Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-27
PLAYING ''HUNCH,"
|. LITTLE UNCOVERS
/. 5000 GALLON STILL
Police Liquor Squad and Fed
eraI Agents Capture Plant
Near Laurel, Md.
ALL NIGHT VIGIL FAILS
TO BRING ANY ARRESTS
76 Cases and Five 800 Gallon Casks
of Whisky Were Ready for
Shipment.

Playing q ".hunch" that turned out
to be "sure thing" Sergt. George M.
Little and two members of the police
liquor squad broke in on clearing
about two miles east of Laurel, Md, last
night and camped through the night on
the fringe of one of the largest stills
ever found in this section.
Scarcely 100 feet from a road that
winds away from Laurel in the direction
of Bowie the police officers and three
Federal prohibition agents assumed
charge of a 3,000-gallon still-the
largest made-and equipment as elab-
crate as has been conceived by boot
leggers.
There were no arrests, although the
officers held the still site their target
in the gathering dusk and then kept
tivitieS. An. inspection of their find"
and an inventory of equipment and
supplies disclosed a quantity OF ma
terials that surprised the hardest Of
the raiders.
The site had been cut out of woods a
stones throw from a road that Is as
smooth and well kept as q State high
way, and the agents said that in con-
trast to SO per cent of the stills they
capture the place was as clean as
well kept storeroom. The 3,000-gallon
still was of cypress, and along with it
was 1,000-gallon still and 300-gallon
doubler, all of which were powered by
a go horsepower boiler.
Whisky Ready for Shipment.
Three steam pumps were used to
force water from a stream $50 yards
removed from the still, and arranged
in checker-board fashion under the
trees were 70 wooden watts, each con-
take care of the anticipated output
operators of the still had in readiness
$50 cases Of empty fruit jars, fifteen
5-saIlon kegs and twenty 15-gallon
kegs. Seventy-six cases of whisky and
FIVE 300-gallon casks of the contra
band were ready for delivery.
Sergt. Little and his associates went
into the still at 6 o'clock last night and
at 8 o'clock this morning began the
work of destroying everything on the
place. Scores OF pieces OF dynamite
we're brought into the still and as
rapidly as the operation could be COM
pleted the elaborate still structure, the
mash and the whisky were reduced to
splintered wood and a reeking shower
bath for trees within a radius of SO
feet.
-Four tons of coke, three 1,00O-gallon
coil boxes, 625 feet of rubber hose, 225
feet of 3-inch copper coil and ITS feet
Of 4-inch galvanized pipe were among
the equipment.
Regarded rs "Good Break"
Sergt. Little and the other policemen
and Federal agents remained at the
site this morning to complete the
demolition. The capture was regard
ed by the agents as result of good
break" 1t being the understanding that
Sergt. Little acted on fragmentaTy in
formation that came to him over the
devious routes Travelled by news about
bootleggers.
The Federal agents who accompanied
the District police officers captured
four stills in Southern Maryland on
their own account last week. In the Vi
cinity of Newport, where a 300-gallon
still and 1000 gallons of mash were
destroyed, the agents arrested James
Jackson, colored.
A gallon still and four mash boxes
were taken on a farm near Mechanics
vile; q 5O0-gallon still and 5000 gall
Ions of mash at Brandywine, and near
Draydon, Md, the agents uncovered
new 500-gallon still and equipment In a
ravine q few feet removed from
clearing, in which it was to have been
Installed. In all Of the stuff the agents
installed q few sticks of choice dyna-
mite.