The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1922-12-01
Fl. /. Watts Files
Suit For Damage

following account Of big damage
suit filed in circuit court by Homer I.
Watts Of this city:
Homer I. Watts, prominent attorney
Of Athena, through his law partner,
f. G. Prestbye. yesterday filed suit
for $4,000 damages against George
Gerking, well known Athena farmer,
Alf Oftedahl and N. H. Desper both
former federal agents, District At
torney R. /. Keator and Mrs. Charles
Belts Of Athena. in the circuit court.
The suit is another chapter in the
renowned Watts liquor case. Watts
is reported to have declared his in
tention of engaging the, two best law
firms west Of the Mississippi to plead
his case.
Defendants in the case are alleged
to be responsible for search war
rant issued for the Watts home in
1918, which resulted in developments
which have been in the public eye ever
since.
Plaintiff alleges that liquor valued
at $4,000, which he had stored in his
residence in Athena prior to January,
1916, was seized in raid on his place
on December A, 1918, and after two
court trials in which he was cleared
of the charge of unlawful possession
of liquor and despite court orders,
the liquor was never returned, and
that he and his family by the pro-
ceedings instituted by the defendants
have suffered personal indignities
and public shame and ridicule by the
willful conspiracy to defame his home
and character and that the alleged
false charges were brought on ac-
count of personal malice and spite.
There are many chapters to the
story of the liquor on record in the
courts in this city. The raid was
made by 7. D. Taylor, now deceased
in company with other officers pur-
suant to search warrant issued at
the request of the defendants In the
present suit. Judge Joe Fl. Parks in
the justice court after a trial of
Watts on the charge of conducting
common nuisance, dismissed the case
and ordered the liquor returned to its
owner. A few days later the district
attorney filed an appeal to the circuit
court.
Following much court procedure
and before final decision was named
down by Circuit Judge G. w. Phelps
in favor of Watts and ordering the
liquor returned. the evidence in the
case mysteriously disappeared from
the locker of Judge Parkes at his
office. The circuit court judgment
was filed December 3, 1925.
Watts alleges that the liquor was
consumed or appropriated by the de-
PENDANTS in the present suit, or by
persons unknown to him, that it was
of the reasonable value of $4,000,
and can not be replaced. The plain
tiff does not ask for restitution of
the liquor or its value in this suit
filed.
In the seizure were 81 quarts OF
whiskey and brandy. five quarts OF
Vermouth, IL quarts of old Scotch
whiskey, three bottles Of Virginia
Dare, one gallon of gin, five gallons
of whiskey in keg, two gallons OF
Scotch whiskey in a jug. and part OF
a bottle Of Kimmel and one bottle OF
beer.
That the suit does not include a
prayer for the return of the liquor
seized, is interpreted in local circles
as indicative Of still another suit
for its recovery. The mystery Of the
disappearance on the eve Of the
circuit court decision ordering the
return to it's owner, is still unsolved,
and the probable value of the seiz-
ure in the present bootlegging game
is another question on the street.