Iowa Old Press
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
Special to the Democrat
Mt. Pleasant, Ia., April 24-
Pearl DeVol of Baltimore township brought ten wolves to the
court house last Monday, the pelt of a mother wolf and her nine live cubs. He
received a bounty of $46 for the day's work. He had shot the old wolf with a
rifle and then dug out the cubs. Children who saw the live cubs wanted to carry
them away, they were so taken with them.
Miss Edith Whiting is teaching at Salem. She has not finished college yet so she attends two classes in the morning here at Wesleyan, then takes the train at 10:50 and teaches at Salem in the afternoon and gets back home at 7:30. It makes a full day for her, but she is enjoying the work.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Stevens lost their little boy, Herbert, April 19. He was ill at our county hospital for five weeks. He was just a little over a year old. Funeral services will be held Friday at the Stevens home.
"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.
Submitted by C.J.L., Mar 2006