Evening star., 1924-08-26
DRY AGENTS BURN
:. 6OEGALL0N STILL
~o' WV ~
Corn Liquor Plant Seized in
= Maryland Woods With
! 10000 Gallons of Mash.

It was pitch dark in the depths OF
rain -drenched Maryland woods at
o'clock this morning. Stealthy fig
ures moved quickly to and fro, guided
by the flashes of electric torches
through the gaunt skeleton of an il
licit steel and wooden monster, hid
den from the eyes of the Government
Suddenly one of the figures seized
a big can and hurled upon the frame
work gallon after gallon of its con-
tents. A match was touched A flare,
a burst of brilliance and the flames
mounted skyWard cracking and hiss
ing over the wet woodwork, as the
gasoline sputtered and roared, setting
fire to even the wetteSt rain-soake I'd
stuff
The flying squadron out of Wash
fngton headquarters of the general
prohibition agents had destroyed
another still and cut another big hole
in Washington's supply of corn
liquor.
1t is the new campaign to dry ur
the National Capital. made more ef-
fective since police We're sworn in
by prohibition agents, and left the
mobile force of agents freer to spend
all their energies on destruction OF
the source of supply.
Gasoline at Hand.
This is the third still capture
within the first week since the poHce
were sworn in. and one of the first
that has been burned in many
months. Others were chopped to
pieces, and partly burned. But the
presence of 40 gallons of gasoline
found in the still last night lent the
proper fuel for flames even in the
soaking wet woods. and turned the
woodwork into smoke and ashes. the
steel and ironwork into warped
and rusted wreck.
1t was a tough night for the opera
tors of the still. When the agents
drew up to the site. located by scouts
two or three days before, II was snort
iy before o'clock. and raining hard
Rushing the house. where they be-
lieved the operators to be hiding, the
agents heard some one leave in great
hurry.
Then followed a chase through the
wet woods. With the operators ahead
dressed in what the agents believed
was as little as they could put on in
the surprise visit, the agents followed
on hot, if slushing, trail. The pursued,
however. knew every twist of the
woods. probably had figured out way
OF escape in advance, and it wasn't long
before the revenue agents found the
track had led them to the edge of a
deep swamp. No use to so farther.
Back at the house the agents found
Army cots and blankets, and the filthy
old clothes which the men had used al
the still. Down at the plant was the
kitchen, fully equipped TO feed sew.
eral.
1t was a 6o0-gallon still, with d
triple condenser including a 3o0-gal-
Ion "doubler." for making better
liquor There were nineteen 500 gallon
boxes for mash. containing 10, o00
gallons of mash. fernlcnting for the
still; 500 pounds of corn meal, 200
pounds of sugar, 40 empty jars, and
a quantity of liquor. which was
seized as evidence. The plant was
. run by a steam boiler of about 20
horsepower. while steam pumps were
used not only to pump water from a
creek. but also to transfer the mash
from boxes to the kettle.
And they are after more stills
In the raiding party were Agents
Thomas f. Wheeler. George T. King
l.. f. McGilton. l. J. Tutt and o. f
Fisher.