The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-25

OUTFIT FOR LIQUOR
MAKING IS SEIZED
G. w. Stavenau Was Taken
Into Custody; Jailed
MOON SHINES ON FARM
Officers Made Successful Raid
Late Yesterday Afternoon
In Country

Moonshine pouring in a glistening
stream from a coil of ten gallon
copper still on a cook stove in the
, kitchen Of a farm house rented by
G. w. Stavenau in Section 8, De-
coria township, from Mrs. Mary E.
Martin, wife of John d. Martin OF
this city. was the sight which greet
ed Sheriff Ario ALL. his deputies yes
terdsy afternoon. When they raided
that farm. William Cotterell, a
hired farm hand. was In charge and
acting as chief brewer. when the Of
| ficers arrived.
| After reading the search warrant.
which had been sworn to by Louis
Mitchell of this city, Sheriff Ario
and Deputy Sheriffs Bennett Will
iliams and Edward Kelley searched
the residence and premises, which
netted them a ten gallon still com
piete. seven gallons OF the finished
product and four and a half barrels
of mash fit for distillation.
Was Coneeaiins Gallon jug.
| When the officers first arrived q
lady in the house was seen to hurA
redly throw her cloak over some
thing on a sewing machine. Later it
was found that she concealed gal
, lon lug of moonshine under the gar
ment A fruit jar partly filed with
moonshine was also concealed In a
dish rag in a large pan in the same
room. One FIVE gallon jug II moon
| shine and a three gallon jug with
perhaps two gallons Of the liquor
| was seized.
Mr.. Stavenau did not try to make
any denial that he was making the
moonslfine for sale, but did state
that when anyone under the infiu-
| ence of liquor came to his place to
buy whiskey he refused to sell to
him.
Two and a half barrels Of mash
were found in the hay loft OF the
barn. and two others in a shed near
the house. All were working as II
the contents contained many kicks"
that would make a mule blush for
shame. This was dumped out on
the ground by Bill Cotterell, who
was careful not to spill all OF 1t in
one place. He said that the large
fiocks OF chickens might imbibe and
become unruly. Asked why he did
not feed IL to the hogs, Bill answer
ed. 1.-THE blamed stuff might set them
/ drunk, and | am sure that too much
would make them sick"
Invoice Property; Auto Approaches.
The still, coil and the moonshine
in jugs had been set in front Of the
residence, and Sheriff Ario was bus
fly engaged in making an invoice OF
the seized property, in order to give
the owner a list Of what he was
/ 4 thu nnico NJ NJ
preaching automobile was heard
| coming from deep ravine through
which the road approaches the
house. An instant later William
Purdy and Claud Harp Of this city
drove into the yard. When Purdy
saw the array of jugs and the still
setting outside. together with three
or four officers standing around his
\ eyes popped, and he reversed his
machine and tried to back OF the
place. He was told to stop where
he was. Then one of the officers told
Harp and Purdy that they were too
late, that the sheriff had taken ev-
erything on the place, not even leav-
| ing a eye opener. Purdy grin . ed
and said that he was only hired to
drive out to the place: Later he
admitted that Harp had hired him
1 10 uT1NS OuI duu maui IA oohhO hioN"
shine. Harp stoutly denied that and
said to a deputy sheriff: 81 am look :
ing for Jack Martin. / was told that
Ihe was out here and l thought
might be able to rent the place from
Thin, SO that l could get a place for
my wife to live, she has been living
with her folks In Sleepy Eye ever
lsince I was sent to the county Jail
for selling booze at Garden City
fair"
i claud Given Advice.
Don't get your wires crossed too
badly, Claud," said one of the Off
GERS. "You know the place is al
ready rented to Gust Stayenau."
Two gallon empty jugs smelling OF
lincolnshire we're found In a box on
Purdy's truck, he said that they did
not belong to him, so the supposi-
ton was that they belonged to Harp.
After receiving a sound lecture
from Sheriff Ario, Purdy and Harp
were permitted to leave for Mankato.
| Later G.. w. Stavenau and VII
liam Cotterell were taken in Gus
tody and brought to Mankato and
LODGED in the county fail last night
to await their hearing this forenoon
before Judge William Stradtmann in
the municipal court.
Gust Stavenau and William Cot
terrell. will be arraigned late this
AFTERNOON or tomorrow morning on
the charge OF manufacture Of moon
shine whiskey. The case will come
lup before Judge Stradtmann in the
municipal court.