The New York herald., 1922-02-07
Dry Agents Say 1t Was Used
to Reclaim Alcohol That
Had Been Denatured.
$50 GALLONS ARE FOUND
Raiders Masquerade as Host
lers to Get Evidence Against
Stable Cellar Plant.

Three hundred and fifty gallons of
redistilled denatured alcohol We're
found yesterday in the cellar of a
stable at 33 Perry street by Izzy Elm
stein and his co-still hunter, Moe
Smith, who carried out raid in genu-
inc Kentucky mountain fashion, with
drawn revolvers. Hands up!" and
everything.
They uncovered the largest still ever
confiscated by prohibition agents in
the. city and had it taken to prohibi-
tion headquarters in the Albemarle
Building. where Izzy and Moe and
other officials were photographed with
the prize catch of the season. The
still, which is five and half feet high,
almost obliterated Izzy, who is small
and rotund, but active, in a moonshine
manner of speaking.
Prohibition officials gave to the two
men the credit Of having done a good
job" for the stuff concocted in the
cellar Is said to be of tho wood alco-
hol" variety that has caused numerous
deaths lately, and the agents were able
to capture it before many gallons had
been put on the market. AS it was
they found forty-five five gallon cans
filled and ready for delivery, in addi-
tion to many glass containers.
The finished product resembled de-
natured alcohol, and no attempt had
been made to color 1t or give it the
appearance of whisky. and until the
Government chemists have reported
their tests IL will not be know wn whether
il is of deadly character
Izzy and Moe watched the place for
two weeks, and three days ago swal-
lowed I'.ir. pride and engaged them
selves as hostlers 10 be better able to
trace the destination of the barrels that
entered the stable on trucks and gave
out suspicious odor OF alcohol They
found the barrels invariably were placed
on a freight elevator and sent to the
basement. They got search warrant
yesterday and descended upon the prem
ises
Although a case Of raisins and several
gallons of coloring matter were found.
these had not been used, and prohibition
agents believe the men attempted only
to manufacture so-called grain alcohol
others as a basis for Illicit wh;glSy.
The plant was worked only at night,
and agents stated that the pro6ts would
have been enormous, as the nisn could
have bought denatured alcohol al So a
gallon and sold their producL at from
$40 to SIS gallon. according to the
market.
The agents arrested the la Id ord, Leo
letter., 80, of 55 Morton strs and c.
De Marce. stableman and lad them
locked up in the Charles street station
Tor violation of the Volstead act.
A still exploded late yesterday after
noon in the basement of the five story
tenement at 235 East Twenty-sixth
street. near Second avenue, frightening
the tenants OF the house so greatly that
the members of twenty families ran into
the street. believing that a bomb had
exploded.
The explosion shattered several win
dows in the upper floors of the house. A
large crowd gathered, and the police sent
the reserves from the East Twenty-sec-
ond street station. Except for the dam
age to the windows. however, the explo-
sion did not injure anything.
Carl Gabbert the janitor. was ar
rested and in night court he was held
in $500 bail for examination.