Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1923-09-20
Officers Raid / Farm and Bring
materials Into Court as Evidence
in the Suit
EXPLAINS TO JURY HOW
THE LIQUID IS MADE
When a Man Runs Away With His
Wife's Sister, A Decree is Quick
ly Granted in Action


On April 28, 1928, several prohibi-
ton officers visited the home owned
by John Rutland, near Plain in the
town Of Franklin, and found two stills
two coils and two hundred gallons of
mash near a spring on remote part
of the farm. When they reached the
homestead they saw quantity of
compressed yeast in an automobile
but when they returned to the homo
after the search the automobile was
gone, also the east and the members
of the family who were at home. The
coils, stills, and other evidence were
brought into the court and for the
benefit of the jury, Victor Schaefer ex-
planned how moonshine was made by
boiling the mash and collecting the
alcohol after the vapor had been con
densed as it passed through the coil,
cooled by water.
After the officers had given thets
testimony, the defendant, John Rub
land, was called to the witness stand.
He stated that his farm consisted Of
about 1876 ares and that his son,
George, hal lad the farm leased for
the past three years. On the day Of
tie raid Rutland stated til 1t ne h: 4
gone III a truck to the hom9 of his ton
at Yuba in Richland county and did
not return until the following day.
The owner of the land claimed that
he did not operate the stills, that he
never saw the stills until they were
produced as evidence in court, that
he had not seen or sold any moon
shine on the farm that his wife
bought the yeast for the family, that
he had not been in the land in pues
ton for some time, that he did not
go there after the officers had car
ried away the stills, and that he abso
lutely knew nothing of the affair. Egi-
dence was produced that wood had
been cut on the land last winter and
spring but there was no evidence to
show that those cutting the fuel knew
of still. There was wood piled on
the land, along the way to the still
and a neat little pile by the fireplace
where the booze was made.
Rutland admitted on the stand
when cross examined that he was con-
victed about year ago of having
noonshine on his farm and when an
attempt was made to show that he
had been in justice court on charge
of violating the game laws, shooting
deer, it was not admitted. An at emp.
was also made to show that he had
gone into bankruptcy but this evil
dence was stricken out Rutland sad
he was aged about SO years and that
he no longer worked the farm, devot-
ing his time to doing the chores
about the barn.
Found Guilty
After the evidence had been sub,
mitted and after the attorneys had
made their pleas, Judge Crosby
charged the jury. The jury then took
the case and after weighing the mat
ter for about an hour decided he was
guilty. Three was some doubt on the
about finding him guilty because he
had testified that he did not know
about the still. For other reasons
however, it was decided that he was
guilty and SO rendered the verdict.
The witnesses: e. F.. Smith, Vic
tor schaefer. c. NJ. Du Bots, H. M
Lampert, W. H. Ode, John Rutland
verd Osbourn, Howard Pretsch, Phil
lip Bettinger and Joe Gelhause.
There were seven women, an unus