Big Still is Discovered by Sheriff's Men

 Marietta Daily Times, January 11, 1926

Well-Hidden Plant Had a Capacity for Large Output.

Clarence Allen, who was sent to the penitentiary two or three years ago after his conviction on a charge of operating a still on the McCann farm above Waterford, was re-arrested on Sunday by Sheriff Yarnall's men and will be returned to the state prison to complete his term of one to five years on the former offense.

Allen, after his release from the penitentiary, rented the Marshall heirs farm above Devol's Dam and last year was one of the successful truck growers of that section. He was an energetic and tireless worker and produced bumper crops with fine profits to himself and the owners of the farm. He and his family resided in the old Marshall homestead near the Masonic Park.

Recently there had been rumors that all was not right about the place, and on Sunday Deputy Sheriffs Way, Lindamood and Masters raided it and found a liquor manufacturing plant.

Hidden Under Ground

After moving a large pile of coal that they found in an open shed about 60 feet from the house, the officers found a trap door leading into an underground passage. They lowered themselves into the tunnel and followed it into what proved to be the largest and best-equipped distillery ever found in the county.

The cavern extended clear along one side of the old brick house that Allen has occupied, and a large still with special apparatus for cooling the output was found. Connections had been made with the regular chimney of the house.

Place Well Stocked

A large underground room was filled with mash barrels with the necessary heaters to keep the mash fermenting, and it is apparent that the plant could turn out great quantities of liquor. The officers found 850 gallons of mash ready to run.

Stored in the plant the officers found large numbers of five-gallon jugs and other containers. They gathered up several gallons of liquor, but the supply of finished product was not large. They found hundreds of pounds of sugar and many sacks of cracked corn and rye, all of which were seized. Several truck-loads of the contraband were hauled to the court house.

Allen had built his underground plant months ago, it was apparent, and the ground above it was covered with good, firm sod. The roof of the cavern was made of heavy planking and this carried about 18 inches of soil, all neatly topped with grass that apparently had been kept moved during the past season.

Has Years to Serve

Allen was committed to the county jail and a parole officer is expected to come to Marietta within a day or two to take him back to the penitentiary. He has about four years of his original sentence to serve.

There was every indication that Allen's outfit had been in use for months, a condition that explains many things to the sheriff and the police. Time after time they would get word that the Allen crowd had big supplies of liquor in the city, but their best efforts to trace it to the base of supply proved fruitless until Sunday.

"We know one or two of the partners of Allen in this enterprise and expect to pick them up without much trouble," Sheriff Yarnall said on Monday morning.