Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 214, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 September 1911 — RAIDED WE AST’S POOL KOOK SUNDAY FORENOON. [ARTICLE]

RAIDED WE AST’S POOL KOOK SUNDAY FORENOON.

Found “Homo" and “Jingo” and Five Bartels of Unlabeled Staff Said to Be Nothing But Beer. Marshal Mustard and Constable “Billy” Parks raided J. Weast’s pool ■Yoom Sunday morning, following evidence procured which indicated that he was selling intoxicating liquor. Weast bought the George McCarthy pool room two months or more ago and soon engaged extensively in the soft drink business, or at least it was supposed to be soft drinks that he was selling. His business increased at a rapid rate and his patrons seemed largely to be & class who were recognized as imbibers of intoxicants. His place has been looked upon with considerable suspicion for some time and many people who saw evidence of laW violations predicted that Weast’s days were numbered. He was given plenty of rope and Saturday afternoon and night the officers allege that there was a stream of business to his place that beggars description. Thirsty patrons were lined up in his joint three and four deep and Weast and three or four assistants were required to take- care of the business which came from the front and rear? alley and back door business having particularly the appearance of clandestine liquor sales. Sunday morning business started up in good shape and patrons became so noisy that Marshal Mustard closed the place at about 10 o’clock. It was just about noon when the officers, armed with a search warrant, went to his quarters on Washington street and started their inside investigation. They found so * many barrels and cases of stuff that there was not much room left for the pool parlor. Thirteen barrels of “Homo” were found, also a supply of “Jingo” and five barrels that were marked “X” on the exterior and the bottles on the inside of which were unlabeled. Those are thought to contain beer and the officers have sufficient evidence’ that it is beer to make things look dark for Weast: ."> .

Saturday night In the rear of Weast’s place, Qua MaGee, who has been working here as a laborer, was found in an intoxicated condition. He was Uken to Jail and stated that he had drunk nothing but “Jingo” purchased in the WeasT Joint. The same evening Charles Crouch bought a bottle of the same stuff and turned it over to the marshal, and Sunday morning the marshal also procured another bottle of the same stuff in the same manner. It is unlabeled and came from one of the barrels marked with an "X”. Weaat seemed greatly alarmed during the search but claimed that all the stuff was “Homo.” When the officers found a barrel with the “X” mark and found that the bottles Inside were unlabeled, Weast said that it was all “Homo,” whether labeled or not. He also stated that there was only one unlabeled barrel in the place. The officers took him at bis word and confiscated, only tbe one barrel. They also found thirteen empty quart whiskey bottles and other containers in the room. This Monday morning early Weast had the dray pull up at his place and remove two barrels to his house across the river. The officers then procured a search warrant for his house and' found the two barrels of unlabeled stuff. Tbey also found two more barrels in tbe pool room. In the basement of the Weast home a large numper of empty whiskey bottles and whiskey jugs were found. Two of these jugs are said to have been taken from tbe poolroom to the house last Saturday. The confiscated stuff was taken to the jail, for safe keeping. Weast was arrested on three affidavits and his case set for trial this Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock before Squire Irwin. Weast came to Jordan township from Illinois and for the past two years has been an active fertilizer agent. He came to Rensselaer last March and engaged in the pool room business about two months ago. Charles Saidla and Jim Robinson and one or two other clerks were employed by him Saturday.