Poplar Bluff, MO
Thursday Evening, Dec. 11, 1924 (Price 5 cents) - front pg:
JEALOUSY PROMPTING MANY
MOONSHINERS TO GIVE "TIPS"
TO OFFICERS ON COMPETITORS
Due, Prosecutor Says, to
Jealousy of Other Moonshiners.
ONE MAN CAUGHT
LATE YESTERDAY
Still OF Small Capacity Taken
By Officers In Raid Near
Neelyville on "Tip"
Given Them.
Jealousy among moonshiners has brought about 80 per cent of the arrests
during his administration, Robert I. Cope, prosecuting attorney, said
today, after a raid yesterday which resulted in the location of another
small still, and the arrest of one man.
"Some fellow gets a bigger business than the others," Cope said, "resulting
in jealousy, and finally 'tips' on the location of the still. A big percent
of those men and women who have been arrested for violating the liquor laws
have been caught through tips given by others who, I am confident, have had
a hand in such activities themselves.
"I believe the moonshing business is fast growing to a close in this county
because of the jealousy of the moonshiners. They won't let each other do
business because they feel they should have the other fellow's business,
and that brings the tip which results in arrests." Crude Stills.
When asked where the moonshiners get all their stills, Cope declared that
most of them were home-made contrivances and very crude. Few show expert
workmanship, and those, it is presumed, are imported. He said a moonshiner
could drive to some nearby town, place an order with some expert, and have
the work done without divulging his purpose. He might make some excuse for
having the equipment made. The better class tinners, he said, will not
manufacture any questionable equipment of this nature, and for that reason
he thinks the equipment is purchased in some other locality.
The still captured yesterday was a small affair, about 10-gallon capacity.
The officers located three barrels of mash and when they found Dave St. Cin
they told him it would be to his advantage to turn the still over to them
to prevent further trouble. He then declared he was through with the
business, and took the officers, Mr. Cope and Deputy Sheriff Clyde Hogg, to
the still and told them to take it. He had manufactured no whiskey, but
officers said the mash was almost ready to be "cooked," and that St. Cin
had hauled wood to the still in preparation for operations. Gave Bond.
St. Cin was brought here where he gave bond for $1,000, and was released.
He lives near Coon Island, near where the Nichols and Brown still was
found.
The reason he believes most of his "tips" come from those who are jealous
of moonshiners, is the fact, Cope said, that few law abiding people know of
such law violations. They pay no attention to the other fellow unless the
conditions are such as to make it necessary for the protection of his home,
family or property against the moonshiners.
Cope declared some of the "higher class": moonshiners are hard to catch
because they are only "silent managers" of their business. He spoke of one
who is supposed to be making liquor, but said officers had great difficulty
in getting hold of him because of the way he conducted his business. It is
said he takes orders for his whiskey, but that he has "fall men who make
the liquor and deliver it," Cope declared. "He is what may be called the
'brains' of the business," Cope said.
Also on front page ….
JUDGE DAVID BRUCE DEEM
Beginning today Judge Deem's History of Butler County will appear in The
Daily and Weekly Republican. Judge Deem completed his history some time ago
but only recently did he grant the privileges of having it used in a
newspaper. A portion of the history will appear on Thursday of each week
until completed. The history contains much information of general interest
in this section of the state. It deals with facts concerning Butler county
from the time it was first inhabited until the present time. The first
installment will be found elsewhere in The Republican.
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