The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-13
1900 GALLONS
OF ALCOHOLICS !.
TAKEN IN RAID
Four Men Charged With Ope-
rating Gigantic Plant Found
on Farm
PLANT PRICED AT $43,6OO
72,2O0 Pounds of Sugar, IL
Barrels of Molasses, Among
Supplies
PLANT PRICED AT $43,600
Somebody Is s43. .62O poorer today,

Somebody IS $43,6ZO poorer To-Day.
What is believed to be the most
elaborate illicit liquor still ever con-
fiscated in North Dakota and prob
ably the northwest was in the hands
of federal fficials today and four
men are in the Burleigh county jail
awaiting action.
Fifteen hundred gallons Of alcohol
were confiscated by the federal
agents, 900 gallons Of alcohol mash,
72,2OO pounds Of special distillery
sugar, 50 cartons Of gallon tins,
each carton containing Y contain
ers, one-half carton Of yeast, IL
barrels of molasses, and bushel OF
caps for the gallon tins.
The total value of. the still and
alcohol was estimated by the pro-
hibition agents at $43,c20. The still
itself is worth approximately SIS, 900
and the alcohol would market at
$28, ,62O, bootleg prices. Wholesale
value Of the alcohol is $3.50.
Samples of the confiscated alcohol
which were analyzed by = chemist
this morning tested 187 proof. This
is as fine alcohol az can be made,
the federal authorities said.
The four men under arrest are
Fred Peters, Freda; Charles Aug
berg and Walter johnson, Chicago;
and Albert Kaufman, transient, &C.
cording to information given by
them to authorities. They are said
to have been in charge Of operation
Of the still.
The still was installed in. = two
story barn, "a by SO feet, on farm
II miles north Of Mandan in Oliver
county, according to John Hagan,
prohibition administrator for North
Dakota, who conducted the raid a
Chevrolet truck, presumably used Tor
hauling material and the product,
was also confiscated.
Had Two Uaits
In the barn was still with two
units, each being four feet square
and standing eight feet high and
having a capacity Of 500 gallons.
Mash was conducted from 10
wooden watts eight feet in diameter
and six feet deep to the stills by an
automatic steam system. From the
still, the product was moved up q
column "a feet high and into recti-
fier. The whole system was oper-
ated by IN, little work being
done by the vnen. The still appara-
tus was located on the ground floor
Of the barn, the upper floors OF the
barn being used to store tanks and
provisions. The barn was equipped
with an elaborate sewage and run
ming water system.
A huge upright boiler was In
stalled for furnishing the steam
power. Coke instead Of coal was
burned to eliminate the smoke haz-
ard.
The men had apparently been liv.
ing at the farm house, small two
room building, Hagan said.
Men Take Flight
When the federal men descended
upon the place, the men had evl.
dently been on the lookout and hae
seen the men approaching, he said
AS the agents rushed into the farm
yard, the four men dashed out OF
side entrance Of the barn and at
tempted to make their getaway By
running into small coulee few
rods from the farm buildings.
Hagan said he ordered two OF tn
seven federal men to stay at th'
farm home and the other five cap
tured the men in the coulee.
The federal men who were work
ing under the direction Of Hagan .
the time Of the raid were Bert Lit
told, Valley City; Emil Nelson
Minot; Wellington Wright, Crane
Forks; Emil Hirsch, Fargo; William
Rustad, Minot; and NJ. M. Herman
Bismarck.
One man, whose cattle were founs
grazing on the farm, will be ques
toned here today, Hagan said. III
is Frank Wetbstein. Mandan. Tn
federal men have been unable to fin'
who the owner Of the farm is.
Papers found on Peters indicates
that he is farmer in Morton coun
ty, Hagan said. When arrested
Peters clothes contained . certifi
cate for storage Of wheat, bank de
posit slips, and . few letters.
The men were expected to be ar
raigned at Mandan this afternoon.