The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-04-27
JURY IS OUT
IN AUSTER CASE
Question Of Guilt of De-
PENDANT Given to Jury
Just Before Noon.
HAD STILL AND MOON
Attorneys for Woman Charge
Persecution by Officials in
Final Argument to Jury.

A jury IS bordering over the guilt or
innocense Of Mrs. Anna Auster, charged
with violation Of the prohibition laws
in the municipal court, this afternoon.
The jury got the case just before noon
and long after 2 o'clock it had not as
yet reached verdict. The final argu-
ment of the case this morning brought
out the suggestion of the attorneys for
Mrs. Auster that she was the victim of
persecution, but the attorneys for the
state pointed vindictive finger at the
great copper still which occupied the
place of honor in the court room. 1t
was expected that the jury would ar
rive at verdict before the afternoon
was over.
In spite of the fact that an immense
copper still which looked like fish
pond submarine, occupied a place of
Importance in the circuit court Tues
day afternoon and this morning, placed
in point of advantage for the twenty
four eyes of the jurors to behold, Mrs.
Anna Auster, in whose possession the
still had been found, put strenuous
fight against conviction in municipal
court today. Five women were on the
jurors were brother and sister, Henry
and Angeline Tighe of Brighton.
Two Lawyers Battle for Her.
Supporting Mrs. Auster we're Attor-
neys R. V. Baker and John KuehnI,
while District Attorney Symmonds and
Assistant District Attorney Clarkson
prosecuted the case. The testimony
showed that the still had been seized
by the sponge squad at the Schlitz
hotel, then under Mrs. Auster's man
agement, on September 15, 1921, when
a suitcase was also found on the prem
Uses containing couple of gallons of
moonshine. The raid was made by
Assistant Chief Cyzak, Detectives Rock,
Breidt and McCluskey and Officer
Westbrook, all of whom were called as
witnesses for the state Tuesday after
noon.
The police traced the still to 718
Newell street and had information that
Mrs. Auster had moved the still to the
Schlitz hotel with her. Mrs. Auster's
contention was that while she lived at
the Newell street address boarder
whose name she had forgotten left
box with her and that when she moved
she took it with her to the Schlitz hotel
without knowing what was in it.
Story Mighty Thin.
"Mrs. .Auster's story" began Assist
ant Prosecutor Clarkson in a spirited
opening argument for the state, "is
that she had to move from the Newell
street premises SO suddenly mat she
took her renters property with her.
She doesn't know his name, where he
lives, or anything about him. She took
this box with the still in it to the
Schlitz hotel. A few days after she
had been there, she says, stranger
whose name also she does not know,
came in and presented her with a suit
case containing moonshine.
"This is a beautiful thing all around,
if you will notice. These are very pc
culiar strangers. One of them leaves
still with her and another a couple
of gallons of moonshine containing
about 100 or $50 drinks of moonshine
in whiskey glasses at 25 cents drink
all told about $3.50 worth Of property
But Mrs. Auster is no dullard; on the
contrary, pretty sharp business WON
an. She probably knew when she
moved into the Schlitz that she would
have boarders who would be fond of
moonshine The boarders there were
moonshine lovers. Are you going to
believe her story? If you don't, she
has no defense"
Attorney Kuehnl spoke of the copper
outfit as "this so-called still' and de-
clared that the value of such property
had decreased since the grand jury
commenced refining indictments.