Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-12-23
Still Operator Shot
Trying To Escape

Wednesday afternoon about $3.50
o'clock, Steve Arthur, %, of Coal
Grove, near IrontOn, was shot and
killed, while attempting to escape
from officers, who had made a raid
on an old barn, ON the Steffy farm,
Homer township, where a large still
was being operated. A companion
who was assisting Arthur in oper-
ating the still, gave his name as
Laura White, of IrOnton.
For some time officials had sus~
pected that still was being operat-
ed in that locality, aAd more recent.
ly state men as weA as local Off
cials investigated and succeeded in
finding it, which was in an old barn.
on hill about mile from Bish~
opville, off the main road. The
house nearby. was not occupied.
Tuesday several state men went to
the place, along with local officials,
in all IL men spent most of the
night there, waiting. for the opera
tors of the still to cSpear. Early
Wednesday morning, all left but
two officers, who staid to keep
watch, and early in the morning,
four or five other officials went to
the place. Soon two men appeared.
While other officials stood guard,
during the day. Sheriff L. B. Adrean
dhd DCPoty dAh k1dI CdA WCAL ~
the barn, which was about $3.50 in af
ternoon. They heard the gasoline
fire roaring about the still. Sheriff
Adrean entered door at one end
Of the barn and at the same time
the deputy sheriff at the door in the
other end of the building Just as
they entered the sheriff said to the
men, you are both under arrest
don't run. At that instant both
men operating the still made jump
through the side of the barn, and as
guns, but not at the escaping men.
The one nearest the sheriff stopped
and begged the officer mot to shoot
but the other man didn't stop.
after breaking through the side OF
the barn, he started to run, and Dep
uty Adrean went to the opening the
escaping man made in the side OF
the barn, and seeing Arthur run
ming, he shot low at him, aim
ing at his legs, but the instant he
shot, it is stated, the man stopped
low, and the charge of the gun
struck him about the middle of his
back, about an inch to the left OF
the spine The officer shot from
distance of about 100 feet Cecil
Mummey of Bristol township took
Sheriff and Deputy Adrean to the
place, in his machine, lest those con
nected with the operation of the
still might spot the sheriff's car.
Mummey entered the barn with the
sheriff, and after Frank Adrean
shot the second time, he and Deputy
Adrean ran to Arthur, and picked
him up, but he died almost instant
ly.
In the old dilapidated barn were
two stills, both of 500 gallon ca.
pacity; about dozen barrels OF
mash; large amount of sugar; many
bottles and other containers-in
fact the outfit was SO large, that it
could not all be loaded on single
truck. 1t is stated that in the tanks
the men were starting to operate,
Wednesday morning, they would
have produced from $50 to 200 gal
Ions of whisky. The outfit was
brought here Wednesday night.
The body of Arthur was brought
here to Miller's undertaking par
lors. White, who was placed under
arrest, was taken to Glouster, and
from there to GAINESVILLE, where he
was turned over to federal authori-
ties.