The Mankato free press., 1923-11-02
GUILTY Y[RDICTS
AGAINST WEGG[S
Defendents To Receive
Sentences Friday
BOOZE CASE TRIAL
Federal Court Jurors Listening
To Tales Related BY Dry
r. Slsuths

After being out from 1880 yes
terday forenoon to about four o'clock
yesterday afternoon, the members
Of the federal jury in the case Of
Frank and Michael Wegge Of Le
Sueur county returned q verdict in
the United States court of guilty Of
possession OF intoxicants in viola
ton Of the volstead act, but not
guilty Of illegal sale Of whiskey.
Through the intercession Of their
attorney, Joseph ]. Mararity of Sha-
kopee. the defendants were permit
ted by Judge Booth to 60 to their
home near st. Thomas, and to re-
port for sentence Friday morning.
Attorney Morarity vOuched for the
return Of his clients on that date.
The case Of Hugo L. Houck of
Waterville, MINI, charged with the
possession and sale Of liquor took up
the entire afternoon and last even
ing, when the case went to the jury
about nine O'Clock.
r. Regan & Grogan Of this city, and
Arthur Scheid of Waterville ap-
peared as attorneys for the defen-
dant.
Assistant United States Attorney
William Anderson appeared for the
government.
Federal Agent Frank C. Otto Of
Minneapolis was the first witness
called for the government. He tes-
tiled that on February %, 1923 he
went to Wateryille and purchased
q round OF drinks Of whiskey ct tha
Casino Roo1 hall operated by the
defendant. He was introduced to
Mr.. Houck on that occasion he said,
by Arthur Beverley, another pool
hall man of that town. Otto stated
that he first purchased q cigar and
later asked If there was any change
OF getting a drink Of booze. The
witness alleged that he and Bev-
erley, whose nickname is mitch"
were escorted to small back room
in which there were no lights and
were sold drinks at 25 cents each.
Otto had to light match in order
to see the glass when 1t was handed
to him. $50
Martin Simon, another federal Of
ficer. testified that on March 8, 1923,
he and Agents N. II. Nelson and 8.
H. Hoyt went to Waterville and
scar SuCu thO pOOL VI 4AbtO A<s
Houck. After the reading OF the
search warrant the place was search
ed and a pint bottle partly filed
with colored moonshine was found.
This was hidden he said beneath a
paper bag full of corks. When he
found this bottle, Simons said that
he returned from the back room and
showed it to Houck, who professed
to know nothing about 1t. Then ST.
mons pored out a little of the liquid
into a small glass and gave 1t to
Houck to drink. The defendant pro-
nounced it moonshine whiskey, but
said that he did not know how 1t
came to be in his back room.
Simon said that the bottle was
sealed in the presence of the pro-
prietor of the pool hall, and that
Houck also signed the label on the
bottle.
Another Agent Testified.
Federal Agent N. H. Nelson in ad-
dition to making out the necessary
invoice of what he had taken from
the place, said that he found some
pint bottles hidden behind a dust
pan in the small back room these
were empty, however.
Agent Howard Hoyt verified the
statements of the other agents.
Carl J. West, government chemist,
testified that the pint bottle of col
ored moonshine in question, had
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