Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1924-09-18
YELLOW FORD
IN LINELIGHT
Driver of Sport Model FIivver Proves
to be Dry Law Sieuth as Gigantic
Whiskey Raid is Made.

Three weeks ago, twenty one
year old sport, apparently of the
dead game" variety registered at
the Crltcher Hotel. He was driving a
'catty' ford roadster, painted a shin
ing yellow and equipped with all the
ultra modern conveniences and ap-
pllances which the Ford people in
their haste forgot to use.
The car bore an AshevilIe license
and other from this nothing was
generally known of the stranger, ex-
cept that he proved himself to be
the best partner the younger boys
of the place had ever had. Jov
rides, day and night for the pleasure
OF the local youths were taken in
the yellow flivver, and it soon de-
veloped that the stranger Mr.. Frank
Ingram of Asheville, had an insatia-
bic thirst for hooch. He was furnish
ing the gasoline, the car, the money
ana the good time in general, so
why shouldn't the boys help him in
his quest of the ardent? They knew
not. For days and days a few of
them enjoyed his reckless generosity
occasionally being allowed a drink
from one of the containers thev had
either sold to him or purchased for
him, and they likely wished that the
yellow Ford man" might remain in
the city forever.
But 10, he who dances must inva-
riably pay the fiddler Last Wednes-
day night the stranger went into the
"state of Wilkes" in company with
some of his informants and having
purchased "a gallons of "the corn"
proceeded to arrest four of the block
aders and brought them back to
Boone in company with the local Fed
eral officer Mr.. Ralph Bingham and
Deputy Sheriff Hayes. This was the
beginning of his outward operations
which necessarily had to be wound
up in short order before the news of
his identity was broadcast Up to
this time eleven arrests have been
made in Watauga for retailing, four
olockaders in Wilkes and one still
destroyed. 1t is interesting to note
that some of these bootleggers were
plying their trade in Boone.
The round up of the liquor men
was under the direction of the town
authorities, the plan having been san
ctloned by District Attorney F. A.
Linney and Solicitor Jonson J. Hayes
and the whole scheme was in con-
junction with the town, state and fed
eral officers, to one of whom Ingram
made a report at the midnight hour
each night. The Ku Klux Klan was
really the instigator of the plan and
it was they who furnished the secret
service agent.
1t developed that some of the hea-
West liquor drinkers in the town
were boys in the early teens who were
wise to the haunts of the moonshin-
ers, and who had been used by the
bootleggers on occasions to accom-
pany them on expeditions to keep off
the suspicious of the Federal officer.
Mr.. Ingram says he purchased a
quart of booze in the heart of town
the day he arrived here even before
he had gone to his hotel. All of his
purchases were kept in his riom la
beled with the name of the seller
and the date and hour of the sale
until the time for action had come,
1t is not known how many more ar
rests will be made before the cam
paign is over.
The town authorities, Federal of
ficer, state men, and all the best
citizens of the town are exultant O.
yer the work done by young Ingram
and all praise is due the law abid-
ing citizens, the Ku Klux Klan and
others who had part in this effort
to make Boone and the country at
large know what bone dry really
means. Liquor must go in Boone. in
fact it seems to be gone, and every
one interested in prohibition, which
includes practically all, is behind the
officers in this worthy work.