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From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [IASCOTT] !! Davenport Democrat; October 1922 Bootleggers
Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 09:44:46 -0600

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.



Cathy Joynt Labath
Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project
http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm
Iowa Old Press
http://www.IowaOldPress.com

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