The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-05-30
RED BROADWATER CAUGHT
MAKING SHINE DELIVERY
Agents Arrest Him With Pack
age Of Loaded Jugs-Nicho-
las Pop PrandO Found at Still
BOTH HELD FOR COURT

Gladstone "Red" Broadwater, who
resides on the Baltimore Pike, east of
Cumberland, was going over his route
last Thursday morning making de-
| liveries of alleged moonshine to local
speakeasies in Cumberland and its en-
virons. Even the milk wagons in that
| bustling Western Maryland metropo-
lis were not as prompt. Federal reve-
nue. agents under Investigator William
R. Harvey marveled at the neatness
and dispatch in which customers were
being served, as it was just six o'clock
in the morning, foggy and raw.
At 1875 South Liberty street, Cum
berland, tenanted by Melvin L. Critz-
man, Broadwater stopped his paneled
pickup" delivery truck, with quality
service" neatly painted on the rear
door, and went inside the Critzman
house. Broadwater had three one-gal-
lon jugs of colored moonshine in a
carton, when he was seized by the rev.
enue agents. They had watched him
come out few minutes before, the
agents testified later, with three
empty jugs.
Critzman invited the Federal agents
inside his home and denied that he
ever conducted "speak," but the Of
fer was refused. He thanked Agent
Harvey for the consideration shown
him when they departed.
Broadwater was given a hearing
before United States Commissioner
VIM. A. Vandergrift the same morn
ing, pladed guilty to transporting
liquor and was committed to Jail in de-
fault of $1,000 bond.
Broadwater is a former Garrett
county resident. A year ago he was
chased, Federal Agent Harvey said,
after he had made delivery of a gallon
of liquor to Sanker's laundry in Cum
berland. The jug of liquor was found
but Broadwater's truck was not dis
covered until week later parked in
garage on a farm near Finzel in
this county. He wiggled out of that
charge, officers declared.
Nick Smoked Beside The Still
During an excursion recently in a
rural retreat near Kitzmiller, Federal
agents arrested Nicholas Prando on
his farm, charged with operating a 20
gallon still in cave. He was given
hearing before Magistrate Geo. Poole
and held for the Garrett county court.
The revenue agents went to the farm,
disguised as mushroom hunters. Mrs.
Prando, when questioned, admitted
they had little liquor somewhere"
and first got the syphon hose to draw
off a gallon for her thirsty visitors,
but changed her mind. She then wanted
the hired man to get the liquor. Then
Mrs. Prando and the hired man doubt
ed that the agents were really honest
to-goodness mushroom hunters. AS
result no liquor could be obtained.
Agent Harvey then went on a ramble
about the premises with his odorphone,
device that smells out mash and dis
tillation vapors and registers them
with an electric "aye". Following a
we'll worn path down into the woods,
the odorphone signalled still was 40
degrees S. w. and ahead. There in a
sequestered cave sat "Pop" Prando,
II, reading "True Confession" story
and watching his "can" percolate, sizz
and bubble. "By Jeminee," said Pop,
cts Bill Harvey in person!"
Pop admitted that there was great
thirst in the land of Garrett and that
he had sale for all his private spiritu
out stock. Mrs. Prando and the hired
man were still debating whether to sell
the liquor to the mushroom hunters
as the "can" was photographed side
and front, thumb printed, blueprint
ed for evidence, as we'll as the barrels
of mash and the cave.
Arrested Near Bloomington
Accused of manufacturing illicit
liquor, Charles Wigley was arrested
Friday near Bloomington and was
taken to the Jail at Cumberland pend
ing a hearing.
Wigley was apprehended by Federal
Investigator William r. Harvey and
other officers from the Western Mary
land unit of the U. S. Alcoholic Bev-
erage Tax Bureau. They said he had a
50-gallon still in operation and that 80
gallons of moonshine and four barrels
of mash were also seized.
The plant was in a wooded ravine
along Combs Run, and the operator
was unable to hear the approach of
the raiders because of the noise made
by the roaring mountain stream. Wig
ley's dog barked, warning the man, and
he attempted to flee, but was appre-
hended. Agents said Wigley was fined
about four years ago for violation of
the National Prohibition Act.