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Two Bob Sleds Used by Offi cers to Take Care of Con fiscated Liquor Taken by Searchers, Hurley, Wis. Dec. 28—About 70 persons were arrested, 37 saloons searched, and two bob sled loads of liquor seized in a raid by federal Prohibition enforcement agents here today, according to a statement by Joseph Callahan, in charge of th agents, who came here from Chicago unexpectedly. The federal agents, with their pris oners and seized liquor, planned t go to Ashland, Wis. to arraign the prisoners before a United States commissioner on charges of violat ing the federal prohibition laws, Mr. Callahan said. From the viewpoint of a surprise party the affair was a complete suc cess, ‘federal agents agreed While it was declared the saloon men ha been “tippedd off” last night, appar ently no great quantity of liquor had been “tipped off” last night, appar citizens. Street cars were used to transport the agents, their prisoners and seized SanOE from Hurley to Ironwood, where they were taken aboard the special cars. More arrests were expected this afternoon. An unusually “wide open” night last night, with any sales in wet goods, showed us today. Many of those arrested were lumberjacks and others almost par alyzed with drink. Moonshine, according to observers who pretended to know, constituted the principal “wet” haul, although there was a considerable quantity of the kind that bore brands formerly familiar sights in every saloon win dow. But the “real stuff was de clared in the minority, Is Logging Camp. This logging camp town has been the center of any prohibition feeling for several months. Many of the lumberjacks are foreigners. The smouldering resentment to ward prohibition broke into flame in a battle here on October 9, when Pee operatives encountered tloggers who lost contraband whisky, estimated to be worth $85, 00 One man was killed in the fzht and another was seriously wounded Since that time. It is said, prohi bition agents avoided Hurley, wait ing until complete preparations quld be made to make a raid in orce. Law Defying Community. The whole district in this part of the north woods has been regarded by city officials as a law-defying community. Reports that dance halls, saloons, gambling rooms and bootleg joints flourished openly— each one selling any kind of liquor obtainable, from moonshine whisky to Italian wine—have been numer ous. Opposition to any encroachment from outside took definite form, however, after the ambush in Oc tober. It was asserted that the bootleggers organized and issued a defi that the first prohibition agent to show himself in Hurley would be shot. They vowed, it was said, to keep Hurley “a man's town for real men.” Home brewing has become a Prominent industry, according to residents of the town, which boasts little more than 3,500 people. Ken tuckians, driven from the hills of their own state by revenue agents, are said to have migrated to this district and set upheir stills. Armed Agents on Way. Chicago, Dec. 28—Forty-eight armed prohibition agents headed by Joseph Callahan, chief of staff to Major Dalrymple in his Iron River, Mich., liquor raid last spring, were en route to Hurley, is, this morning, to clear the town of al leged bootleggers. The party car ried 38 warrants, with instructions to arrest every man named, by force, if necessary. * The town of Hurley is alleged to be one of the “wide open” spots in the north woods. It is a logging camp and said to be the seat of ex tensive moonshining operations. Rum Runner Killed: It was near Hurley that John Chiapusio, an alleged liquor runner, was killed last fall in an encounter with Leo J. Grove, prohibition agent in upper Michigan, whom Wisconsin authorities now are seeking to extra cite for trial. Grove made the com plaints that caused Major Dalrym ple, former prohibition enforceme ntent for the central states, to lead his expedition to Iron River. The expedition to Hurley was or dered at the instance of Federal Judge Landis, after reports had reached him that alleged moonshin ers had threatened to shoot any pro hibition raiders who put in an ap pearance, 100 Places Sell Booze. More than 100 places, it was re ported, make or sell weisky and wine. Thirty-eight are saloons and the raiding party carried warrants for the arrest of the proprietors. Other places said to be selling liquor were pool rooms, private stills and back-bar shops. Frank B. Richardson, Major Dal rymple’s successor, is said to have been working quietly for several days on preparations for the Hurley raid in an effort to avoid the oppo sition of state authorities and citi zens such as was encountered by Dalrymple at Iron River. Hurley, which has been referred to as one of the “wettest” spots in the country, was reported to have been “wide open” last night.
Newspaper Details
Omaha Daily Bee
Omaha, Nebraska, US
Wed, Dec 29, 1920
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 22 Aug 2026
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