The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-22
SECRET BASEMENT FOUND
Suspect That II Is Spot Where
Moonshine Was Made

Moonshine Was Made
Luverne, December I5.-Cattle
falling through a plank floor. lead
II. L. Linnell to the discovery OF
secret basement under the base
ment barn." on the Christensen
farm about a mile cas-. of Beaver
Greek, that is believed to have been
the treasure room of Adolph Win
ters, moonsEiner, who is now serving
out a sentence in the county Jail
Winters formerly occupied the
house on the Christensen farm, but
did not cultivate the land. Recently
Mr.. Linnell bought the corn crop on
the place, and in turning considerable
number of cattle into the field, also
gave them access TO the large barn
on the place. IT,.
The barn is located on a hillside,
which gives it basement appear
ance from the north side, although
the floor OF the livestock quarters
! is somewhat above the exterior TO-
west sides. There is a plank floor
in this part of the barn, which made
the secret basement possible, with :
out much expense or effort.
While looking over the ~eattle
Saturday, Mr.. Linnell sent his son,
Floyd, into the barn to drive out
some of them, and in doing so the
latter discovered a broken place in
the floor, and looking into it, dis
covered that there were several cat =
( tie down in basement. Floyd
called his father, and both were at
first inclined to think, that there
must be an outside entrance that
they knew nothing about. They went
outside in order to verify this the
| DRY.
Failing TO find an entrance they
retured TO the barn. and ascertained
that the cattle in the basement had
simply fallen through the hole left by
the broken planks. which was Just
large enough to let the cattle drop
/ through rear end first.
The basement is about midway
north and south in the barn, and in :
vestigation disclosed that it is about
eight feet square and seven feet deep
A small trap door had been cut
through the floor in order TO provide
access to it.
The floor at this point was covered
with six or seven inches of old. dry
manure, only part of which that had
apparently ever been disturbed be-
ing that Immediately over the trap
door, and this was crumbled and
broken as if it had frequently been
removed and then put back over
the door.
| Further examination of the pre-
misses disclosed that the dirt ,remov =
ed TO make the basement possible
had been carefully hauled away, SO
IS to leave no Indication of any ex.
cavating anywhere round the prem
Uses.
The only thing found in the Sc
cret basement. except the cattle, was
a barrel. II is presumed that the
basement was used as a storage
place for booze, for it is pretty well
known that Winters used a still
which was kept in the basement OF
the house. -..
1t is thought that the hidden base
ment was provided by Winters i'm
mediately after his release follow
| ing his first arrest on moonshining
charge. In its camoufiaged stage
there was very little likelihood OF
anyone discovering the place, had
not the cattle broken through the
| floor.
II required the assistance OF five
men to get the cattle out of the
basement and from their appearance
| ii is believed that they had been in
| the basement for about four days
before they We're discovered