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FOUND BIG STILL DEEPLY BURIED

Also Several Gallons of Double Distilled Moonshine Ready For Sale.

Officers state that word had been coming for some time that moonshine was being sold in the vicinity of John Whitehead’s home in Beechwood, the attention of the neighbors having been attracted to this by numerous automobiles that happened to call in that neighborhood and, they say, that one of the sales was made as late as Sunday evening.

On Monday afternoon, J. Walter Bee, the prohibition officer, and Capt. W. A. Smith made a visit to the Whitehead premises where they spent nearly two hours before they struck pay dirt, about the time they were ready to give up the search. They hunted all through the house, they state, and all through the cellar, but there was nothing to indicate that there was any contraband within a hundred miles of the place. Finally, they climbed under a latticed porch on the outside. In one corner there was a lot of rubbish and this was removed. Then the officers noticed a place where the earth had recently been disturbed. Digging down about two feet they discovered a barrel of rye mash. Further and deeper they unearthed a copper still and coils. Still deeper they discovered a gallon and a half gallon jug each filled and also about a dozen bottles of the real moonshine.

Whitehead was taken to the county jail and locked up for a trial.

Excerpt from The Parkersburg Sentinel

May 31, 1921

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The Day They Raided Blennerhassett Island is Recalled

The days of Prohibition were exciting times for at least one Parkersburg resident, who was a member of the West Virginia State Police at that time and participated in a number of raids on “bootlegging” operations.

Emmett Hall, 503 14th St., who served as a member of the law enforcement agency from 1921 through 1923, recalled especially a “sea-going” raid carried out at Blennerhassett Island.

Although he cannot recall the exact year, Hall believes it was 1923 when the Parkersburg detachment received reports that there were several barrels of mash hidden in brush on the island. At the same time, they were told that a young boy had been thrown overboard by a group of intoxicated men, near the island.

As the police, including Deputy Commissioner O. E. Summers, Sgt. William L. Hayes, Trooper Hobart Smith and Hall, approached the island, a house boat was seen to be anchored near shore. A man on deck was seen to be throwing something overboard, so the police increased their speed.

DUMPED STILL

They arrived, as a South Parkersburg resident, who was shot to death in recent years, cut the mooring lines on the house boat and moved it into the river. At the same time, he could be seen in the process of dumping materials.

The man jumped overboard during excitement caused by the near drowning of Sgt. Hayes. The sergeant had dived under the boat in order to recover the still-warm still and struck his head on the hull. All of the officers were required to save his life. The equipment was not retrieved. Smith attempted to swim after the escaping “moonshiner,” but was weighed down by his equipment.

The following day brought the capture of a second boat and its “moonshining” equipment, also at the island. The two boats, tied up at the mouth of Neal Run, were mysteriously sunk during the night at a later date.

It is believed that the boats had been used to travel up and down the river, where mash was stored at specific locations. The still was set up at each location.

MARRTOWN SITE LOCATED

A short time later a still was located in the woods near Marrtown, but the men had fled. The discovery was made by a man who was looking for his cattle.

All of the men involved are now deceased with the exception of Hayes and Hall.

The Parkersburg News

Jan. 12, 1964

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.