Iowa Old Press
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 10, 1922
"BOOZE ARMY" RAIDS ROADHOUSES, BARS;
GET ENORMOUS HAUL.
Hollywood Inn, Charles Palmer Roadhouse, and Two Local "Soft Drink"
Bars Objective of Seven Prohibition Agents,
Deputy U.S. Marshal, Sheriff and His Aides; Three are Arrested and Liquor
Charges Will be Filed Against Several More, Local Prohibition Man Says.
A huge quantity of beer, wine, whisky, gin and alcohol was
seized by a squad of seven federal prohibition agents, together with Sheriff
William Brehmer, his two deputies, and Deputy U.S. Marshal T.F. Kenney, in four
raids, involving two roadhouses and two local soft drink bars, Saturday
afternoon and evening.
The places raided are:
Hollywood Inn, Nahant.
Charles Palmer roadhouse, Nahant.
"Antlers" bar, Third and Scott streets.
Former Jack Wall bar, Ora Shea, proprietor, 416 West Second
street.
Five hundred bottles of whisky and wine were seized at
Hollywood. The Palmer roadhouse yielded 56 quarts of wine, two quarts of whisky
and 200 bottles of home brew. Five gallons of alcohol, two gallons of gin and
five quarts of whisky were taken at the "Antlers" bar while five
quarts of gin, three quarts of whisky and three pints of whisky were seized at
Ora Shea's place.
Federal Prohibition Agent R.E. Muhs and Federal Agent Ben
Kookbeck, of Des Moines, were in charge of the raids in which four general
agents from Minneapolis, Minn, and two state agents from Des Moines
participated.
The Hollywood Inn and the Palmer roadhouse were raided at
3:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Dividing themselves into two bodies, the
federal agents conducted simultaneous raids on the two places.
"We found booze everywhere," Mr Muhs stated last
evening. "There was booze on ice, ready to serve and there was stored
booze. It was one of the biggest hauls I have ever made."
George Fay and Harry Koehler were placed under arrest at the
Palmer place and Joe Johnston, in charge of operations at Hollywood, was taken
into custody there. The men were lodged in the county jail pending filing of
liquor charges against them.
Returning to Davenport with their haul, the squad lost no
time in raiding the two "soft drink" bars. Again working
simultaneously, they took the bootleg parlors completely by surprise. Quietly
and efficiently, the booze was removed, no disturbance of any kind occurring.
The first discovery, at the "Antlers" bar was a
suitcase containing gin, whisky, and glasses - complete paraphernalia for the
shaking of thirst. Outside the door in the rear of the bar, which is operated by
Jenson brothers, were found the five gallons of alcohol, gin and whisky.
Raiding of the Shea place was a simple matter. The liquor was
not hard to find. Prohibition Agent Muhs said last night, and those in charge of
the place offered no resistance to the raiders.
Mr. Wall states he sold his bar to Mr. Shea last spring. The
beverage license for the conduct of the place has been in the name of Ora Shea
since April 1, 1922.
All of the seized liquor was taken to the office of Mr. Muhs
in the federal building, where it will be destroyed. The government men
were busy all Saturday evening removing the liquor to a place of safety in
the building.
Mr. Muhs stated last night that liquor charges will be filed
against those implicated as soon as he can get in touch with U.S. Commissioner
A.C. Bush. The men involved will probably appear for hearing in commissioner's
court this week.
"The four places raided are the plague spots of Scott
county," the local prohibition man said.
"Complaints about the roadhouses and bars have been
frequent. The Hollywood place is notorious." Mr. Muhs made no statement
whether or not charges will be filed against Joe Maloff, proprietor of the
Hollywood Inn, or against Charles Palmer, who operates the roadhouse across the
road from Hollywood.
"We should have waited until later in the evening to
raid the two roadhouses," two of the general prohibitive agents said last
night. It would have been more fun to raid them when they were full of people.
However, we were in a hurry and could not wait.
"The raids are the result of government investigation of
Scott county liquor joints. Mr. Muhs should receive full credit for the splendid
part he played in conducting the raids."
Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
September 11, 1922
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 at 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
Sep 13, 1922
WOMAN WHO DRANK LYSOL IS RECOVERING
Mrs. Ralph Crane of Mt. Pleasant Astonishes Physicians.
Special to the Democrat
Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Sept. 12 - Mrs. Ralph Crane, who drank lysol last Thursday is astonishing all the physicians with the progress she is making toward recovery. She is beginning to take nourishment and she is getting much better physically and mentally, so that there is great hope that she may entirely recover.
Buy Picture Theatre.
D.E. Arries and M.L. Dickson have bought the auditorium from
Earl Hoaglin and have taken charge of Mt. Pleasant's only theatre and picture
house.
G.E. King, a professor of the college has bought the John P. Hughes home on West Broad street for $8,000. It is a fine home.
William Craig, the plasterer, was arrested today, together with 15 gallons of booze he is said to have made. He has been turned over to the United States officers at Burlington. His wife complained to the authorities that he had been drunk for a long time and that he has been selling the stuff.
See Pavey Hung.
Dr. M.C. Mackin and Ed Harwood of the state hospital
are the only Mt. Pleasant people who saw Ira Pavey hanged at Ft. Madison Friday.
The state board of control was here and Dr. Mackin took them to Ft. Madison.
Harwood is the driver of the state care. That is how he happened to be present.
He says he does not want to see another hanging.
Miss Miriam Withrow has returned to Wichita, Kansas, to teach school.
William Craig mentioned above told the U.S. commissioner at Burlington that he knew nothing about the wine at his house, 15 gallons of which were seized by the town marshal and was released. He claims that he has been working in Ft. Madison and that when he returned home the booze or wine, was in his yard. Probably a gift from Santa Claus.
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.
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.
Submitted by C.J.L., July & October, 2005