Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-07-15
COUPLE OF QUARTS
OF DILUTED HOOTCH
COST $500 IN court.
WHO BUTTED
INTO SHERIFF AND WAS BUT.
TED OUT AGAIN PAYS HEAVY
FINE FOR LIQUOR VIOLATION.

John Plesko Jr. of Stroator late yes
terday afternoon in the County Court
plead guilty on two counts of violat
ing the search and seizure law. He
was fined $500 and costs, total OF
Sjl5. He satisfied the fine in open
court, drawing from his pocket loose
roll of bills and taking off three ore
hundred dollar bills, four iif.ies, a ten
and a five, which he presented to the
court
PleSko's place of business was raia-
cd by Sheriff Ayers on Wednesday. At
the time Of the raid Plesko emptied
the only moonshne he had in the
place in a rinse lasin The sheriff
seized a jar and took some Of the
diluted hootch from the basin. Plesko
emptied III jar twice and Mr. Ayers
had TO use his revolved butt as club
to drive the defendant away from the
evidence
When he was making the raid some
one informed the sheriff that the man
caught emptying the evidence was
George Plesko, "A brother OF John
Plesko Jr., and It was not until yes
te9day afternoon when the defendant
appeared for hearing that it we
learned that th ciIonder was John
and not George, his brother, George
who Z was at frs reported was in the
soft drink parlor and was mixed M
in the raid, ia nov said 10 have taken
no part in it.
John piesho Jr. ara his fathor wero
indicted by the Last grand jury or a
charge of selling liguSr Their case
was transferred to the County Court
for trial, but hearing had not beer
held at the time Of this weeks raid
This week the iuuiar Plesko was not
caught selling liquor, but was charged
with having it in his possession.
States Attorney Kelly, in filing the
information to which plesko plead
guilty yesterday, ccmhined the two
charges, making one count, having~the
liquor and the other selling liquor
The fine of $500 was assessed on thu
two counts, 5000 for the possession
ard $500 for the sale.
IN assessing the fine Judge Reck ex
planned to Piesko that if he was again
caught violating the search and seiz-
ure laws he could not escape without
a Jail sentence. He informed Pleako
that except for the fact tirat the two
charges against him had been com
hined into one information he would
have to receive a jail sentence on the
charge OF possessing the liquor
The ~Streator council revoked the
license Of the elder plesko after his
for violating the search
and seizure laws, Since then hi;
place of business has been operated
by the son,
LittIefar Gets Six Months.
a six month sentence in the coun-
ty jail, was imposed on William Lit
tlefair, of Marseilles, late yesterday
when he pleaded guilty to being a
Second offender in the violation of
the search and seizure laws. Little.
fairs hearing was held before Judge
=. Harry Reck just before court ad
journed for the day.
He was charged by the state with
the unlawful manufacture of liquor,
in violation of the search and seizure
laws. He entered plea Of guilty,
after which the court imposed the
sentence on him. The penalty of a
second offense in the violation of the
search and seizure laws provides that
the defendant musg serve a Jail term
even though he pays a fine of as
much as $1,000.
Two stills were found by Sheriff
Ayers and Deputy Campbell, who
raided the Iittlefair home Thurs |
day Both these were contiscated,
and will be destroyed.
On Feb. q Littlefair pleaded gull
ty to a violation of the search and
seizure laws in. the county court, and
was given a thirty day Jail sentence.
His arrest on that occasion followed
a raid on his home. when a still was
found by the sheriff's office.
Judge Reck in passing sentence of
the man yesterday, warned him of
the penalties that would follow a.
further repetition Of violation of
the prohibition laws.
Before the hearing yesterday Pies
10 informed the county officials that
he was to be married next week.