Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1915 — MT. AYR MAN CHARGED WITH BOOTLEGGING [ARTICLE]

MT. AYR MAN CHARGED WITH BOOTLEGGING

John Bennett Alleged to Have Disposed of Several Quarts of t'Whisky in Rensselaer. Constable J, W. Childers went to Mt. Ayr Thursday evening and placed John Bennett under arrest and he is now in the Jasper county jail, having waived a preliminary hearing. About a week before Bennett had visited Rensselaer and Night Officer Critser watched his movements and decided he was selling booze, but did not secure evidence to justify his arrest until after he had left town. He reported the matter to Deputy Prosecutor Sands and evidence was procured that looks convincing. One young man is said to have made a clean breast of his purchases from Bennett. The trial will come up at the April term of the Jasper circuit court and if Bennett was working for others it is hoped he will turn state’s evidence and implicate the higher-ups. He is a married man and a day laborer and his imprisonment will go hard with his family.