THE ROARING TWENTIES
BOOTLEGGERS
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Jan. 1, 1922
THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN DAVENPORT WAS ONE OF THE WETTEST SPOTS ON THE MAP
Say, Bob- Remember?
When the Davenport brewers went on strike because the bosses
wanted to limit 'em to 40 glasses of beer a day-during workin' hours? Crool-wasn't
it? Gott in hummel!
Nor you don't remember the time of President Garfield's
funeral-when the saloonkeepers scouted all over this City Beautiful for keys to
lock their doors for two hours during the services? Them joints never been
locked after the day they were first opened.
Course you don't remember- you was tudam young.
I don't s'pose you remember Looie Schauder's goulash
either-on the mornin' after?
Say-you missed considerable.
More darn fun!
Why in them days every soak was good for an eyeopener on
Christmas and New Year's mornin', regardless of creed, color or nationality.
"Say when!" was some slogan.
Free Feed for Frahmsizers.
But listen, Bob-let's turn to the good old days of the
frahmsize and the scoop, the tom and jerry and the free lunch. On Christmas and
New Year's any gink could get a snootful and a bellyful for two bits-easy.
Charlie Gallagher always served T. & J. to his friends on
them days. So did Sam Stuckey, John Hill, Gus Becker, Martin Greeley, Henry
Schroeder and Oldman Haase.
You could get a free lunch-turkey, goose, roast pig, oysters,
and the swellest kind of eats-from Fred Roeschmann, Doc Welch, Otto Lahrmann,
Ted Oelkers, Al Hartung, Bill Gray, Smokey Reese, Leo Schumaker, Lew Martens,
Jack Frost, "Happy Days" and a lot of other heavy hitters in the old
booze league.
Drinkin' was more or less a fine art in them days. Now it's a
wildman's game with the wild wimmen-puttin' on a party with the fliv and the
jazz. And a lott guys is hittin' up hooch now that never thought of guzzlin'
before, just because they think it's hard to get-and they want to show up this
here Volstead guy.
Humanizing Hapless Hasbeens.
Why, away back in the real old day of Johnny McGuiness, Doc
Mitchell, Joe Parrish, Sam Tanner, Philip Schlap, Billy May, Johnnie Smith, Pat
Tuohy, Joe Cope, Fritz Quickenstedt, Honts Moore and Ed Hood, any lame bird was
treated like a human, and he could toast his shins up agin the old stove and
keep stickin' around till some lonesome party, lookin' for somebody to listen to
his troubles, would blow in and ast him would he have somethin' to take.
Talk about bein' socialble! It was always fair weather at the
"Bucket of Blood," the "Double Elbow" and the "Blue
Goose."
They wasn't none of them sneaky stickup guys moochin' around
in the dark, lookin' to sap a live one for the price of a hooch. None of this
miserable gizzard-grindin' moonshine was bein' dished out in the homes, neither.
The women folks was playin' the washboards and tendin' to their knittin' and not
learnin' to be distillers.
Say, Bob- if every dame in this burg that's operatin' a
home-hooch factory was sent up, they'd have to put sideboards on the big house
out at Anamosa.
Featuring Family Facilities.
In the old days you could get a quart of real likker or a
bottle of wine for one berry at Roddewig's, Thode's, Haase's or any of them
wholesale joints. There wasn't no hipoil in them times, nor no doctor's pint
prescriptions at three bucks a throw.
Then they had the family places, with grocery store in front
and bar in the rear, so's the wimmen folks and farmers could come in and get
their needin's. They was Pat McBride's, Fred Aschermann's, Bobby Garvey's,
Bartemeier's, Shaughnessy's, Balluff's, Pillion's, Naven's, and Dooley's, and
when a guy would settle his bill he always had a sniffler comin', with a bag of
stick candy for the young ones. Now it's cash and carry.
Then they was McElroy's "Keystone" over on
Twenty-seventh street in Rock Island, where the hard-boiled turks from Corkhill,
Goosetown, Rogertown, Flatiron Square and the Patch would wander on Sundays for
the "big ponies" and the "crusaders" - all for 5 cents a
crack.
That was the original cash and carry, Bob. And, believe me,
many a swell package was carried back over the bridge along about sundown.
Bucktown's Barleycorn Braves.
Brick Munro, Perl Galvin, Clay Woodward, Nick Newcomb, Jack
McPartland, Jocky Manwaring, Heiney Mennen, William Pamperin, and Lee Beauchaine,
assisted by Parson Ned Lee, looked after feedin' the Bucktown Braves on
Christmas and New Year's and they always got the second helpin' with out no
crabbin'.
John Russell, Lew Hannemann, Fred Abel, John Schnaack, Nick
Boy, Cal Witherspoon, Pat Marinan, Mike Goettsch, Henry Struve, Miles Brubaker,
Ernest Wenzel, Pat Stapleton, Sig Goldstein, Fred Ruehl, Al Moetzel, Dinny
Dawney, Pete Jacobsen, Orey Janssen, Joe Traeger, George Rohde, Andy Glenn, Fred
Muttera, Henry Yager, Fred Vogt, Din Harrigan, "Rosie" Rosencranz, and
all the old-timers, dished out the best in the house to all comers on Christmas
and New Year's and mebbe they'd slip you a pint to take home to the woman.
Why, when the big brewery guys, Henry Frahm, George Mengel,
Oscar Koehler, Charlie and Ernst Zoller and Bore Koester, made the rounds, they
could set 'em up to the house for a five-case note.
Snowbirds Springing Stickups.
And now what do you get for a five caser? You meet some
slimey bootlegger in a dark doorway and slip him a five-spot for a pint of white
mule that would make a rabbit spit at a lion. Then you take a shot in the arm
and get goggle-eyed and fightin' mad. And then you have the willies and come
near croakin' and you thank God for prohibition.
Take these hopheads that are up against the snow, for
instance. Why, them birds, bein' mostly nuts, is so nervous they can't read, nor
work, nor do nothin' to ease them bugs that is bitin' their noodles. That's
where the strongarm stuff comes in, and the flydicks knows it. When these
nobody-home guys gets all 'luminated with the snow, and hittin' on all six
cylinders, they get feelin' generous and want to declare in on the other guy's
stuff, just like reg'lar socialists. So they shove a cannon under the nose of
the first poor blob they meet, or else stick up a one-man-car motorman on some
lonesome street.
Whenever you get hep that a doctor's joint has been prowled
for the hop, Bob, nail down your windows and get ready to stick up your hands on
first call.
Mellifluous Melody Mollifies.
Good old brew never acted that way.
Course, it had some pep and action to it. It would make a guy
feel like singin' "Sweet Rosey O'Grady" and "She May Have Seen
Better Days," and help him to pull a few of them barbershop chords and so
some close-harmony stuff, with his hoofs restin' on the old brass footrail. But
no guy ever wanted to climb a telegraph pole nor murder his poor old grandmother
after takin' on a cargo. No sir'. After you got thru singin' you was all
peaceable and ready to hit the hay.
And you didn't need no smilin' coacher to clap his hands and
say, "Come on fellers-get action on 'Smile-Smile-Smile' and when you come
to them words 'Smile' don't speak 'em, but just smile."
Honest, Bob, I hat to think of what one of them birds would
have comin' to him with the old gang lined up and primed.
But you couldn't help singin' when you had real brew under
your belt, and you 'magined you was just naturally "there."
Why, in them days, a guy had to go to a masquerade or play
Second street on a windy day to get an eyeful. Now look at em!
Downhearted Derelicts Delighted.
In them days, too, when a guy got canned at the Arsenal or
had his head chopped off at the City Hall for doin' too much work, he could open
a saloon and invite his friends and relations to drop in and shake the dice and
blow their jack in his joint, just to help him get rich.
He had a 50-50 setup for the big comeback if he'd lay off the
booze.
Now what happens?
Why, when a guy loses out on his job, the only stuff he
thinks he can pull is to peddle insurance and real estate, or work the old
oil-stock graft, and he makes life miserable for all his friends and relations,
and his wife's friends and relations, in tryin' to blackjack 'em into fallin'
for the bunk he is tryin' to put over.
There's two old-time days in the year that I'd like to see
come back just once-them's Christmas and New Year's-with the good old
tom-and-jerry, the eggnogg, the hotscotch, the rum punch, and all them other
swell drinks and the big free lunch.
Retrospective Regrets Recounted.
But I guess it ain't agoin' to happen, Bob, because them good
guys that don't hit the dipper nowhow don't want to let nobody else take a crack
at it.
Looks like we'd been gyp'd. They took our little red wagon
away from us and they didn't even say "gimme." Just grabbed it and
then told us to be good. Some fine old army worker done a purty bit of
highjackin' and flimmed us when we was snoozin' in the hammick.
And see what they slipped us in exchange-jazz and hooch! Some
trade, Bob, some bunk trade. The hooch hound and the jazz lane! No more wimmen
and wine!
But they ain't no use puttin' up a squawk at this stage of
the game. Them other guys was there with a cold deck, and they crossed us by
dealin' from the bottom.
Well, anyhow-I gotta little plant of Old Crow on my hip for
New Year's.
So-here's how!
--OLD TIMER.
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Jan. 4, 1922
EVERYBODY'S DOIN' IT NOW; WOMAN LATEST
Mrs. M. Cooper Charged with Bootlegging; Carl Hagen Bound Over.
Aha! Cherchez la femme!
Who's your lady bootlegger?
Women venders of delectable moonshine have evidently made
their first appearance in Davenport but - O pshaw- they seem to cater to women
only! Mrs. Mamie Cooper, 1600 block Rockingham road, got into a peck of trouble
when Mrs. Maude Bateman, who lives at the foot of Division street, filed
information charging her with selling a half pint of whisky in violation of
federal laws. Mrs. Cooper was given her hearing in U.S. commissioner's court
this morning, and was bound over to the grand jury under $200 bond.
"She sold me moonshine the latter part of
November," Mrs. Bateman alleges. Evidence seems to point to the fact that
Mrs. Cooper confined her liquor selling activities, if she engaged in any, to
women exclusively.
Carl Hagen, accused of selling intoxicating liquor, was also
bound over to the grand jury under bond of $400 this morning. It is claimed that
Mrs. Cooper kept house for Hagen.
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Jan. 5, 1922
MAN AND WIFE APPEAR ON A BOOZE CHARGE
Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Pohlman Accused of Possessing and Selling Liquor
Arrested in connection with one of the
biggest booze confiscations of last year, in which 1,15 pint bottles of beer and
five gallons of hooch were seized by federal authorities, Mr. and Mrs. J.H.
Pohlman, 1003 Perry street, will appear in U.S. Commissioner's court Jan. 10 and
11 respectively and selling intoxicating liquor. The couple was arraigned in
court late yesterday afternoon. Mr. Pohlman was put under temporary bond of
$1,000; his wife's bond was $500. C.J. Murphy is representing the plaintiffs.
The raid in which an unprecedented amount of liquor was
confiscated occurred on the night of Dec. 29. Acting on information supplied by
neighbors of the Pohlmans, deputy federal marshal Terrence Kinney entered the
home with a search warrant, and, with the aid of the police, seized the liquor.
Neighbors say that the Pohlmans have been bootlegging for some time.
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Jan. 11, 1922
LATHROP AND GLANDON ARE BOUND OVER
Men Arrested in Booze Raid Are Put Under Bond
George Lathrop and Ike Glandon, 328 1/2 West Front street,
charged with violation of the federal liquor law, were given hearings in U.S.
commissioner's court late yesterday afternoon. Both men were bound over to the
grand jury, Lathrop's bond being fixed at $500 and Glandon's at $200.
In a raid on the Front street premises yesterday, authorities
seized a 25-gallon still, a suitcase full of counterfeit labels and seals, and
more than a gallon of pure moonshine whisky. Glandon and Lathrop were given a
preliminary questioning at the police station before they appeared in
commissioner's court. Police believe that the outfit seized was part of the
apparatus of a national whisky ring which has been operating extensively in the
Tri-cities.
Lathrop is the lessee of the building at 328 1/2 West Front
street. In his testimony yesterday, Lathrop denied any knowledge of the still,
and said that he was ignorant of the fact that any whisky was being manufactured
or sold in his place. He said he rented a room in the building to Glandon, but
that he knew nothing of Glandon's activities.
According to testimony, the suitcase full of bogus whisky
labels was in the building when the present occupants moved in. The still was
found in Glandon's room.
Mrs. George Lathrop corroborated the statements of her
husband in court. She said that her children found the labels and had been
playing with them for a long time. She denied that her husband had anything to
do with the manufacture or sale of liquor.
If the case is tried in federal court information concerning
the national whisky ring is expected to be brought out.
WITNESSES IN WORD BATTLE IN U.S. COURT
Mrs. J.H. Pohlman Bound Over on Liquor Charge; Bond is $1,000
A word battle between witnesses was the feature of the
hearing of Mrs. J.H. Pohlman, 1902 Perry street, in commissioner's court this
morning. Mrs. Pohlman, who, in company with her husband, was arrested in a raid
on their home in which a large quantity of liquor was seized, is charged with
possession and sale of illicit liquor. She was bound over to the grand jury
under $1,000 bond this morning.
Mrs. Elmer Coss, a neighbor of the Pohlmans, and her
daughter, Alberta, appeared as witnesses. Mrs. Coss said that she requested Mrs.
Pohlman not to sell liquor to her husband, Elmer Coss, and that Mrs. Pohlman
promised not to.
"Elmer would go over to the Pohlman home with an empty
bottle and come back with a full one," Mrs. Coss said. "Once I
followed him and saw him give money to Mrs. Pohlman."
Alberta Coss testified," Father would go over to the
Pohlmans and when he returned his breath smelled of liquor. I saw him give Mrs.
Pohlman a silver dollar the night before
Christmas."
Then Mr. Coss was called in. He said that he never gave Mrs.
Pohlman money, but that he laid it on the table for another man. Mrs. Coss
berated her husband for not telling the truth and as a consequence was requested
to take a back seat by those in charge.
At Mrs. Pohlman's testimony, however, Mrs. Coss again became
very angry. "I can't sit here and listen to such lies," she ejaculated
and left the court room.
Attorney A.G. Bush ruled that the evidence was sufficient to
warrant the holding of Mrs. Pohlman.
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
February 8, 1922
WASSILIS IS BOUND OVER TO THE GRAND JURY
Proprietor of Soft Drink Parlor is Put Under Bond of $300
Frank Wassilis ,who was arrested after a battle
with four policemen night before last, was given his hearing in U.S.
Commissioner's Court this morning and was bound over to the Federal grand jury
under $300 bond on a charge of violating the liquor laws. Wassilis is accused of
possessing half a gallon of moonshine whisky, which he effectually attempted to
dispose of when police raided his soft drink parlor at 102 Pershing avenue.
Wassilis paid court costs in police court this morning after
which the case against him was dismissed. He also paid cash for a flash light,
belonging to a policeman, which he damaged when his place was raided. Wassilis
was unable to appear in police court yesterday because he had not sufficiently
recovered from the effects of the liquor he drank on the night of the raid, when
he barricaded himself inside his establishment and resisted arrest.
Davenport Democrat & Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
February 8, 1922
RAID ROSTOCK BAR; COPS GET 1 QT. WHISKY
Police Charge Soft Drink Parlor Proprietor with Dry Violation.
In anticipation of the arrival of "Pussyfoot"
Johnson, National Prohibition leader, who will speak here against liquor
tomorrow night, police officers raided the soft drink bar of Albert
"Daub" Rostock, Rockingham road and Howell streets last night, and
confiscated one quart of whiskey.
Detective Kinney and Officers Dietz and Lodge surprised
Rostock when they walked into the bar room early last evening, and searched the
place for contraband. The one quart was found and brought to the station with
Rostock to be used as evidence against him, police said. He was released on $100
bond.
It is probable that the case will come up today for hearing
late today before U.S. Commissioner A. Bush.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 2, 1922
TWO SOFT DRINK BARS IN BUSINESS SECTION RAIDED BY FEDERAL MEN SATURDAY
A mother's anger at the abuse of her child by an
intoxicated father led to the raiding of two "soft drink" bars in
Davenport's business section, Saturday morning. The places raided were the Near
Beer bar at 428 Harrison street and the old Stuve bar on the northwest corner of
Fifth and Harrison streets. The raids were made by the U.S. deputy marshal and
two government agents.
Robert Balluff, alleged proprietor of the Fifth and Harrison
street bar, was the only man arrested Saturday, altho warrants for the arrest of
several others have been issued. Balluff waived preliminary hearing in
U.S. Commissioner's court Saturday afternoon and was bound over to the Federal
grand jury under $500 bond.
The "evidence" obtained in the raids was small.
Thirty-nine pints of home brew were taken at 428 Harrison street, while seven
pints of home brew and a small tea pot containing alleged moonshine whisky were
seized at the Struve bar. The Federal men worked silently. At the Struve bar,
patrons were not aware that a raid was in progress, and continued buying drinks
while a search for liquor was being made.
Mrs. J.A. Cartee, 710 Harrison street, was the woman
responsible for the raids. In her affidavit she states that her husband is
addicted to the use of intoxicating liquor and that he is a habitual drunkard.
She says that she has seen him drinking over the bar at Fifth and Harrison
streets.
"When he went into the place he was sober, but when he
left he was under the influence of intoxicating liquor," Mrs. Cartee
states.
"I saw him there on Aug. 22, 1921. He had taken my
little child with him to the bar. Later, on the same day, I saw him lying drunk
on a pile of gravel. He was dead drunk. My little child was staying with him and
would not leave his daddy."
Mrs. Cartee claims that the child was exposed to the rain and
that the child's health was endangered.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 3, 1922
DICK KNAUTZ IS BOUND OVER TO GRAND JURY
Alleged Proprietor of Bar Which Was Raided Saturday.
Dick Knautz added another splash of motley to his
checkered career when he appeared in U.S. commissioner's court this morning in
connection with the raid on the Near Beer bar at 428 Harrison street Saturday
morning. Knautz was bound over to the grand jury under $1,000 bond, which he
furnished.
This is the second time this year that Knautz has appeared to
answer liquor charges. He was previously bound over to the grand jury under $500
on a liquor charge.
Knautz is alleged to be one of the proprietors of the 428
Harrison street place. Other arrests may follow.
As was told in the Democrat and Leader Saturday, Arthur
Balluff, alleged proprietor of the old Struve bar at Fifth and Harrison streets
was bound over to the grand jury under $500 bond Saturday afternoon.
Thirty-nine pints of home brew from the 428 Harrison street
place and seven pints of home brew and a small tea pot containing supposed
moonshine whisky was all the evidence obtained in the government raid Saturday.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 9, 1922
RAID ON BAR AND APARTMENT NETS 600 PINTS
Sheriff Searches Galvin and Thorne's Places at 412 West Third St.
FIND GIN AND WHISKEY
Six hundred pint bottles of "home brew," two
quarts of gin and a half pint of whisky were seized in a daylight raid on the
"Annex" Bar, 412 West Third street, and the apartment rooms directly
above the bar, Saturday by Sheriff William Brehmer and a party of deputy
sheriffs acting under orders from County Attorney John P. Weir. No arrests were
made.
Perl Galvin and A.J. (Skimmer) Hines, proprietors of the bar,
and Pauline Thorne, who occupies the apartment on the second floor, will be
cited into the court of Police Magistrate Harold Metcalf, who issued the search
warrants sometime this week to show cause why the liquor taken in the raid
should not be destroyed. State charges may be filed against the trio in district
court later, the county attorney said.
Additional raids for yesterday were called off when the word
was "passed along" the line that raiders were busy. The raid on the
Annex Bar had no more than started before Davenport's "grapevine
telegraph" lines were humming with messages of warning and temp. bars and
resorts hushed the merry tinkle of glasses and threw the electric piano into
low-for a while.
Search Cellar to Garret.
Sheriff Brehmer and Deputy Sheriffs Frank Martin, Andrew
Tumpane, Fred Scharfenberg and L.J. Engel, made a thoro search of the building
at 413 and 412 1/2 West Third street from basement to roof in a fruitless search
for a hidden supply of "real liker." The raiders even dug up the
basement floor in an effort to find a secret cache.
Galvin succeeded in destroying several bottles of gin before
the raiding party could interfere. The sheriff claims the whisky supply was also
destroyed by someone in the building when the alarm was given.
The "home brew," piled high on shelves in a closet
was taken from Pauline's apartments. The "brew" was fresh, having been
bottled last Tuesday, according to the story Pauline told the sheriff. One quart
of gin and a half pint of whisky were also found in the apartments. The raid on
the bar netted one lone quart of gin.
Interrupt Tete-a-Tete.
The raid interrupted a gentleman and his lady friend who were
seated at a table in Pauline's parlor sipping "something" from wine
glasses. Questioned as to their names and a place of abode both assumed a
haughty air and declined to answer. They were allowed to depart after the
deputies had confiscated their glasses.
According to County Attorney John Weir numerous complaints
have been made against the Annex and Pauline's place for several weeks.
The raid is the first Sheriff Brehmer has made in the city
since taking office a year ago last January. Heretofore the sheriff's office has
maintained a "hands off" in city affairs. The sheriff says he was
simply carrying out orders in making the raid yesterday.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 17, 1922
COUNTY'S WAR ON RUM BLOWS UP; NO CHARGE
Weir Relents and Hines and Galvin Fail to Appear in Civil Case.
Following the sensational raid on the soft drink parlor
of "Pearl" Galvin and "Skimmer" Hines, 412 West Third
street, and the flat above, of a week ago Saturday, the
"investigation" blew up this noon, when civil action was brought
against the proprietors.
No criminal charge was filed against the men by the
state authorities who caused the raid, and it was announced today by the county
attorney's office that nothing would be done probably until the next session of
the grand jury, which is next September.
Both Hines and Galvin, as well as Pauline Thorne, were
cited to appear in police court this noon, to show cause why the liquor and beer
seized in their establishments should not be destroyed.
Inasmuch as they had not been required to put up any
bond, when they were arrested they failed to appear in the civil action, and
Magistrate Metcalf ordered that the beer now held by the sheriff be destroyed.
The destruction of the liquid by court order acting
under state laws, successfully blocks all attempts of federal men to prosecute
the soft drink parlor proprietors, if they should so desire.
In the event that government men desire to intercede
and force the prosecution in federal court, they will be handicapped by lack of
evidence. It will have been destroyed unless the sheriff saves a bottle or so.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 23, 1922
KRACHT RAIDS TWO PLACES; FINDS LIQUOR
Henry Neil and John Johnson Grabbed in Booze Search.
Jack Kracht, marshal at Bettendorf, raided the
shanty of Henry Neil, colored, in the "Holy City", and the soft drink
parlor of John Johnson, 329 State street, Saturday, and secured a half gallon
and a quart of alleged moonshine whisky for his pains. According to Marshal
Kracht, he caught the men in the act of selling liquor.
Both of the men are old offenders. A still was found
in Neil's shanty in a raid two years ago. Johnson had also had trouble with the
authorities. "The two have disturbed the peace and dignity of Bettendorf
for the last eight years," Marshal Kracht states.
When he was captured, Neil promised not to sell any
more liquor, so the charge against him was changed to that of running a
disorderly house. Johnson, however, will be arraigned before the federal
commissioner.
The half gallon of moonshine was secured at Neil's
place, while the quart was found in Johnson's soft drink parlor.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 24, 1922
"Hooch" Disguised as New Vinegar Fails to Halt Liquor Seizure.
Moonshine disguised as vinegar, kept carefully in
the pantry and contained in a thermo bottle, failed to fool police raiders last
night, and three pints of the contraband were taken from the J.F. Lock flat at
226 1/2 East Third street.
Lock was arrested as keeper of a disorderly house and
Manuel Portillo and Garcia Devente, two Mexicans, were taken as inmates. Both of
the latter admitted that they had purchased liquor in the place.
The disguised "hooch" was brought into court
this afternoon, when Lock and the other two were tried on a city charge of
keeping a disorderly house and being inmates.
They were then taken to the court of the U.S.
Commissioner A.C. Bush, where Lock will be given a preliminary hearing.
"Take the case to the federal court when we are
thru with them here," Acting Chief Schlueter told the two officers who had
made the raid, Detective Quinn and Officer Rogers.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 26, 1922
Dispose of Liquor Cases
A number of liquor cases were disposed of in yesterday
afternoon's session. Ike Glandon, who was arrested here after a complete bogus
whisky outfit, including spurious stamps and labels, had been found in his
residence, was fined $500 and costs by Judge Wade. Frank Wassilus, proprietor of
a soft drink parlor, was fined $300 and costs on a liquor selling and possession
charge. E.P. Hughes was also fined $500 and costs on a similar charge.
Colored Man Pleads Case.
Henry Neil, colored Bettendorfer, who was arrested by
Marshal Jack Kracht last Saturday, after the marshal had found a quantity of
moonshine liquor in Neil's shanty in the "Holy City," acted as his own
attorney. Neil made an eloquent plea, asserting that his life has been pure as
the driven snow, that his existence has been singularly free from fault, and
that he has only been arrested once. This in the face of Marshal Kracht's
assertion that Neil is an old offender.
Judge Wade fined Neil $100 and costs, but remitted the
fine on condition that Neil pay the costs of the case within 30 days.
"And I don't want to see you here again,"
admonished the judge in dismissing Neil.
"No, sah, Jedge, you won't never see me here no
moah!" cried Neil, beating a hasty retreat.
Kazarian Up Today.
The case of Malik Kazarian, of Bettendorf, who is charged
with selling liquor to minors, may come up for trial this afternoon. Jerry
Murphy, known as "the terror of Steamboat Island," may also appear for
trial. John Johnson, who was arrested by Marshal Kracht in connection with Henry
Neil, and who is accused of selling liquor at his soft drink parlor at 329 State
street, Bettendorf, has asked for a continuance of his case. J.H. Pohlman, in
whose home a large quantity of liquor was found in a raid by federal agents the
first of the year, will probably appear in court this afternoon.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 27, 1922
ARREST 7 IN POLICE RAID ON GAMBLERS
Seize Five Gallons of "Hooch" and Four Cases of "Home Brew."
SMASH DOWN DOORS
Confiscate Cards, Poker Chips, Tables and Other Paraphernalia.
Police raiders last night smashed down the doors to the
gaming rooms maintained by C.A. Challberg and Jack Oaster at 120 East Third
street, seized five gallons of bad whisky, four cases of home brew, several
hundred poker chips and other paraphernalia, which made the best equipped in the
city and arrested the proprietors and five inmates.
The raid was led by Lieutenant Walter Homeyer, recently
promoted to the position. Other officers in the party were Pete Kuehl and Pat
Dietz. The place was cleaned out of everything except two "crap"
tables which were too large to get into the patrol.
It was about 11 o'clock that the raiders whirled a police car
up to the entrance to the establishment. They demanded entrance to the rooms on
the second floor.
Break Down Door.
No one answered the knock of the police officers and the door
was barred with a Yale lock. Hearing movements on the inside, Lieutenant Homeyer
again demanded entrance.
When no reply was forthcoming, the stocky officer and
Patrolman Pete Kuehl put their shoulders to the panels and burst in the door.
The seven occupants of the rooms had retired, but before the
eyes of the raiding party was a complete bar, well bolstered with glasses and
bottles, several poker tables, with their accompanying "kittys" and
plenty of poker chips.
Haul Out Evidence.
While one of the policemen guarded the seven men, who were
placed under arrest immediately, another called the patrol wagon. The men were
taken to the station and later another trip was made with a wagonload of
gambler's paraphernalia.
Chips, cards, counting boards, "kittys," etc., are
being held by Acting Chief Schlueter for evidence. In the meantime Oaster and
Challberg have been given a continuance of their case until Monday morning. They
appeared in police court this morning.
Ed Miller, Jack Kane, J. Malloy, George Peck, and Frank
Harrison, the five inmates, last night posted $10 bonds, and failed to appear
this morning.
Liquor Charge Soon.
Police officers will press a charge of "having
liquor" "in possession" against Oaster and Challberg, they
declared today, and they were ordered to take the two proprietors to
Commissioner R.C. Bush for a hearing.
It is probable that the liquid evidence will be turned over
to U.S. Marshal Kenney last today or tomorrow. The booze was in containers
ranging in size from a half pint to five gallon jug.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
May 3, 1922
POLICE "ARID" SQUAD SEIZES STILL, LIQUOR
Raid Residence of Lizzie Rickets, 1318 West Second Street.
SHE PLEADS GUILTY
Take 15 Gallons of Moonshine and Keg of Aging Booze.
Members of the police dry squad, headed by
Lieutenant Walter Homeyer, last night swooped down on the residence of Lizzie
Ricketts, 1318 West Second street, seized a huge still and 15 gallons of
moonshine. Several gallons of the finished product were in a charred cask,
getting properly aged.
Brought before U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning, the
Ricketts woman pleaded guilty to a charge of "having liquor in
possession," and was bound over to the federal grand jury on $500 bonds.
The still, one of the most complete outfits ever taken by
prohibition forces, and the liquor, was turned over to federal authorities after
the preliminary hearing.
Demands Warrant.
It was shortly after midnight that Lieutenant Homeyer and
Officers Gubser and Lamont forced an entrance to the residence of Miss Ricketts.
The woman demanded a warrant but the complaint the police had
received was against her for immoral life. They started on a search of the
house.
She continued to precede the officers, demanding a search
warrant at every step. They finally found the still and the liquor.
She was immediately placed under arrest for having the still,
and as short time later the keg of aging whisky came to light. Other jugs and
bottles distributed in various sections of the house added five more gallons to
the contraband.
George Lathrop, with the remains of a quart bottle on his
hip, was arrested at 2:15 and charged with dealing from his pocket.
Scarlet Woman Swoons as Law Decrees 30 Days
Mary Smith, a member of the "oldest profession in the
world," today created consternation in the court of Police Magistrate
Metcalf, when she collapsed in a faint, as the police judge sentenced her to 30
days in jail for immoral life.
Police officers rushed to her assistance and the
stiffened body of the woman was carried from the court room, while the hundred
or more spectators gaped and shuffled their feet in uncertain sympathy.
She had been arrested at her home at 1210 West Second
street by Lieutenant Homeyer and Officers Gubser and Lamont.
August DeGrave, the man who was with her in her room
at the time of the raid, was fined $10 and costs, which he paid. The charges
against F.A. Bogart, O. DeGrave and H. DeBarr, also found in the house, were
dismissed.
Later the police magistrate relented and assessed a
fine of $50 against the woman.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
May 8, 1922
DRY RAIDERS CAPTURE FIVE IN 'TEMP' BAR
Police Arid Squad Seize Pitcher of "Hootch" at Seventh and Division
Members of the Sahara squad of the police department
raided the soft drink parlor of Walter Petersen, Seventh and Division streets
last night, arrested five men and seized a quart pitcherfull of
"hooch".
Officers Lodge, Dietz and McDermott answered a call
for a disorderly house, and when they reached the place, all of the occupants
were mellowly good natured, due to the influence of moonshine.
Officer McDermott investigating the rear of the bar,
discovered a pitcher containing moonshine of marvelous potency, and four were
brought to the station. Walter Petersen, the proprietor, appeared later and gave
himself up.
They will appear for trial on charge of being keeper
and inmates of a disorderly house Wednesday afternoon, police said.
In the meanwhile the police who made the raid are
contemplating taking the case to the U.S. commissioner, where Petersen will be
charged with keeping liquor in his possession, the officers said.
The four arrested as inmates were Otto Gilbert, Albert
Rostock, Fred Strathmann and Ray Woods.
REGRETS THAT MARSHAL DIDN'T FIND NEW STILL
But There is Sufficient Evidence Against Bettendorfer Anyway.
"If you would have waited until next week you
would have found the brand-new still I ordered," John Stanalitz, 431 West
Brown street, Bettendorf, told Marshal John Kracht when the marshal raided
Stanalitz's residence Sunday afternoon.
A still coil and boiler, two barrels of whisky mash
and three quarts of moonshine whisky were found in Stanalitz's home. Charged
with possession and manufacture of liquor, Stanalitz will be given a hearing
before U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush this afternoon.
According to Marshal Kracht, Stanalitz has made a
clean breast of his moonshine operations. He told the marshal yesterday that he
had ordered a big new still.
The man was bound over to the federal grand jury under
$300 bond in U.S. commissioner's court late this afternoon.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
May 9, 1922
POLICE CAPTURE HUGE STILL AND OPERATOR MAKES "MOVIE" ESCAPE
Leaping from a second story window to elude the
"dry" raiders of the police, the operator of one of the largest and
most complete whisky stills ever in Davenport, made a sensational
"movie" escape last night. Police were left to seize the
paraphernalia.
The seizure netted one 25-gallon copper still and
coils, complete, 15 gallons of the finished product, and nine 50-gallon barrels
of rye and corn mash.
The raid was on the house at 2308 Western avenue,
formerly that of Charles E. Alford, but two months ago purchased from him by
Otto Gassmann. Police are seeking Gassmann and Ralph Lane, who is thought to be
the man who made the desperate and successful escape.
Hold Lane's Car.
Lane's Ford car was parked in front of the house and local
authorities are holding it. They are also taking charge of the house and its
contents and awaiting the appearance of Gassmann.
Meanwhile action has been started in the district court by
County Attorney John Weir, to obtain an injunction so that the house can be
sealed by court order. The liquor manufacturing plant and the product seized is
considered sufficient evidence to warrant such action.
Armed with a search warrant, police demanded entrance to the
residence about 11 o'clock last night. There was no reply to their knock and
they forced a window to the cellarway.
Lieutenant Homeyer and Officers Elmer Schlueter, Dietz and
Kuehl scrambled thru the opening and started to search the house. As they
mounted the stairs they heard movements in the upper part of the residence.
When they reached the second floor, they discovered that a
screen had been kicked out and the operator of the still,. which was cooking
over a double gas burner, was gone. He had jumped from the window and escaped,
police said.
Several complaints have been received from neighbors who
declared that the smell of the mash and cooking rye, permeated the air for
several hundred feet.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
May 22, 1922
WOMAN 'SHINE MAKER NABBED BY DRY SQUAD
Two Stills and 25 Gallons of Hooch Taken from Mary Olson.
Women continue to invade the fields of masculine
endeavors, both legal and illegal, and yesterday the police and federal raiders
arrested Mary Olson, 427 Concord street, seized two stills and 25 gallons of
moonshine.
When the local searchers for the desert oasis charged into
the Olson residence, they found no one home, but in the cellar was as complete a
set of moonshine outfit ever seen by the "dry" officers.
The two stills, one seven and the other 15-gallon capacity,
together with half a dozen whiskey barrels and 25 gallons of the finished
product, were brought to the station, while an officer was left on vigil for the
return of Mary.
The raid was staged at 4 o'clock Sunday morning and three
hours later Arthur Johnson was arrested as he attempted to enter the house with
a key. A few minutes later the woman approached and was taken into custody.
Both are charged with possession and manufacturing of liquor,
altho Johnson declares that he was merely a roomer and knew nothing of the
still.
Police also invaded the residence of Arthur Seckler, 2136
West High street, shortly before midnight last night, confiscated various parts
of a huge still and 15 gallons of corn liquor.
The raid was headed by two government men and Lieutenant
Homeyer of the Davenport police force. Other officers were Kuehl, Cuervorst,
Schwinden and Dietz.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
June 4, 1922
"DRY" SQUAD MAKES HEAVIEST SEIZURES IN SIX BIG RAIDS
Police, Headed by Federal Agent Muhs, Confiscates Distilling and Brewery
Paraphernalia and Destroys Hundreds of Gallons of Product-
Thousands of Bottles of Beer, Whisky and Wine Taken.
Raiding stills, breweries, soft drink parlors and
"speak easies," the Davenport dry squad, headed by Federal Agent R.E.
Muhs, yesterday afternoon made the largest seizures of liquor, moonshine and
otherwise, and beer that has ever been confiscated.
Thousands of bottles of home brew were carted to the county
jail, while stills, crocks and other paraphernalia for the manufacture and sale
of illicit alcoholic drinks made a total of five patrol wagons loads.
Virtually no section of the city with the exception of the
extreme east, was missed by the arid raiders, who, in the emergency car of the
police department sped from brewery to moonshiner and on to the retailers in the
contraband between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. yesterday.
Places raided were:
J.F. Devenyns, 305 South Thornwood avenue, residence.
William Stark, 121 1/2 Ripley street.
Amos Judisch, 329 1/2 West Second street.
C. Knautz, 428 Harrison street.
John Fey, 1314 LeClaire street.
Ivan Mastup, Waverly road.
Two at Large.
With the exception of Devenyns on Thornwood avenue and
William Stark, Ripley street, all of the brewers, moonshiners and dealers were
brought to the station, where they were released on appearance bonds set by
County Attorney John Weir. The two at large are expected to surrender today.
Besides the thousands of quarts of the finished product which
was removed from the various residences, apartments, and business establishments
raided, the squad destroyed several hundred gallons of beer in the process of
fermentation.
After three hours of labor the raiding party, which consisted
of Detective John Kinney and Officers Dietz, Kuehl and Snider, their clothing
bespattered with grain mash and soaked in home-made brew, wearily reached the
police station.
Get Huge Plant.
One of the largest and most complete breweries, not excepting
that at 517 Harrison street, raided a week ago, was seized at 305 South
Thornwood avenue, where between 1200 and 1500 bottles of beer were confiscated.
This was the last place entered and the raid was directly the
result of a tip slipped to police while they were raiding the brewery of William
Stark, 121 Ripley street. Altho no one was home when police arrived with a
search warrant, there was a bottle full of steaming beer which had been cooking
a few minutes before.
Police were at the Stark place, emptying the jars of beer
which contained 96 gallons in the state of fermentation, when the telephone
rang.
"Hot" Tip Comes.
An officer answered the telephone and a feminine voice at the
other end of the phone asked:
"Has the law been up to see you yet, Bill?"
"No, not yet," the policeman replied. And
inquiringly, "Have they been down to your place?"
"No," the lady answered. "I've got so much
stuff here that I couldn't get rid of it short of two days. Come on down
awhile," was her invitation.
"All right, we'll be down right away," was the
suave statement. "Wait for us."
The telephone call was traced and the address obtained.
Federal Agent Muhs immediately had a search warrant made out
and the raiders resumed their march thru the city, bound for Thornwood
avenue.
Break Open Window.
The residence, a stucco dwelling, was locked and bolted when
police arrived. The lady had not waited.
Officer Pat Dietz jimmied a side window with a pair of pliers
and when the window was forced open the policemen were smothered in a wave of
odor of working beer which emanated from the room.
Officer Snider climbed thru and the raiding party were given
entry thru the rear door. The house was empty of people, but all around one of
the rooms huge stone crocks stood, some empty, but most of them filled with
beer.
For two hours the police worked and two patrol loads of beer
and paraphernalia were taken away before all had been removed.
Other Raids Precede.
Five other raids preceded that at the Devenyns home and
officers seized wine, beer, whisky and one still.
Starting at 11 o'clock they confiscated a still and one
pint of moonshine liquor at the place of Ivan Mastuh on Waverly road. Altho they
searched the premises, they were able to unearth only one pint of the finished
product.
Leaving there, they sped to 1314 LeClaire street, where they
surprised John Fey. Three cases of home brew, one gallon of "hooch,"
and six five-gallon jugs of wine were taken.
Without hesitation they followed their list and stepped into
the soft drink parlor of C. Knautz, 428 Harrison street, where they found two
and a half quarts of whisky and half a case of beer.
Crowd Sees Next One.
Half a minute after the police car had pulled up to the
entrance of Lahrman's hall, a crowd of several hundred curiosity seekers watched
while officers charged up the stairway and entered the improvised barroom in the
rear of 329 1/2 West Second street.
Here was a complete barroom, lined with bottle and well
supplied with glasses. Two quarts of gin, a quart of whisky, and a dozen bottles
of home brew were taken by the officers.
The place, said to be operated by Amos Judisch, was closed by
the officers, while they sought the proprietor. Police officers declared they
saw Judisch as he stepped into an automobile immediately after the raid was
started.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
June 11, 1922
HOLD LINWOOD OWNERS TO THE FEDERAL JURY
Mr. Kettnich Is Held Under $2,000 Bond and His Wife on $500 Bond.
The "inside story" of
Saturday night's raid on Lindwood Inn was not related in court today by the
so-called prominent business men who were rounded up in the raid. While
practically all of them gave fictitious names Saturday night, the identity
of many of them was known to the raiding party and they were informed at the
time that they would be subpoenaed to testify at the hearing.
The preliminary hearing was held this afternoon
before U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush. The only witnesses in court were
Prohibition Agent Muhs and Deputy Sheriffs Frank Martens and Andy Tumpane.
These witnesses gave no testimony aside from the fact that liquor had been
confiscated at the place.
Mr. and Mrs. Kettelsen both waived examination and
were bound over to the federal grand jury. Mr. Kettnich was released on
$2,000 bonds and his wife on $500 bonds. Harold Metcalf was their attorney.
No charges were preferred against Hans Jaeger.
Woman Sole Owner.
Mrs. Kettnich today declared that she was the sole
owner of Linwood and that her husband George Kettnich and Hans Jaeger, had
no proprietary interest in the place. According to Mrs. Kettnich, she bought
out all her husband's interest last fall. Jaeger, she says, at no time
had an interest. Mr. Kettnich and Mr. Jager are partners in the ownership of
the Grotto cafe on Perry street. Saturday night both were at Linwood helping
Mrs. Kettnich during the rush hours.
"I am the sole owner of Linwood and am willing
to take all responsibility for its management. I endeavor to conduct a first
class place and have worked hard along these lines. I do not see how I can
be held responsible for all the acts of my patrons," declared Mrs.
Kettnich today.
POLICE RAID INGRAHAM FOR THIRD TIME
Find Three Bottle of "Hooch"- Disorderly Housekeeper Fined.
For the third time in the last few
months, police raided the soft drink parlor of A.J. Ingraham, 15?0 West
Seventh street, but last night they confiscated several bottles of moonshine
liquor. Ingraham was fined $100 and costs for maintaining a disorderly
house.
Officers Dietz, McDermott and Kuehl last night
broke up the wild party which was being staged at Seventh and Division
streets and Ingraham was brought to the station. The charge preferred
against him was keeping a disorderly house. Two and a half quarts of liquor
were confiscated by the officers.
In accordance with a new policy adopted by the
police department, if there are any federal charges filed against Ingraham,
they will be preferred by the United States prohibition agents.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
June 13, 1922
LAU HELD AT LAST ON LIQUOR CHARGE WHEN AGENT
"MISUNDERSTANDS"
Apologetic Reception by Federal Officials Greets Alleged Dealer at
Preliminary Hearing Today-
"It's All a Mistake," Muhs Says- Other "Mistakes" Made
When Raider Took Three Bottles of Whisky
from Lau's Auto at Linwood Saturday Night.
The slumbers of Al Lau, whom
police term the "king of Davenport bootleggers," were rudely
interrupted this morning by a telephone call from Deputy U.S. Marshal
Terrence Kenney, who summoned Lau to appear in U.S. commissioner's court on
a charge of possession and transporting moonshine liquor.
Lau, as he himself stated today, was surprised. He
had expected nothing of the sort. Since he drove his automobile away from
the Linwood roadhouse after the big raid Saturday night, he has been
unmolested. Silently and unostentatiously he had departed, together with 150
odd merrymakers, whose conviviality had been disturbed by government agents.
Misunderstanding, Says Muhs.
"Why did you not arrest Lau when you found, as
you claim, three pints of moonshine whisky in his automobile Saturday
night?" Federal Agent R.E. Muhs was asked this morning.
"It was all a misunderstanding," Muhs
replied. "I told Lau to wait for us while we raided other parts of the
road house, but he misunderstood me and left in his car before we could take
him into custody."
"Is it not the custom among government agents
to hold automobiles in which liquor is found?" was another question.
"It is," was the answer.
"Are you holding Lau's car?"
"No. This is not that kind of a case. We
merely found the booze in Lau's car and did not see it when it was in
motion."
Hearing Like Tea Party.
A spirit of apologetic camaradie [sic]
prevailed between Lau and the government agents when the man was arraigned
before U.S. commissioner A.G. Bush this morning. Smiles were frequently
exchanged and when the question of Lau's bond came up, suggestions were
quickly offered. Lau stated that he thought he could obtain his $500 bond
this afternoon.
"In the meantime, I will turn you over to
Marshal Kenney," Commissioner Bush told Lau. "Whatever
arrangements the marshal sees fit to make will be satisfactory to me."
Chamberlin Gets Continuance.
At the request of Attorney William Chamberlin, who
has been retained by Lau, the case has been continued until July 7. Federal
Agent Muhs said that he thought he could be in Davenport on that date.
"There is nothing to this case," Muhs told a
Democrat reporter today. Marshal Kenney, too, was emphatic in his statements
that the case was not of great importance. "I suppose the papers will
print two or three columns of this," he said.
Bush Fears Criticism.
When the question of Lau's bond came up, Attorney
Chamberlin at once said that there was not much danger of Lau's getting out
of town before he can be tried. Lau hesitated when he was asked whether or
not he knew of any particular person willing to put up the $500.
"In order to avoid public criticism,"
Commissioner Bush interposed, "we can show this man no lenience.
Defendants are always required to furnish bond for their release."
Lau's Car Seized Before.
Lau has never been convicted on a booze charge, and
has, up to this time, had but one clash with government prohibition agents.
About a year and a half ago, his automobile was seized by the government and
held at the county jail for one day, when it was released after liquid
evidence against Lau had mysteriously disappeared.
Man is Unruffled.
In court today, Lau presented an unruffled and
confident demeanor.
"I didn't know that I was coming here at all
today until I was waked by the telephone," he stated.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
June 21, 1922
WOMAN'S TESTIMONY THAT SHE MADE BOOZE TO FREE ALLEGED
BOOTLEGGER
Altho Mrs. Minnie Pence, 121
1/2 Ripley street, testified in U.S. commissioner's court this morning that
the large quantity of liquor found by police and government agents in her
residence was her own property, brewed by her alone, she failed to free
William Stark, alleged to be the real owner of the booze.
Stark's bond was increased to $1,000 and a
complaint summarily filed against Mrs. Pence. The woman is held to the
federal grand jury under $500 bond.
"Altho I lived at 121 1/2 Ripley street, I
knew nothing about the liquor kept there," Stark testified this
morning. "The booze belonged to my landlady, Mrs. Pence. I was merely a
roomer and knew nothing about my landlady's operations. If you will call
her, she will bear me out in this statement."
Mrs. Pence was called. Her chic blue shirt appeared
too narrow to hide behind, yet she made a valiant attempt to shield her
roomer.
"I performed all the brewing work
myself," she stated. "Mr. Stark was in no way concerned."
"Did you handle ten-gallon crocks all by
yourself?" asked Commissioner A.G. Bush.
"Yes, I didn't have to move them. They were
washed on the bench where they stood."
"Does the liquor belong to you?"
"Well, you found it in my residence, didn't
you?" was the nonchalant reply.
Thereupon a complaint was filed against Mrs. Pence.
Stark's bond was increased to $1,000 and he was bound over to the grand
jury.
Police who assisted in the raid on the Pence place
assert that Stark and the woman were living together since a quantity of
women's clothing was found in Stark's bedroom. Hundreds of bottles of beer
and several crocks of fermenting beer were seized in the raid.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 4, 1922
TWO STILLS, LIQUOR AND MASH SEIZED IN RAID ON OUTSKIRTS
Two complete stills, one in operation, 370
gallons of grain mash and two gallons of moonshine whiskey were seized by
police and federal agent R.E. Muhs in a raid on George Youngen's shack, 400
block East Thirty-second street, early this morning. Youngen was arrested.
Ten five-gallon jugs, three 3-gallon jugs and 18
gin bottles were destroyed by Muhs, Lieut. Homeyer and Officers Dietz and
Kuehl.
When the officers entered the shack, they found a
still merrily bubbling away, and booze producing apparatus lying near,
Youngen, who lives on the Dubuque road, could not be found.
After destroying the bottles and jugs, the raiding
officers left, but Officer McDonald was detailed to watch the shack. Shortly
before 2:30 o'clock Youngen arrived, and was promptly arrested.
Two roomers in Youngen's place were questioned
during the raid, but investigation showed that they had nothing to do with
the manufacture of the booze. Police believe that Youngen used the shack
purely as a factory.
The man is now in jail pending his hearing before
U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush, probably tomorrow.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 7, 1922
ANALYSIS OF BOOZE SHOWS 4 PERCENT
So Julius Goettsch Is Bound to Federal Grand Jury
Chemical analysis of beer
taken in a raid on Julius Goettsch's bar at 932 West Sixth street showed the
liquor to contain 4 per cent of alcohol, so Goettsch was this morning bound
over to the federal grand jury on $500 bonds by United States Commissioner
A.G. Bush.
Goettsch plead guilty and waived examination.
AL LAU BOUND TO GRAND JURY, BOND IS $500.
Al Lau, frequently suspected
of being a bootlegger, will face a federal judge on a booze charge for the
first time at the October term of court.
United States Commissioner A.G. Bush bound Lau over
to Judge Wade after a hearing at 9 o'clock this morning. The bonds were set
at $500. Lau was arrested on a possession shortly after the celebrated raid
at Linwood.
The only witness examined by Commissioner Bush was
Federal Agent R.E. Muhs who found liquor in Lau's car.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 13, 1922
GARAGE TAKES CELLAR PLACE; BOOZE SEIZED
Beer and Whisky Taken from Building Owned by J.P. Brown.
The garage apparently
usurped the place of the cellar in the case of J.P. Brown, 30, 1021 West
Third street, who is being held on a liquor possession charge. Brown's
garage was raided by Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs, together with
Officers Shroeder and Hanson at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Forty-three dozen bottles of home brew, 95 gallons
of beer in fermentation, three 25-gallon crooks, three ten-gallon crocks,
six gallons of alleged moonshine whisky, two bottle capping machines and a
sack full of bottle caps were found in the garage.
"He tried to keep us away from the
garage." Federal Agent Muhs said this morning, "but he did not
succeed. We found nothing in the house and all liquor manufacturing was
evidently carried on in the garage."
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 16, 1922
RAID ON WAREHOUSE NETS 4,200 BOTTLES OF HOME BREW BEER
A six weeks'
investigation of what is believed to be the biggest brewery in Davenport
terminated in a raid on the "warehouse" at 1911 West Sixteenth
street shortly before 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon.
Four thousand, two hundred bottles of home brew
were seized by Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs, assisted by Police
Offcers Clark Lamont and D. Rodenbaugh. One of Ewart & Richter's largest
trucks was required to haul the booze away.
Proprietor Not at Home.
Thomas Clark, 1908 West Fifteenth street, alleged
proprietor of the brewery, was not at home when the raid was made. His
residence across the alley was searched and a quantity of liquor
manufacturing apparatus was found. The raid squad "spotted" the
goods, and returning last night, removed 3 1/2 boxes of malt extract, 3 1/2
boxes of hops, nine crocks from 30 to 8 gallon capacity, a wash boiler used
to boil mash, 2 syphon hoses, and a half bushel of bottle caps. A bottle
capper was found in the cellar of the place.
Charged with violating the Eighteenth Amendment,
Clark will probably be arraigned before U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush next
Monday.
Watched Six Weeks.
"For six weeks I have been watching Clark's
operations," Mr. Muhs stated after the raid. "He was a tough
customer, and every one of his movements was cautiously made."
"He employed a boy to deliver booze to local
soft drink bars and other places. When the boy delivered the goods, Clark
would walk in and collect the money. Yesterday I walked into a soft drink
bar 15 minutes after Clark had left.
"Clark delivered beer by the thousand. He was
no small fry."
Think Clark "Master Mind"
That the Clark plant was the source of supply for
most of Davenport's bootleg places is the belief of police who claim that
the man was a "higher up" in the illicit liquor game. His arrest,
it is thought, will mark the end of much booze peddling in this city.
When the raiders entered the warehouse, which,
externally appeared to be an ordinary dwelling house with curtains at the
windows, they found cases of beer piled up to the ceiling. It required a
half hour of hard work on the part of Muhs and the police to load the beer
onto the truck.
Used Only For Booze.
There was little indication that the warehouse was
used as a dwelling house, since the cases of beer occupied much of the
space, altho an upper room of the building contained no liquor.
A crowd of neighbors stood outside while the raid
was in progress, and many jokes concerning the work in progress were
exchanged.
JOE HALLECK PLACE RAIDED SEIZE STILL
Coil and Wash Boiler Apparatus Taken from Small Distillery
Joe Halleck, 524 Federal
street, was "not at home" when Lieutenant Homeyer and Officers
Bishop and Kuehl visited his place and removed therefrom a 50-gallon still
and coil, and a washboiler cooker Thursday night.
Halleck will be arraigned before United States
Commissioner Bush next week.
The raid followed numerous complaints that Halleck,
who was bound over to the federal grand jury on May 7, was again
manufacturing liquor.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 17, 1922
SPONGE SQUAD NABS TWO STILLS TWO MEN HELD
Moonshine, Mash and Utensils Seized in Sunday Raids.
The homes of R.J. Brandt and
John Petersen, 2214 and 2216 1/2 West First street, were the objective of
Davenport's sponge squad, led by Prohibition Officer R.E. Muhs, in raids
made shortly after 11 o'clock Sunday night. One complete 15 gallons still,
60 gallons of mash, and a half gallon of moonshine whisky were taken from
Brandt's place, while Petersen's upstairs rooms furnished another complete
15-gallon still, three, one-gallon jugs of hooch and one 12-gallon stone
jar.
Brandt and Petersen were arrested.
Assisting Mr. Muhs in the raids were Lieut. Homeyer
and Officers Kuehl, Kinney and McDermott. Entering the cellar of the Brandt
home, the officers found a complete liquor manufactory. The 60-gallons of
mash were destroyed and the moonshine and still taken to the police
station.
Petersen's still was secreted in a closet. Pushing
back a sliding door, the raiders discovered it nestling coyly in the
semi-darkness.
Both Petersen and Brandt were given a hearing
before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning.
Petersen plead guilty to the charge of possession
of the 15-gallon still and mash and was bound over to the federal grand jury
on $300 bonds. Brandt also plead guilty, waived examination, and was bound
to the federal jury on $400 bonds. Neither man was able to furnish the bond
so they are held at the county jail.
Steve Stopulus, arrested on July 7 charged with
possession, was arraigned before Commissioner Bush this morning and given a
continuance until Aug. 3.
WILLIAM MURRAY IS BOUND OVER
Entering a plea of not
guilty but waiving preliminary examination before U.S. Commissioner A.G.
Bush this afternoon, William C. Murray of Murray Bros. was bound over to the
federal grand jury on a charge of possessing liquor. His bond was fixed at
$500.
The Murray cigar store and soft drink parlor is
located at 227 Perry street. In the warrant it was indicated that chemical
analysis of home brew seized several weeks ago showed it had the necessary
"kick" for conviction.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 18, 1922
CHAS. PALMER PUTS UP BOND FOR JACK WALL.
Wall Bound to Federal Grand Jury by U.S. Commissioner.
Jack Wall, well known among
the citizens who would never support Mr .Volstead for president, was bound
over to the federal grand jury by U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning
and Charles Palmer, also widely known, furnished his $1,000 bond.
Wall was charged with possession of and sale of
liquor at 416 West Second street. The place was raided about a week ago.
Wall plead not guilty but waived preliminary examination.
Henry Jaeger, Jr., plead guilty to the possession
of beer but not guilty on a charge of possession of gin in connection with
the recent raid on his place at 1029 West Second street.
He waived preliminary examination and was bound
over to the federal grand jury on $500 bonds.
STOPOLOUS IS FINED $100 IN POLICE COURT
"Slippery Steve" Free to Face Music of U.S. Government.
Steve Stopolous, 519 Perry
street, was assessed a $100 fine in police court this morning on a charge of
keeping a disorderly house, and may now devote his entire time to answering
a charge of possessing illicit liquor on which charge he has been arrested
by federal prohibition officers.
Stopolous has been dubbed "Slippery
Steven" by the police and federal officers, who have been keeping a
close watch over him for the last few weeks. It was understood that he was
getting ready to move to Moline and for this reason the man was shadowed.
Stopolous, a Greek, has been the cause of many
complaints from neighbors, who asserted that he was running a saloon in his
residence.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 23, 1922
BARBER HELD AS 'LEGGER AFTER RAID
Ed Rodler Arrested Friday Night-Bound Over to Federal Jury.
Ed Rodler, formerly lessee
of the Davenport Hotel barber shop, recently managing the Blackhawk hotel
shop is facing a charge of having liquor in his possession, following his
arrest Friday night at his home, 222 Gaines street, after a raid by federal
officers and police.
Government men and Lieut. Homeyer and Officer Kuehl
last night searched the Rodler house and confiscated 16 bottles of beer and
about five gallons of moonshine whiskey, in half a dozen containers.
Rodler was given a preliminary hearing before U.S.
Commissioner A.G. Bush yesterday morning, waived the hearing of the
evidence, pleaded not guilty, and was held to the Federal Grand jury on $500
bond, which he furnished.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 26, 1922
PRO AGENTS SWOOP DOWN ON MAYSVILLE; BIG RESORT
RAIDED
As the result of a raid on
his two soft drink bars, dance hall and picnic grounds in the little town of
Maysville, 12 miles northwest of Davenport, yesterday afternoon, Albert
Roehlk, characterized by prohibition men as a "big duck in a little
puddle," will face liquor charges in U.S. commissioner's court here.
The raid was conducted by Federal Agent R.E. Muhs
and Deputy U.S. Marshal Terrence Kenney. Leaving Davenport shortly after 2
o'clock yesterday afternoon, the raiders made a clean sweep of the town,
returning to Davenport with eight sacks of beer and a small quantity of
moonshine liquor.
While practically the whole population of Maysville
looked on, Muhs and Kenney ransacked Roehlk's holdings. Liquor was found in
the icebox, behind the bar, in drawers, and in cubby-holes. Thirty sacks
full of empty beer bottles were found on the picnic grounds, a circumstance
which leads Mr. Muhs to believe that the place did a rushing business
Sunday. "Had we gone there Sunday, we would have found booze-selling
activities in full swing," he said today.
Roehlk was not at home at the time of the raid, but his
arrest is assured, officers state. He may be brought up before Commissioner
A.G. Bush tomorrow morning.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
July 30, 1922
WIFE'S EFFORTS FAIL TO SAVE 'LEGGER HUBBY
Simmons Taken After Woman Pours Out Liquor Supply
The loyal, tho illegal,
attempt by Mrs. Harry E. Simmons to save her husband from facing a
bootlegging charge, by the destruction of the liquor supply in Simmons'
place in Bettendorf yesterday afternoon failed because prohibition forces
had obtained a sale "on" Simmons. He has been released on $500
bond pending his hearing before Commissioner Bush next Friday.
The raid was made on Simmons' shack on Fourth
street, Bettendorf, near the river, by Federal Agent Muhs and Marshall John
Kracht, late yesterday afternoon.
Muhs purchased a pint of moonshine from Simmons, it
is charged and then returned with the town marshall. Simmons realized that
the arrest was imminent and stalled for time outside the shack.
Meanwhile Simmons' wife was pouring the liquor onto
the floor in a vain effort to remove the evidence. Officers found it seeping
into the boards when they entered the place.
Simmons was brought to Davenport and his bonds set
at $500 by the commissioner.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 3, 1922
CLARK TO GET BEER UTENSILS BACK IS ORDER
As a result of yesterday's
litigation in Justice W.W. Scott's court, utensils and materials alleged to
have been used in the manufacture of beer at the residence of Thomas Clark,
West Fifteenth street, will be returned. No evidence that the crocks seized
by Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs contained intoxicating liquor has been
brought out.
The Clark case has attracted much attention
for the reason that it involves a conflict between state and
government authorities. Mr. Muhs is certain that the liquor he poured out of
the crocks at the time of the raid was intoxicating, but as he did not
preserve any of the liquor, Attorney Carl Lambach, representing Clark,
contended that there was no evidence that been had been manufactured in
them.
Three hundred and fifty bottles of home brew were
found by the raiders in a building believed to be owned by Clark, yet
Attorney Lambach states that there is evidence to show that Clark was not
the owner of this beer.
GREEK'S CASE IS DISMISSED IN U.S. COURT
Consider Steve Stopolous, Booze Owner, Is "Punished Enough"
The case of Steve Stopolous,
519 Perry street, at whose residence a 50-gallon barrel of wine was found,
was dismissed by U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning. Stopolous
recently paid a fine of $100 and costs in police court and Mr. Bush said
this morning that arraigning him in commissioner's court would be equivalent
to trying him twice on the same charge.
Police officers appeared in court this morning to
give evidence against Stopolous, but were dismissed when the case was
quashed.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 6, 1922
DESERT SQUAD ARRESTS THREE IN NIGHT RAID
Federal Agent and Police Confiscate Homebrew and Whisky
CARL ASCHAUER ESCAPES
W.J. Timothy, Donald Sievert and Frank Schultz Held Without Bonds
Federal Agents and police
officers of the "dry" squad last night raided three soft drink
parlors, arrested the proprietors of two of them and caught one bootlegger
as he negotiated a sale of a pint of moonshine. One place was a waterhaul
and no booze was found. The three men are being held without bond
pending their hearing tomorrow morning.
Those arrested are:
W.J. Timothy, 118 Brady street.
Frank Schultz, 2046 West Third street.
Donald Sievert, 121 Brown street.
Efforts to have a bond set for the three prisoners
by U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush were useless and altho all of them had plenty
of money and bondsmen, they were forced to remain in jail with no prospects
of freedom until after the hearings.
Starts Early.
The raiding squad, consisted of Federal Agent Muhs,
Lieut. Walter Homeyer and Officers Dietz and Kuehl, started early last
night. Two cars were used and the officers walked into the three places
designated in the search warrants at the same time.
At Carl Aschauer's place, Third and Iowa streets,
police officers discovered nothing. Altho they said there was evidence that
an overturned pitcher had once contained moonshine whisky. No arrests were
made when a minute search of the premises failed to discolse any contraband.
At the W.J. Timothy bar, 113 Brady street, the
officers were more successful and confiscated six partly filled cases of
home brew. Some of the brew was on the ice and this also was brought to the
station.
Dumps Bottle.
When the arid raiders entered the establishment of
Frank Schultz, 2045 West Third street, the bartender tipped the pitcher,
which police say contained houch. Speedy work on the part of the police
prevented the escape of all the booze however.
They confiscated what was left in the pitcher a
glass which had contained whiskey and when they searched the second story of
the place unearthed two two gallon jugs, containing three gallons of
moonshine.
Donald Sievert, alias "Jitney", was
the third man to be arrested and he was taken in front of his home,
121 Brown street just after he had completed the sale of a pint of moonshine
to a patron. The money and booze were held by the police.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 7, 1922
Davenport No Place for Bootlegger Says Man Trapped by
Muhs.
"DAVENPORT bootleggers
may as well quit. They can't get by. I've been in the game four years, and
look where it has landed me!"
Lugubriously Donald "Jitney" Sievert, 121
Brown street, made this statement to Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs
after he had been "caught with the goods"- to wit, a pint of
moonshine whisky and several jugs smelling strongly of hooch- Saturday
night.
Sievert pleaded guilty to a liquor charge and was
bound over to the grand jury under $500 bond by U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush,
who held a special hearing Sunday morning. The man had little to say in his
own defense as this is his second "official" violation of the
prohibition amendment. The April federal grand jury ignored liquor charges
against him.
In a confession prepared for Mr. Muhs, Sievert says
that he sold the pint of moonshine to Claude Hunter, Peerless hotel, after
Hunter had stated he was sick and needed a bracer. "I took his five
dollar bill and got him whisky," he admits. "Just then a car drove
up with three police officers and a government man. They found the bottle
alongside a tree by my car. In the car they found two five-gallon and two
one-gallon jugs. Then the officers took me, Claude Hunter, and the pint
bottle of moonshine whisky to the police station."
"Sievert has the right hunch when he warns
local bootleggers," Mr. Muhs said today. "They will all be picked
up."
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 13, 1922
PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF BAD WHISKY
H.W. Michaels Bound Over by U.S. Commissioner.
H.W. Michaels,
Petersen building was bound over to the federal grand jury on a liquor
charge by U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush Saturday. Michaels' bond was
set at $500. He furnished it.
The man pleaded guilty to the possession of a
gallon of moonshine whisky seized at his place by prohibition officers in a
recent raid.
BROWN AGAIN FALLS VICTIM TO MUHS IN NEW RAID ON
HOME
After successfully and
legally spiriting the liquid evidence against himself from the custody of
county officials by court order, John P,. Brown, alleged bootlegger, again
found his house and premises searched yesterday and was shy four quarts of
moonshine.
Federal Agent Muhs made his second raid on Brown's
booze at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon, searching the place at 2331
East Pleasant street, whither Brown moved after the dry squad had
seized his beer and whisky at 1021 West Third street several weeks ago.
Yesterday afternoon two pints of beer were taken
from the cellar of Brown's new home and the four quarts of liquor were
discovered just inside the lot line in the rear of the house, wrapped in a
gunny-sack and concealed in high weeds.
The raid yesterday was only another move in the
chess game which has been played thru the courts between Brown and the
federal agent.
Arrested several weeks ago when the dry raiders
confiscated 42 dozen bottles of beer, 95 gallons of beer mash and six
gallons of "hooch", Brown retained Attorney Carl Lambach and
started a fight in the courts.
The search had been made on a state warrant, which
Lambach claimed was illegal. He convinced the court and an order releasing
the beer and whisky held in custody of the sheriff was obtained.
Two trucks drove up to the jail, extracted the beer
and sped away, leaving the government agent without evidence on which to
convict Brown of bootlegging and possession.
Muhs didn't weaken, however, and when he found that Brown
had removed his quarters from West Third street to East Pleasant street, he
obtained another search warrant, but this time it was a government order.
Brown wasn't at home yesterday afternoon.
U.S. Marshall Terry Kenney and Officer Pete Kuehl
assisted in the raid.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 14, 1922
"BROTHER'S KEEPER" COULDN'T KEEP SELF FROM
BOOZE BINDOVER.
"Mr. Bush, this is a
frame up!" Outraged at what he believed was underhanded work on the
part of prohibition authorities, James Hendrych, Bettendorf butcher shop
proprietor, voiced this protest when he found that, instead of being his
brother's keeper, he couldn't keep himself in U.S. Commissioner's court this
morning.
Five minutes after he had signed his brother's
$1,000 bond on a liquor charge, Hendrych was himself arrested on a charge of
selling moonshine whisky and was also bound over to the federal grand jury
under $1,000 bond. Altho he stated that he was able to furnish his own bond,
besides that of his brother ,he was not allowed to do so. He succeeded in
finding a bondsman.
James Hendrych is accused of several sales of
liquor to Bettendorf residents. Information against him was filed by Federal
Agent R.E. Muhs, while Oldrych Hendrych was "having it out" with
Commissioner A.G. Bush today.
Oldrych's saloon on Main street between Grant and
State streets, Bettendorf, was raided by Mr. Muhs and Deputy U.S. Marshal
Terry Kenney Saturday evening. Four gallons of moonshine in containers
varying in size from half pints to two gallon jugs were seized. Oldrych
pleaded guilty to the liquor charge.
According to Bettendorf authorities, the Hendryches
have been causing trouble for some time.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 15, 1922
POLICE ARREST SEVEN IN RAID ON A ROADHOUSE
Ivan Mastup, Proprietor, is Assessed $100 Fine Today.
A drunken watermelon vendor,
lying blissfully in a ditch near a roadhouse on the Waverly road, north of
Forest park, led a police raid and the arrest of Ivan Mastup, proprietor,
and six inmates at 3:20 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Officers Swinden, Dietz, McDermott and Kuehl
together with Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs, were returning from the
fair grounds when they noticed James Bartell, the watermelon man, and his
deserted cart of melons. Observing his two intoxicated persons on the porch
of the roadhouse, they staged a raid. Besides Bartell and Mastup, those
arrested were Mildred Wells, J.R. Reams, Frank Voss, C.J. Hanson and Neal
Spencer.
According to the police ,booze was flowing freely
at the place. An ice box, gaily decorated with lettuce leaves and containing
a quantity of beer was found on the creek bank. Liquor was also found in the
house.
Mastup was fined $100 and costs in police court
this morning. He pleaded guilty to a charge of keeping a disorderly house
thru his attorney, B.T. O'Neil. The man is an old offender, and has been
bound over to the federal grand jury on a liquor charge. It is not likely
that information will be filed against him in commissioner's court on this
latest offense police say.
All of the inmates and Bartell were ordered to pay
costs by Magistrate Harold Metcalf.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
August 25, 1922
CLAIM GROCER SOLD BOOZE AS HIS SIDE LINE
Jacob Ziffren Held to Federal Court After Raid.
Five ounces of alleged
whisky found in the grocery store conducted by Jacob Ziffren 830 Warren
street during a raid conducted last night by Prohibition Officer Muhs led to
his arrest on a charge of violating the Volstead act. Ziffren was taken
before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning where he was bound
over to the federal court for trial. His bond was fixed at $500.
A significant fact to prove the charge that Ziffren
had sold liquor to his patrons was the finding of a whisky glass in close
proximity to the bottle containing the small amount of spirits. Complaints
are said to have been made against Ziffren by residents of the neighborhood.
After the place was searched by Muhs, United States Marshal Kinney made the
arrest. The necessary bond was furnished by Ziffren.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 4, 1922
POLICE RAID RESIDENT AND DISCOVER BOOZE
Woman and Four Men Arrested; Two Pay Costs Today
One woman, Agnes Thiel and
four men, Otto Handez, Lloyd Housman, Charles Nelson, and Earl Campbell,
besides a pint bottle of hooch, two dozen bottles of beer and a number of
"empties" were captured at 328 1/2 West First street, in a police
raid yesterday. The Thiel woman is charged with keeping a disorderly house,
while the men are accused of being inmates.
The raid was made by Officers Hennelly, Gubser,
Gerdts, Snider and Phelan. When the police entered the house, they found a
party in progress, whiskey glasses, and bottles being displayed invitingly
on a table. Housman, who was lying on a bed, occasioned some trouble by
fighting, but was finally subdued, after he had been thrown over the bed
several times.
Handez and Housman appeared in police court this
morning and were assessed costs of the case. The others will probably be
tried tomorrow.
According to Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs,
liquor charges will be entered against Agnes Thiel unless she is fined $100
and costs in police court.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 5, 1922
WOMAN FINED FOR KEEPING BOOZE HOUSE
Agnes Thiel Assessed $100 and Costs in Police Court
Anges Thiel, alleged proprietor of
a disorderly house, at 328 1/2 West First street, was assessed a fine of
$100 and costs by Magistrate Harold Metcalf in police court this morning.
A pint bottle of moonshine whiskey, two dozen
bottles of beer, and a basket full of empty bottles were found by police at
the First street place in a raid last Sunday. Four men, alleged inmates of
the house, were arrested with the Thiel woman. Two of the men, Charles
Nelson and Earl Kammel, forfeited bail, while two others, Otto Handez and
Lloyd Housman, paid costs of the case when they appeared for trial
yesterday.
MOELLER RAID 3 TEMP BARS IN HOLIDAY DRIVE
Detective Henry Moeller of
the Davenport police force, working in new territory, raided three soft
drink parlors yesterday afternoon, aresting [sic] one proprietor and his bar
tender, but, obtaining no evidence against proprietors of the other two
places.
A.H. Myers, who keeps the place at 510 West Third
street, and Michael J. Reuefer, his employe, were bound over to the federal
grand jury in U.S. commissioner's court this morning after they had waived
examination on charges of possession and sale of liquor, filed by Federal
Agent M.E. Muhs. Reufer gave the name of "J. Domes' at the police
station. The two were held in the county jail until today's arraignment
before Commissioner A.G. Bush.
According to Moeller, he first entered the Jim
Clancy bar at Fourth and Gaines streets. Rushing behind the bar, he seized a
jar and a pitcher full of liquor. As he was turning to leave, Jam Jessen,
the bartender, knocked the utensils out of his hands, he says, allowing them
to break on the floor. No more liquor was to be found in the place, and
Moeller left.
From Clancy's place he went to Myers' and when he
asked for a drink of "bank," he alleges, there was no hesitation
about the sale. Then Moeller announced that the place was under arrest. He
took Myers and Reuefer to the police station together with three gallons of
alleged moonshine whisky found in a five gallon jug.
After he had discharged this duty, the detective
went to the Jensen and Sorenson soft drink parlor at 711 West Second street,
but was unable to find any intoxicants.
"I had good luck because my face was not
familiar to the bar owners or employes," Moeller said today. "Had
they known who I was I would not have been able to obtain any evidence at
all."
HUGE STILL IS RUN IN GUISE OF TRUCK FARM
Underground Booze-Making Plant of Alfred Koell Seized.
A quiet little truck farm
conducted by Alfred Koell on rural route No. 2, Davenport, when raided late
Saturday afternoon by Prohibition Officer H.E. Muhs, proved to be the
location of one of the largest and best camouflaged stills ever found in
this vicinity.
Koell was arrested following the seizure of the
still and a large quantity of illicit liquor and mash and when arraigned
this morning before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush, was held for a
special hearing on Sept. 6. A bond of $1,000 fixed by the court, was
furnished by the farmer-distiller.
The distillery was cleverly hidden in an extra
excavation made at one side of the building since the farm house was built.
Making a surprise visit to the house, Muhs found an 85-gallon still in
operation over a coal fire. The place, according to the officer, was
operated solely as a distillery, with no evidence that farm produce had ever
been sold on a paying basis.
In addition to the still, the officer unearthed 450
gallons of sugar mash and 16 gallons of moonshine liquor. The still
confiscated is 5 feet 6 inches high, 9 feet in circumference at the top and
11 feet at the bottom. Seventeen 50-gallon barrels were found on the
premises.
A brick fire-place had been constructed under the
still and was fed by huge chunks of coal despite the scarcity of the latter
commodity due to the strike. The excavation which houses the distillery is
30 feet long by 15 feet wide.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 11, 1922
SOFT DRINK MAN GIVEN "SURPRISE PARTY, " AGENT
Geo. Cheek Arrested This Morning in Raid; "Coffee" is Confiscated.
George Cheek, who operates a
soft drink parlor at 102 Pershing avenue, was arrested this morning in a
raid on his place of business which was conducted by local Prohibition Agent
R.E. Muhs and Officer Pete Kuehl.
It is alleged he was selling moonshine whisky.
The raiding party confiscated a coffee pot said to
contain a small amount of the whisky and several glasses which it is alleged
the "coffee" was served in.
Cheek is held at the Davenport police station
pending his hearing which is expected late this afternoon or Tuesday
morning.
ALLEGED LIQUOR DEALERS BONDED AT $500 APIECE
Harry Koehler and George Fahey Taken at Palmer Roadhouse Arraigned.
Three of the men taken by
the federal agents in their raids Saturday on local road houses and bars
were arraigned today before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush and bonded
at $500 each.
The three arraigned were Harry Koehler and George
Fahey, taken the Palmer House, and Joe Johnston, the alleged bartender at
the Hollywood Inn. Both of the resorts are near Nahant. They are directly
across the road from each other.
John Looney, a Rock Island attorney, represented Johnston
at his arraignment this morning. The other two appeared without an attorney.
All three men are charged with the sale of intoxicating liquors.
Local Prohibition Agent M.E. Muhs, who led the
raids said this morning that there was sufficient evidence to convict the
entire gang who were taken in the sweeping "surprise party" that
was sprung Saturday evening. The "party" he said was the direct
result of a long and thoro investigation on the part of the United States
agents.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 24, 1922
FEDERAL AGENTS CONTINUE DRIVE AGAINST LIQUOR
Proprietor of Soft Drink Bar at Eldridge Taken after Raid.
William Zabel, owner of a
soft drink parlor at Eldridge, and William Jones, said to be his bartender,
were Saturday bound over to the federal grand jury, when they were arraigned
before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush on a charge of possession and
sale of intoxicating liquor.
A raid was conducted on the Zabel bar late Friday
evening and a five gallon jug of moonshine whisky is said to have been found
with a coffee pot of hooch. The raid was made by Federal Agent R.E. Muhs
assisted by two special agents from Minneapolis.
The two men were arrested by United States Marshal
T.F. Kinney. They were released under $1,000 bonds.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
October 2, 1922
FEDERAL COURT STARTS ON OVERLOADED DOCKET AT 10 O'CLOCK
TUESDAY
Tomorrow morning, promptly
at 10 o'clock, the gavel in the hand of Federal Judge Martin J. Wade will
resound thru the erstwhile deserted court room in the Federal building like
a terrific peal of thunder on a storm tossed sea, and the monstrous wheels
of the grist mill of justice will start their semi-annual grind of the
more than two hundred cases on the federal docket.
They are here, or due in the city this evening,
those court officials and attaches, in whose hands rest the responsibility
of punishing those who run afoul of the United States laws.
Judge Wade and United States Attorney Ralph Pringle
are due to arrive in the city this evening. N.F. Reed, clerk of the United
States court; John C .DeMar and William P. Gregory, assistants to Mr.
Pringle, and Roscoe Jones, deputy clerk, arrived last evening and this
morning.
Tomorrow morning the court room, the scene of many
sighs, the silent listener of many pathetic tales, yielding its last breath
of freedom, for terms of years to many and yet withal the cause of many a
young miscreant turning on to the straight and narrow, will take on the
bustling air of ponderous activity.
The docket, probably the heaviest of any that has
been presented to the court for many years, contains 78 cases left over for
the spring term and 108 new cases bound over by United States Commissioner
A.G. Bush. Of these 108 there are 91 alleged violation of the Volstead act,
said Prohibition Officer Roy E. Muhs, this morning.
Many of these defendants are repeaters, persons who
have faced the Federal Judge from one to four times before.
At 10 o'clock tomorrow morning the Grand jury will
be impaneled. That august body will take the massive pile of evidence and
after carefully weighing it will present indictments or dismissals.
The day will be broken up in the hearing or motions
and the regular legal procedure preparatory to the presenting of criminal
cases.
Then the petit jury, the pleadings of defense
attorney, the sobs and sighs of those dear to those on trial, then the long
anxious suspense of the dragging moments while the jury, retired, is
weighing the evidence and then the verdict which means either happiness for
some, a fresh start for the defendant or a blasting life with years behind
the bleak, dark walls of the penitentiary.
Some of the most prominent cases to come before the
Federal court starting tomorrow are: Mary Olsen, an alleged brewer in the
West end of the City of Davenport; Charlie Noel, charged with being a
brewer, Dick Knautz, alleged bootlegger who faces the judge for the third
time; J.F. Devlins, charged with being one of the leaders in the bootlegging
industry; Mr. and Mrs. George Kettnich, said to be the proprietors of
Linwood; John Brown, on two booze charges; W.C. Murray, Jack Wall, Thomas
Clark and Chas. Neiswander, all local men who face two or more charges of
selling intoxicating liquor; Albert Roehlk, alleged proprietor of the
Maysville road house; Donald Sievert faces the judge this time as a booze
defendant, but has a record of running afoul of the United States laws
several times prior to this; Jess Follett, alleged bootlegger; Jake Mounts,
charged with being the proprietor of a soft drink bar at Buffalo; James and
Olnych Hedryck, Bettendorf alleged bootleggers; Harry Neil, also of
Bettendorf; Jack Oster and C.J. Shallberg, charged with operating a place at
120 East Third street; John Looney, junior, and Louis Pedigo, alleged
bootleggers; Alfred Koell, charged with operating an immense still; Harry
Koehler and George Faye said to be the proprietors of the Palmer house on
the Nahant road; J.K. Burns and Roy Robertson, Clinton, who were apprehended
with an immense quantity of alcohol, transporting it from Duluth in two
automobiles; Joe Johnston and Skimmer Hines, charged with being waiter and
proprietor of the Hollywood Inn, across the road from the Palmer house; Carl
Ashauer and George Getzinger, charged with operating a place at 329 and 331
East Third street; Ora Shea and Charlie Calnan, nabbed in the second raid on
the place known as Jack Wall bar; John and Henry Jensen, charged with
selling booze in the Antlers bar; George Pennington and Theodore Badger, 120
East Third street; Mr .and Mrs. A.T. Lee, proprietors of an alleged joint at
1??7 Harrison street; J.F. Donnelly and Harry Pohlman, 1609 Harrison street;
Jerry Louck and Mack Spittler, proprietors of a soft drink parlor at Third
and Pershing streets; George Jones and William Zabel, alleged bootleggers of
Eldridge and Fred Royster, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Green and David Burzell,
proprietors and bartender of an alleged notorious blind pig in Muscatine.
Those who are to face charges of violation of the
drug act are: Wm. McCallahan, charged with being a habitual dope peddler;
Harry Carry faces two charges of dope selling; Bill Stark, who attempted to
lay all of the blame on his "lady friend"; Louis Tofts, charged
with being a habitual peddler; Mose Meyer, colored; and Onez Gorman, charged
with being an addict.
Two face charges of violation of the Mann act. They
are Roy Francis, who is alleged to have transported a young girl from Rock
Island to Clinton and George Stoddard.
The grand jurors summoned to appear at ten o'clock
tomorrow morning are: Charles Arthur, Dewitt; Gustav Broders, Stockton;
Charles Caldwell, Washington; R.E. Cressy, Lost Nation; John Crooke,
Clinton; Jerry Corren, Washington; George Demory, Tiffin; W.J. Dunker, Grand
Mound; Henry Durst, Iowa City; Henry Gunther, Wheatland; Albert H. Hartwig,
Muscatine; Thom. Large, DeWitt; E.K. Linkhart, Oxford; W.W. Mercer, Iowa
City; Henry Nitz, Stockton; C.O. Pame, Iowa City; Marion Parmelee,
Fruitland; L.F. Rittenmyer, Iowa City; M.C. Robert, Oxford, Route No. 2;
Everett Shearer, Ainsworth: James Singleton, Conesville; J.B. St. John,
Calamus; James Sullivan, Iowa City; Gus Swanson, 734 Center avenue, Ottumwa
and T.L. Wales, Centerville.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
October 4, 1922
JUDGE WADE SAYS ROADHOUSE PROPRIETORS ARE THE WORST EVIL
AS HE SENTENCES VIOLATORS
Declaring that the present day
roadhouse or picnic grounds are the worst sort of bootlegging
establishments, Federal Judge Martin J. Wade continued to dish out jail
sentences to proprietors and employes of such places.
Time seemed to be no object. Jail sentences run
from 30 days to six months. Every jail sentence was accompanied with a fine
from $500 to $1,000.
He said that it was these so-called temperance
picnic grounds that was corrupting the morals of the younger set in the
rural communities. "Things have reached such a state of affairs that
the young farmer boy does not think of going to a dance without this
hooch. It is the fault of you fellows who are such cowards that you will not
do your bootlegging in the city, but go out into the country, then
proceed to sell promiscuously." This and other statements of a like
nature constituted the severe lectures which accompanied the sentences of
the defendants.
Pleas of hard times, of families with no means of
support and the scarcity of work were of no avail.
"Considering your case and the plea of
yourself and the counsel I will be lenient with you," he would say,
then follow with six months in jail and fines as high as $1,000.
The first one to be so disappointed was Joe
Johnston, said to be a waiter at the Hollywood Inn on the Nahant road. He
was charged with the sale of liquor on September 4 and the possession of 74
pints of beer on September 9.
A.J. "Skimmer" Hines, who was arraigned
with him, was said to have had no connection with the place. The charge
against him was dismissed.
Johnston pleaded guilty, but contended that he had
just started to work there. He said that he had been employed as a kitchen
helper, and that a man by the name of Brady who lives in Rock Island was the
proprietor.
He was Fined $500 and Costs.
George Faye, alleged proprietor and Harry Koehler,
said to be a waiter at the Palmer House, another of the rural picnic
grounds, were dealt with the severest of any of the "roadhouse
magnates". This resort is located across the road from Hollywood Inn.
The two were charged with the sale of liquor on
September 4 and with the possession of 132 pints of beer, five quarts of
wine, a quantity of gin and whiskey on Sept. 9.
Faye drew a sentence of three months in jail and a
fine of $1,000, none of which was suspended and Koehler was awarded a fine
of $1,000, $800 of which is held suspended for thirty days pending a more
thoro investigation.
The contention of the defendants was that they had
just taken the place over and that they were preparing to establish an
eating house there.
Ed Thiel, charged with running the same sort of a
resort at Stockton was fined $500 and costs. He was arrested on July 15 when
he had in his possession one quart of whiskey, one pint of gin and a pint of
wine.
LIMIT GIVEN TO DISTILLERS AT FEDERAL COURT
Jail Sentences are Feature of Morning Session; Many Arraigned.
"You
fellows must remember that the Volstead act has not been repealed and that
it carries a penalty of a jail sentence, a penitentiary sentence and a fine
and some of you fellows are going to go to Fort Leavenworth," Federal
Judge Wade told the first defendant charged with the manufacture of hooch
that faced him this morning.
John H. Rystraffer was the man addressed. He was
arrested on July 19 when the prohibition agents found him with two tents on
the river bottoms near Buffalo. In the two tents were two 40-gallon stills,
700 gallons of mash and six gallons of whisky.
In the center of one of the tents was a fireplace over
which was one of the immense stills. The mash was in 18 50-gallon barrels
around the tent.
"Six months in jail and a fine of
$1,000." echoed the voice of the judge after the defendant had told his
story.
Rystraffer contended that he was a bricklayer and
that he had been engaged to build two fireplaces for which he was to receive
$5 per day.
Joe Hollock was apprehended on the street on July
14 carrying a two-gallon keg of liquor on his shoulder. His place was
searched and a 26-gallon still was found with 100 gallons of mash and one
gallon of whisky.
In view of the fact that he had resisted arrest,
broke away from the city police and ran and later was recaptured he was
fined $500 and sent to jail until the fine is paid.
Alfred Koell, a farmer residing three miles south
of the city of Davenport, was charged with the manufacture of
"poison." This was the term used by the judge instead of hooch or
whisky.
Prohibition Officer Roy E. Muhs found his car in
front of the federal building. In it was a two-gallon jug of liquor. The man
was questioned and told where his still was located.
It was found to be a 25-gallon still. Sixteen
gallons of whisky was found as was 450 gallons of mash.
The defendant told the court that he had operated
the still since June and had sold his product to the soft drink bars in the
city for $5 per gallon. He was sentenced to two months in jail and fined
$1,000. The sentence was suspended until Nov. 15 to allow him time to
harvest his crop.
WM. GOLDERMAN WAS NOT GIVEN JAIL SENTENCE
William Golderman was fined
$100 and costs in Judge Wade's court Tuesday afternoon but was not given a
jail sentence in addition, as was erroneously reported in the city papers.
Mr. Golderman states the liquor found in his
possession at the time of his arrest he had secured for his own personal
use.
KETTNICH IS LET OFF WITH $300 AND COSTS
Linwood Proprietor Says Guests Brought Their Own Liquor.
After an eloquent plea on
the part of the counsel for the owners of the property on which Linwood Inn
is located, George Kettnich was fined $300 costs by Judge Wade in Federal
Court when he claimed that he did not have the liquor there for sale, but
that the patrons of the place had brought it with them.
The arresting officer testified that when the
raid on the inn was made, July 10, the defendant tried to break the bottles
of liquor on the ice in the ice box.
Eight pints of whiskey, four pints of gin, and ten
quarts of home brew were confiscated.
Kettnich was first arraigned this morning and pleaded not
guilty. Then the prosecuting attorney threatened to change the information
to include his wife as co-defendant. This afternoon the plea was changed to
guilty.
He and the owners of the property promised to do
everything in their power in the hereafter to keep the place as clean as a
recreation resort as possible.
Jake Mounts charged with operating a soft drink
parlor in which he sold hooch pleaded not guilty and his trial was set for
Thursday morning.
BIG FINES FOR TRANSPORTING ARE ASSESSED.
Victim of Circumstances Is Sent to Jail with Heavy Penalty.
A victim of circumstances,
yet he must pay. This is the predicament that Richard Eshen found himself in
this morning when he faced Federal Judge Martin J. Wade in the United States
district court.
Eshen claims to be an ironworker and is employed on the
new Parker building.
He says that on July 10 he was sitting in the LeClaire
park when two men with whom he was acquainted walked up to him. They had
just arrived in the city and were carrying a suit case apiece. One of them,
Grover Haines, was carrying a traveling bag besides the case. Haines asked
Eshen to carry the bag for him.
He did, not knowing what it contained and the three
started up the street. They had gone only a short way when Haines saw two
policemen coming toward them and he told Eshen to duck across the street. He
says he did, but that the police beat him across and do he dropped the bag
and ran. He was caught and taken taken to the station for investigation. It
was then he says that he learned what was in the bag.
He was fined $500, $400 of which was held suspended
to give him a chance to prove his story, but he must serve ?? days in the
Scott county jail in the meantime.
Homer McCullough, driving a truck belonging to
Posateri brothers of Rock Island was fined $500 and costs on a charge of
transportation of 152 pints of home brew. The fine is suspended pending the
time when analysis of the brew is returned. If it proves to have more than
one-half of 1 per cent alcohol the fine must be paid or he must go to jail.
If not the fine will be withdrawn.
He was arrested on Aug. 1 when he told the
officials that he was an extra for Possateri brothers and that he had gotten
the brew at ??17 First avenue, Rock Island.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
October 22, 1922
HUBBY CAUSES RAID ON HOME OF HIS WIFE
Separated Spouse Claims He "Framed" Her with Whisky
That her husband, from whom
she is separated, placed a gallon of moonshine whisky in her home and then
notified police that she was acting as hostess to a "hooch party"
is expected to be the defense of Mrs. Roy Fischer, 625 West Second street,
arrested with four of her friends in a police raid Sunday.
Mrs. Fischer, charged with keeping a disorderly
house, and the four inmates, John Alexander, W.H. Keagle, Irene Banks and
George Cheek, will appear for trial in police court Tuesday afternoon. They
were arraigned before acting police magistrate Merle F. Wells this morning
and a continuance was granted upon motion of their attorney, C.P. Hanley of
Muscatine.
According to Mrs. Fischer's attorney, the woman's
husband visited her home before the raid and asked permission to leave the
liquor there. This permission was granted and then, it is alleged, Mr.
Fischer filed information against his wife.
Police who made the raid, however, assert that when
they entered the Fischer home the occupants made a wild scramble to escape,
one of them, George Cheek, actually getting away. It is asserted that Mrs.
Fischer destroyed a pitcher containing liquor and thus attempts were made to
break a number of whisky glasses, which, together with the jug of moonshine,
are being held as evidence.
Mrs. Fischer and all of her guests except Cheek
were arrested by Officers Dietz and Lodge while Cheek was later picked up by
Captain Homeyer and Officer Kuehl.
The Fischers now have divorce action pending in
district court. Attorney Hanley is representing the woman in the disorderly
house case as both she and her husband are former residents of Muscatine.
Mrs. Fischer's 11-year-old daughter, Louise, who
was found when the raid was made, has been sent to the Juvenile home. The
mother is making an attempt to effect her daughter's release.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
October 25, 1922
DISMISSED IN POLICE COURT, HELD TO JURY
Hubby's Tip Causes Wife's Arraignment on a Booze Charge
After she and her friends
had been exonerated of disorderly house charges in police court late
yesterday, Mrs. Roy Fischer, 625 West Second street, was arraigned on a
liquor possession charge before US Commissioner A.G. Bush, this morning and
was bound over under $200 bond.
Information charging Mrs. Fischer with the unlawful
possession of a gallon jug of moonshine whisky was filed against the woman
by Police Officer Pat Dietz, who assisted in a raid on her home Saturday.
Officer Dietz testified in police court yesterday that when he and Officer
Pat Lodge went to her residence she smashed a pitcher, believed to have
contained liquor and a number of whisky glasses.
In view of this testimony, Mrs. Fischer has been
bound over.
Says Hubby to Blame.
Attorney C.P. Hanley, of Muscatine, appearing for
Mrs. Fischer, W.H. Green, George Cheek, Irene Banks and John Alexander, the
latter four persons charged with being inmates of a disorderly house, based
his police court defense on the fact that Roy Fischer, the woman's husband,
had filed information against her, causing the raid. He attempted to prove
that Fischer, himself, had "planted" the liquor in her home and
then notified the police.
These charges were vigorously denied by
Fischer, who testified that he arrived in town Sunday night, and then
visited his wife's home in order to get his trunk. He said that his wife
ordered him to leave and that he then went to the police station and asked
for aid in getting his trunk. He knew nothing of the jug and of moonshine
until he visited the house a second time, he declared.
Was Told to Break Glasses.
On the witness stand, Mrs. Fischer asserted that
she broke the glasses at the instigation of her husband, who, she said, told
her to perform this action if officers should ever enter the house. She said
that she did not own the jug of moonshine, and that it must have been
placed in her kitchen by her husband, against whom she has instituted
divorce proceedings. She claimed that Mr. Fischer was jealous of her, and
that he therefore attempted to work her harm.
In dismissing charges against Mrs. Fischer and
others, Police Magistrate Harold Metcalf said that there was not enough
evidence to warrant their being punished for keeping and being inmates of a
disorderly house. He ruled that there was small evidence that any of the
persons were intoxicated and that ambiguous circumstances concerning the
finding of the jug of whisky were not sufficient to secure conviction.
Two Known Leggers.
George Cheek and W.H. Green, police assert, are known as
former bootleggers and appear to be good friends of Mrs. Fischer. Officer
George Rogers alleges that the woman was seen in company of these two in
Cheek's saloon at Front street and Pershing avenue.
Both Police Magistrate Metcalf and Commissioner
Bush stated today that the woman his hitherto had a good reputation.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
November 15, 1922
WHITE POWDERS, HOOCH AND 13 PEOPLE NABBED
Donahue Place Raided by Government Men and City Police
One of the biggest steps
toward a clean up in the city of Davenport was made, according to Night
Police Captain Walter Homeyer, when he, one government narcotic agent, two
prohibition agents and Police Officers Kuehl and Dietz swooned down on the
resort said to have been operated by Mrs. Ella Donahue at 420 West Fifth
street at 8:30 o'clock last night.
Five capsules and a box of white powder which the
government say is cocaine was confiscated, as was more than a gallon of
moonshine liquor, nearly three gallons of wine, four quart bottles and four
pint bottles of home brew and a quart bottle of Kimmel.
The powders are to be sent to the government
chemists in Minneapolis for analysis. If the chemists report that it is
cocaine, new charges will be filed on all of those taken in the raid.
A total of 13 people found in the house at the time
were subjected to a severe questioning. They were, Mrs. Donahue, the alleged
proprietor, Robert McGrath and Thomas Hines, said to be the two bartenders
and Loretta Donahue, alias Loretta Hassan, a daughter of Mrs. Donahue, Mrs.
Ed. White, who gave her address as 1305 Second avenue, Rock Island, and who
claims to have operated the Market Square hotel on Seventeenth street in
that city, Mrs. Gene Johnston, 113 Brady street, Mrs. Ebba Munson, 619 Iowa
street, Hilda Witt, 528 West Sixth street, Margaret Donahue, another
daughter of Mrs. Donahue and George McDermott.
Mrs. Donahue, Hines and McGrath were arraigned
before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning and bound over to
the federal grand jury under $2,000 bonds. These three will all of the
others were arraigned in police court on charges of operating and being
inmates of a disorderly house and the cases continued. The alleged
proprietor was released under $50 bonds and the others under $25 bonds.
Louis Roddewig appeared as their attorney.
Captain Homeyer said that for the past six months
this place had been an eyesore to the city, that time after time officers
have picked up drunks who told him that they bought the booze of Mrs.
Donahue and that several of them had signed affidavits to that effect.
He told of several raids that the police had made and when they
reached the place they found that it had been cleaned and the liquor
dumped. One dope addict told police that there was dope sold there as well
as booze.
The government came and secured several
"buys", then went to police headquarters and asked for help.
He said that the police department was only too glad to give it to them.
The house was full of people at the time of the
raid. It was given a thoro search by the raiding party. The powder which is
said to be quinine and the full capsules and several empty capsules were
found behind one of the pictures that was hanging on the wall.
The quart of Kimmel, made in 1906 in Berlin,
Germany, was found concealed in the piano. It was only after the piano was
dragged from the wall by Officer Kuehl that the liquor was discovered.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
November 19, 1922
Alleged Opium Joint, Hooch Palaces Raided by Davenport
Police
More Than a Score Arrested in Clean-up of City Saturday Night;
"Hop" Pipe Found in Dresser Drawer Furnishes Evidence of Dope
Rendezvous; Officials Kept Busy Booking Inmates and Storing Varied
Receptacles of Liquor; Lone Officer Stages Raid.
Federal agents and Davenport
police joined hands to clean up the city Saturday night, raiding an alleged
opium joint, gin palaces, and houses of ill fame, arresting twenty four
persons and confiscating opium smoking apparatus and a large quantity of
liquor.
Held either on government or city warrants are Mrs.
M. Brown, 208 East Fifth street, Mrs. Clara White, 614 West Fourth street,
Lill Maloff, wife of the proprietor of the notorious Hollywood Inn, and Mrs.
May Arnold, 1125 West Second street.
While desk sergeants at the city police station
worked to place inmates at these places in cells or to send them to
the house of detention, a squad of officers was busily engaged in finding
nooks in which to stow carboys, kegs, cases and bottles of illicit liquor.
Orders were given those arrested to line up and a long queue leading to the
booking slate was formed.
It was at Mrs. Brown's place, which has been under
surveillance for a long time, that police and federal agents obtained the
biggest haul. The most important find here, however, was an opium pipe,
secreted in a dresser drawer-evidence which will be turned over to narcotic
inspectors in an effort to obtain substantiation for the police that the
Brown place was a rendezvous for drug addicts.
The liquor obtained at the Brown place consisted of
four ten gallon kegs of wine, nine quarts of gin, two gallons of moonshine
whiskey, several jugs and bottles of wine, a number of cans of cereal
extract and a quantity of whiskey mash.
Booze in Chicken Coops.
This booze literally filled every crevice of the
East Fifth street house. Officers Dietz and Kuehl and Federal Prohibition
Agent Roy E. Muhs removed from mattresses, drawers, closets, ice boxes and
other cubby holes, ransacking the place from top to bottom and always
finding more liquor. The whiskey mash was discovered in a chicken coop.
Officers found the opium pipe in Mrs. Brown's bedroom, but were unable to
find any narcotics.
Federal Agent Muhs stated last night that he has
obtained evidence of sale on Mrs. Brown, and will file charges against her
in federal court. Following the discovery of the opium pipe, the woman was
subjected to a rigid examination by police authorities, with somewhat
unsatisfactory results. The grilling is expected to be continued today.
Kept "Bar Tender."
Those arrested as inmates of the Brown place gave
their names as Betty Jerome, Maurice Hanson, John Smith, and W.M. Chalupa.
Hanson is alleged to have had charge of the liquor-dispensing end of the
establishment, and appears to be well known to the police.
Simultaneous raids were made on the Clara White and
Lill Maloff places by officers who, called to raid one place, found two.
The White house was raided under government
warrant, and yielded two jugs of wine, drinking utensils, and several
hydrometers, used in ascertaining alcoholic content of liquor. At this
place, it is claimed, a pitcher of hooch was poured out of a window by
panic-stricken inmates. Besides Mrs. White, four inmates who gave their
names as C. Endorf, P. Canary, John Gray and Ed Murphy, were arrested.
Nicknamed "Buckskin"
Mrs. White is a well-known police character and is
known affectionately as "Buckskin". Charges of sale of
intoxicating liquor will be filed against her, Federal Agent Muhs says.
At the Lill Marloff home, Night Captain Walter
Homeyer and his aides found a merry party in progress and proceeded to break
it up as quickly as possible. Besides Mrs. Maloff, seven inmates calling
themselves Ed O'Connor, M.D. Coburn, A. Hebbeln, J. Rowley, J.H. Reistoffer,
H.P. Kerr and Edna Smith were found drinking or indulging in other forms of
vice, police say.
The Maloff place was raided under a city warrant,
the woman being arrested on a charge of keeping a disorderly house.
Two cases of beer were seized, but it is not probable that federal
information will be sworn out against her.
Mrs. Maloff is also known as Lill Tank, and is
supposed to have acted as an agent for John Looney, vice ring leader.
Lone Officer Raids.
Officer John McDermott staged a lone raid early in
the evening when he was called to the May Arnold home, 1125 West Second
street, to investigate a call which had been received at the police station.
A woman had stated over the phone that Nick Johnson, a man living at that
place, had been slugged.
When McDermott arrived at 1125 West Second street
he at first could find nothing wrong. Finally, in the rear, he discovered
Mrs. Arnold washing dishes in her kitchen, while Johnson, his head bleeding,
was leaning against a door. In the kitchen were John Phillips, Mrs. Nick
Johnson, and Martin Blanick, and Austrian. Mrs. Johnson and Phillips
appeared to be intoxicated.
In response to questions they asserted that a man
named "Jimmy Smith" had slugged Johnson and had struck Blanick on
the mouth, following an argument.
Escapes Thru Window.
While they were talking, "Jimmy Smith"
himself entered thru an outside door, and was promptly apprehended. He
appeared willing to remain under arrest, and Officer McDermott, after
locking the kitchen door, started to investigate other rooms of the house.
After he had gone into the parlor, "Jimmy
Smith" made good his escape thru a window. It is expected he will be
arrested soon, as his whereabouts are known.
Fifty bottles of home brew beer were found in the Arnold
cellar by the officer.
Mrs. Arnold was taken to the police station where she was
booked on a charge of running a disorderly house. The rest were booked as
inmates. All will appear for trial in police court Monday morning.
The hectic evening began with the somewhat
sensational arrest of H.W. Michaels, No. 12 Petersen building, caught with a
pint bottle of moonshine at the corner of Third and Brady street by Federal
Agent Muhs and Officer Pete Kuehl.
Mr. Muhs has been trailing Michaels ever since he was
fined $500 and costs on a liquor charge at the last term of federal court
here. He suspected that the fine had not curbed Michaels' liquor dispensing
proclivities, he states, and therefore determined to watch him closely.
Another reason why Michaels was watched was because
he had failed to pay the $100 installment of his fine within the 30 days
given him by Federal Judge Martin J. Wade.
Saturday evening, Mr. Muhs asserts, Michaels was on
his way to deliver the liquor to a customer. Evidence of sale of liquor may
be produced against the man, who is now being held in the county jail
pending a conference between Judge Wade and Mr. Muhs.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
November 21, 1922
FEDERAL AGENT AND COPS SEIZE LIQUOR IN RAID
Residence of William J. Burke Yields Quantity of Illicit Beer.
Raiding the residence of
William J. Burke, 508 1/2 Harrison street, late this afternoon, Federal
Agent Roy E. Muhs and Police Officers Dietz and Kuehl, siezed a quantity of
home brew beer.
The warrant under which the place was searched was
issued from the court of Justice Merle F. Wells upon affidavit sworn out by
Officer Dietz. According to Justice Wells, no evidence of sale has been
obtained.
A curious co-incidence occurred when the officers
went to the Burke place to raid it. A man named Rice, ice-wagon driver, was
found hauling a suitcase filled with 30 pints of beer thru an alley near the
residence. Rice was arrested and is being held for investigation.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
November 26, 1922
POLICE RAID HOOCH JOINT, GET BOTTLES
Proprietor Admits Sales and Says He will Plead Guilty.
Police Captain Homeyer and
Officers Kuehl and Snyder conducted an energetic raid on the residence of
Charles H. Hawkins, 1040 West Second street, Saturday night, obtaining as
their reward two large crates of whiskey bottles and a minute quantity of
moonshine whiskey.
A bottle of real "evidence" was destroyed
by Hawkins while the officers were searching the upper rooms of his place.
When arrested, Hawkins admitted he had been selling liquor, and stated that
he would plead guilty to a charge of keeping a disorderly house when he is
arraigned in police court Monday.
In the arrest of Hawkins, police believe they have
captured one of the biggest hooch distributors in Davenport. Captain Homeyer
asserts that numerous complaints about that Hawkins place have been
received, indicating that it has been a menace to the community.
The only liquor secured in the raid just covered
the bottom of five gallon jug.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
November 29, 1922
Still, Liquor, Seized in Raid on Three Homes
Big Source of Supply Believed Stopped by Desert Squad.
Acting on government search
warrants, Federal Agent Roy E. Muhs, together with Police Officers Lodge,
Dietz, Phelan, Gerdts, Kuehl and Hennehy raided three homes in the same
neighborhood late yesterday afternoon, seizing a 15-gallon still and a large
quantity of liquor. Authorities believe that the raids have stopped an
important source of booze supply in Davenport.
Arrested as manufacturers are Robert Light, 2021
Telegraph road, Ray Meuman, 2116 [or 3116] Telegraph road and Henry Sothmann,
2733 Telegraph road. Light was the only one of the three to be at home when
the simultaneous raids were staged. The other two were arrested later.
A thousand bottles of alleged home brew beer,
besides two five gallon kegs and a five gallon jug of wine were seized at
Light's residence. Fifty-two gallons of beer ready for bottling were also
found at this place.
The still, 25 gallons of whisky mash, and a gallon
of moonshine whiskey were taken at Sothmann's place.
Meuman's residence yielded 600 bottles of beer and
a five gallon keg of whisky.
The booze and booze-manufacturing apparatus seized
at the three places provided two full loads for the police patron wagon,
which hauled the stuff to the police station where it is being held for
later destruction. Five hundred bottles of beer were broken at Light's home
as it was not thought necessary to retain as evidence. The mash and
unbottled beer were also destroyed.
Light and Sothmann are former brewery wagon drivers, and
according to police, were unable to get out of the habit of handling liquor.
It is asserted that Light and Meuman have furnished merchandise for local
bootleg parlors, altho they and Sothmann are charged only with the
manufacture of liquor. No connection between the three seems to have been
established.
Light waived preliminary examination before
Commissioner Bush today and were bound over to the Federal grand jury on
$1,000 bonds which he furnished. He plead not guilty. Sothmann also plead
not guilty, waived examination and was bound over on $500 bonds. A
continuance until Dec. 6th was granted to Roy Meumann. He furnished a
temporary bond of $500.
The cases were called before United States
Commissioner A.G. Bush this morning.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
December 7, 1922
D. SCHROEDER PUTS IN HIS RESIGNATION
Suspended Fireman, Accused of Possessing Hard Liquor, Quits
Dave Schroeder, suspended
from the fire department last week because several bottles of alleged hooch
were found in his boots at the Harrison street hose house, handed his
resignation to Chairman John Meier of the board of police and fire
commissioners this morning.
His resignation put an end to speculation as to
whether or not he would appeal his case. The charges were the first black
mark against Schroeder in more than 24 years of service.
Mr. Schroeder rates a pension under the
commission law regardless of his suspension.
ST. JOHN, TAKEN IN RAID ON INN, FURNISHES BOND
Arthur St. John, bar tender at the Crow Creek
Inn, taken by Federal men in a raid upon the place last night, furnished
$500 appearance bonds in commissioner's court this afternoon and was
released from custody pending a preliminary hearing on the charge of
selling liquors.
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
December 10, 1922
Nienstedt Bar Raided by Pros: No Booze Found
Armed with a government search warrant, Federal
Prohibition Agent Roy E. Muhs, assisted by Police Officers Gubser and Gords,
searched the William Nienstedt bar, 1138 West Third street, Saturday night,
and found-nothing.
"There wasn't a drop of intoxicating liquor in
the whole place," Mr. Muhs said, after the raid. "Nienstedt's bar
sure was a disappointment."
Which, according to a citizen's mood, is an
advertisement- or not.
Bootleggers
of 1923
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