Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-13
BREWER |SF|RST
RAIDER ON TRIAL
Dry Agent and Three Com
panions Face Court in Gun
ZACH Staying Case.

!
/ BALTIMORE. February l3.-Tl.c
trial of Joseph Randolph Brewer. join.
| T. Fisher. y. Dano NJ. Jackley ana
! Robert F. Cornett. lr.. Washington
| prohibition agents. indicted for first de-
! gree murder IN connection with the
! fatai shooting of Charles F. Gunlacli.
| 73-ysar-old ST. Mary's County farmer
! IN connection with raid on his farm
near Leonardtovn. September Is last,
i .as begun in United States District
/ Court here this morning.
| The State of Maryland is represented
| by Robert H. Archer. jr.. assistant at
| torney general. and Phillip H. Dorsey.
| States attorney of ST Mary's Count,
1t was elected 10 try Brewer first.
| Judge William II. Coleman. in select
! iEg the jury. questioned each closely as
! To his feelings in regard TO capital pun
/ lshnlent If he had formed an opinion
! of the case and If the question of pro-
hib:tion would enter into his finding 4
verdict Several of the jurors were OK
cuSed when they said they had form.d
an opinion winch was not very favor
able 10 the agents.
Brewer pleaded net guilt; and asked
Jury trial He IL being defendei b.
United Stat - Ai.oracv Amos w. w.
Wocdcocs and =. Eornsnd Forest. as
s:stant d.StrIc: iorney Mr. Arch.r.
IN outlining Ms tase IN the lury. said
ne expected 10 prove that Brewer was
guilty OF 7elio cate n irder III The kill
ing Of Gunlach. and used his position
as pro .'bition agent 10 cloak MS
crime.
Accused OF Selling Liquor.
| Archer accused Brewer OF being en-
gagged in the illicit sale OF liquor while
a prohibition agent. ana SAID he aX-
/ peeled 10 prove that ne also received
| brides from others engaged IN Illicit
| whisky business In ST. Mary's County
| Guniach. he SAL who had lived in
| Baltimore until seven wears ago, when
, he retired and bought l5-acre farm
/ mean Leonardtown. ana his 7l-ycar-old
| aife had been in the habit Of buying
matt extract and making nome brew
anlcn Was not In HlOiatiol Of the Vol
stead act The brew Re yoin IN Leon
! rolovn along siih chickens. eggs and
o;hey farm produce. il vas said. On
| July is last. Mr. Archer said. prohibit
| lion agents made a raid on GIn'aoh {
J farm while Gunlach was aoaer'. and
/ DESTROYED all the croci.s and bottles
which Mrs. Gunlach used In making the
nome brew Although Samplcs ii ne
! home b:e1 were taken 20 Washington
! for analysis. Guniach vas never ar
/ rested by The agents
Mr. Archer said that when Gunlach
returned and found the place wrecked
] he NATURAL. Was mad anG said II would
not have happened had he been there
Brewer. according To Archer Is a ma
tive u St Marys County and before the
coming Of prohibition agerfx vas nm
| oioted in the Bureau Of Engra wing and
| Printing a; Wilmington Since tho com
| 'np Of prohibition agents. MI Aichci
! aid Brewer had frequently called a,
Guniacns farm and drank some OF the
.20ne nre@ MIR Archer sale that Gun
aach mao thfeafsne 10 Kill any pro-
] Hlbtion agent that came on MS farm
WITHOUT warrant. On September Is last
be said Brewer and the three Other
agents drove up the road back o! his
farm. stopped their machine and started
10 the hill t0%arG the house GunIach
~ tr1s' time MAS islng down and xhef
Ms Slis told MIN some men were com
ln2 up the road toward the house. hf
! seni ~ lie bark door Tith his shotgun
srG SarnSc fhefn not 10 come any iiu.
liner Ar they continual - s1palf 4
nJr1'Ff ~ st"'S Affe FREQ. Mr. h'ctei