Evening star., 1926-10-27
AGENTS GET STILLS
IN MARYLAND RAID
More Than 100 Gallons of
/ Moonshine Whisky Are
Reported Destroyed.

More than 100 gallons Of moonshine
whisky and $3.50 gallons Of mash
We're destroyed yesterday afternoon,
with $500 pounds of sugar, 80 cases
nf jars. 1900 pounds of meal, and all
the equipment of three stills, when
seven deputies under Prohibition
Agent L. ]. Tut raided woods in St.
Marys County in southern Maryland.
Two colored prisoners. giving their
names as John Hope, 25. and John
frances Fowler, q, both of Clements,
Nd, were taken at the first still which
was found on the Bushwood farm
near Hurry, Md.
The Bushwood farm still was To-
Gated with difficulty. A tip had been
received regarding the approximate To-
cation of the still and the agents
halted their automobiles in a little
glen on the narrow road through the
woods near where they thought the
still would be found. 1t was not un-
Ill they had forced their way through
six miles of forest that they sud-
denly came to a halt. Some one was
chopping wood.
See Plant i'm Clearing.
Advancing stealthily. they saw the
sun In little clearing in the woods.
Two men were busy at the plant, while
Il third was getting fireWood. The
agents surrounded the camp, and
when the Woodchopper came in few
minutes later they arose from behind
the logs and bushes and demanded
that they surrender. The three col
ored men turned ard ran, with the
deputies in pursuit. Two We're brought
back, but the third escaped.
This still was small, having a capac-
aty of 120 gallons. A 50-gallon low
pressure steam boiler was at work,
but the still had been In operation
only a short time, and u gallons of
whisky was all that was found besides
$50 gallons of mash
The second plant was discovered
sooner than was expected. On the
way down the road two men in a field
several hundred yards away were seen
TO notice the cars approaching, and
when the cars turned on the road
leading in the direction of the sup
posed still they suddenly disappeared.
The cars later passed a farm
house. Two men were in the front
yard, and when the deputies happen
Cd to look their way they ran towards
the house.
This confirmed the scout idea in
the minds Of the prohibition men, and
they leaped out and over the fence in
pursuit of cries of Get him. Catch
that man."
Two of the men escaped in the near
by woods. and signal shots were fired
here and there. The agents then
noticed man pouring something that
looked like whisky from two Jars out
of second story window They
forced their way into the house, but
could find no evidence against the
man.
AS they came downstairs they no.
ticed woman running toward the
road. The men pursued and brought
her back. She was historically ner-
Vous, declaring that she didn't know
these people. had never been there
before, and wouldn't ever come again
Presently they let her so with in
structioIfs to put on her coat so as
not to catch cold. She dried her eyes
und hurried away.
Soon one Of the deputies came in
and announced that he had. discov-
cred the still. The whole force. ex-
cepting one who stayed with the ac-
cused then went to the plant. 1t was
in full blast. the operators having left
it in hurry. One of the men left a
leather coat behind to run the faster
Dynamite Destroys Plant.
Here they found a 300-gallon cop
per still along with 1000 gallons of
mash and 100 gallons of whisky. They
set to with their axes, and the little
stream running nearby was soon flow
ing with the contents OF the mash
boxes and the kettle. One of the
men then placed a stick of dynamite
in the kettle and in a few minutes the
plant was rendered totally useless.
The still and OccountermentS at
this place were said to be worth
nearly $500. and the liquor was
termed worth 1000.
The next place was only a short dis
tance from this farm and was
reached by a long road through the
woods. Here the woods had been
cleared so that any one approaching
might be seen before reaching the still.
thus allowing the operators Il chance
To escape.
The still was found with little diff
Guilty and it was apparent, from the
still smoking fire under the two 400
gallon copper kettles, that the men
had juSt recently left. Also, IS huge
mash boxes were turned up on their
sides and everything else was cleaned
Up preparatory to moving out for the
Winter. The move was evidently to
he made quickly As the last bit Of
mash had been used and the liquor
all carried away. a coop full Of chick
ems was discovered under the shed,
and these the agents appropriated.
The plant was destroyed.