks, she
alleges she was unable to defend her
self.
About or o'clock in the morning
she regained consciousness, she
claims, and found that she was in a
pasture out of the city.
The two men who were placed un-
der arrest today were Arthur Schall-
hamer, aged 81, and Tony Mushro,
aged 21 Both men maintain that they
are innocent of the girls charges.
They came TO Ottawa this afternoon
and secured their release on bonds.