Evening star., 1938-01-05
BIG STILL SE|ZED;.
RING 'H|GHER-UPS"
HUNTED BY POLICE.
Man Taken After Raid on
House Overlooking Rock
Creek Park.
DISTILLERY SUPPLIED
MOST OF "ALLEY SALES"
Nearly 300.Gallon Daily Output
for Five Months Reported
by officials.
picture on Page A-5.)

Inc nlgner-upS IN an llllClI
liquor ring that allegedly moved op-
erations here from Baltimore last
summer were hunted today by Federal
agents and local police who last night
confscated the gangs distilling plant,
which they said had been turning out
nearly 300 gallons of illegal 90-proof
whisky day for the last five months.
Nazzeraino Magnaterra, 35, formerly
Of Baltimore, was captured last night
as he fled allegedly from the distillery
concealed on the third floor of a fash
ionable house overlooking Rock Creek
Park, at 1871 Madison street NV.
Magnaterra was ordered held under
$4,000 bond on charges of operating a
still. possessing and transporting
whisky in violation of the liquor tax act
when arraigned today before United
States Commissioner Needham C..
Turnage. He pleaded not guilty, say
ing Il don't know anything about it.
Preliminary hearing on the charges
was set for January 49,
Officers said the still confiscated in
the raid was one of the largest found
in Washington since repeal of prohi-
bition. 1t had been supplying the
major share of bootleg liquor dis
tributed in "alley sales" to colored
customers in the Southeast and North
east sections of Washington since last
summer, according to Frank j.
Sweeney of the Treasury Department
Alcohol Tax Unit
Had Information on Still.
Mr.. Sweeney said officers had in
formation since August that the for
mer Baltimore gang was operating
a still somewhere around Washington,
but only recently had definitely To-
Gated it in the Madison street house.
The Federal agents and local police
vice squad detac chment, led by De-
tective Sergt. George c. Deyoe, closed
in on the house last night after
Magnaterra allegedly had escaped
earlier in the day from an automobile
in Hkich a l6-year-old New York
youth was arrested The automobile
was loaded with eight 5-gallon cans
Of the Illicit whisky, Mr.. Sweeney
said
AS the officers watched the house
two women and two children left
unmolested, and shortly afterWard,
Mr.. Sweeney said, Magnaterra ran
out the rear, jumped over a fence
and fled into the woods of Rock
Creek Park. He was captured as
he ran back to Sixteenth street.
A 650-gallon capacity still was
found in full operation on the third
floor Of the fashionable house. Mr..
Sweeney said. Another 300-gallon still
had been discarded. These were con-
fiscated, along with 405 gallons of
whisky, 1850 gallons of mash, 1000
pounds of sugar and yeast cakes. 60
gallons of molasses, go empty 5-gallon
cans and an automobile.
Mr.. Sweeney said the entire third
floor and basement of the house had
been turned over to the illicit liquor
business. Canning facilities were on
the third floor, with the stills, he said.
The finished product was stored in
the basement, through which the cans
OF liquor and supplies were carried in
and out to an adjacent built-in
garage.
First Floor Sparse1y Furnished.
The first floor was sparsely furnished
and there were just enough beds and
bedding on the second floor ito get by
with in putting up an appearance of
. private home, Mr. Sweeney added.
For 'front.'" he said, two men, two
women and children lived on the first
and second floors. Their apparent
quiet family life had given no cause
for suspicion by neighbors of any
illegal activities. Supplies had been
brought in and liquor transported out
between midnight and dawn to allay
suspicion further, he added.
The officers said they expected to
make other arrests in connection with
the ring, and hoped evidence found in
the raided house would lead to the
"higher-ups." They said this gang
apparently had no connection with
the operators of large still confscated
In Bethesda several months ago.
The distilling operations apparently
were moved here from Baltimore last
summer, Mr.. Sweeney said, because
"they found better market among
the colored people here" He said
the gang previously had manufactured
bootleg whisky in Baltimore and
shipped much Of its product here for
wholesale distribution.
Since moving the still here, he said,
the whisky had been sold at retail in
S-gallon lots, principally in alleys of
the northeast and southeast sections
It sold for $3.50 or So a 5-gallon can,
he said.
Their product was of pretty good
quality for bootleg whisky" Mr.
Sweeney added. 1T was 80 proof,
made from sugar, molasses. yeast,
water and urea, new synthetic COM
position that cuts the time of fer
mentation of the mash in half"
The 16-year-old youth arrested yes
terday was ordered held for grand
jury action under $500 bond when ar
, raigned before Commissioner Turnage
ON charges Of violating the Liquor
Tax Act.