Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1917 — RAID ALLEGED “BLIND PIGS" [ARTICLE]

RAID ALLEGED “BLIND PIGS"

Find Many “Dead Soldiers” and a Few “Live Ones” Friday. Sheriff McColly, City Marshal Robinson and Mayor Spitler, armed with search warrants, paid a visit about 3 o’clock Friday afternoon to the homes of John Rouns (“Pacing Billy”), Chase Day and Dan Day, all residing on the north side of the railroad, and-as a result fouhd some “wet goods” at each place. Rouns and the two Day boys were arrested and their bond fixed at S2OO in each case. Their trial is set for June 9 before Mayor Spitler. Hiram Day, father of Chase and Dan, went on his sons’ bond and they were released, but Rouns was unable to give bail and was placed in the county bastile.

Rouns, who is an old man who came here from Monticello a few years ago, occupies a “hole in the wall” on the west side of McKinley avenue, just across the street from the Rensselaer Lumber company office. His quarters, it is said have no other means of light than through a window at the front, OVer which a thick shade is drawn, and are said to be the most filthy imaginable. The old man himself has possibly not taken a bath in twenty-five years and perhaps not in fifty years or more. At his joint were found eight cases of empty beer bottles; eight empty gallon jugs, twenty-two empty quart whiskey bottles and two quarts of whiskey. At Dan Day’s—Dan lives with his mother on the north side —several empty beer bottles were found and a quart of whiskey. At Chase Day’s fourteen quarts of beer were found together wita several empties. It is said that the officers have evidence of sales of both beer and whiskey by each of the parties arrested, but it is understood that the Day boys, especially, will claim that the goods found at their places were for their individual use, and that they sold none to anybody. Later—Rouns was released Monday evening on bond signed by W. V. Porter and J. A. Larsh.