Bootlegging

CHAPMAN GUILTY ON THREE COUNTS

State Wins Hard Fought Case Against Clarion Bootlegger Last Week

The Chapman bootlegging case occupied the center of the stage in the district court last week, nearly three days being consumed in trial.
Because of the prominence of the defendant, John Chapman, and other circumstances in connection with the case, it attracted widespread interest throughout the county. Realizing the serious charge lodged against him the defendant secured the services of an able criminal lawyer in the person of Gerald Leming of Hampton. On the other hand the state was fully aware of the fact that it had very little evidence upon which to base its case and for that reason the assistance of Judge McCall of Fort Dodge was brought in the trial. The case was given to the jury Friday shortly before the dinner hour and at five O'clock a verdict of guilty was returned, being a complete victory for County Attorney Blue, Sheriff Johnson and the better citizens of the community in general, who are deeply interested in the enforcement of the law.

The defendants was indicted by he grand jury on three counts, viz: Bootlegging, the possession of intoxicating liquor for the purpose b f sale, and maintaining a liquor nuisance since some time in January, 1925, and on other days." The  First ballot taken by the jury on referring to consider the case stood 9-3 for conviction, one of the three negative ballots being blank. The next ballot was 10 to 2, then for 1 to 1, where it so remained for an hour or so, an Eagle Grove woman being the last to join the majority. She was laboring under the impression that a verdict of guilty the nuisance charge would implicate the entire family, as well as the relatives upon whose land Chapman had lived.

Defendant's case was greatly handicapped by his character witnesses, Thompson and Johnson of Eagle Grove. One of them denied on the stand that he had ever been convicted of a felony, while the court records showed he had served ? total of over 100 days in the county jail. The other admitted stealing some chickens and a keg of booze. Another damaging point against Chapman was the fact that two of the three young men, who made affidavit that they had purchased alcohol of defendant, skipped the county shortly before the trial was started, after having repudiated their statement when called before the grand jury. Outside the booze element a vast majority of the people of the community were against Chapman and this fact was evident from the lack of character witnesses from his home community.

Attorney Blue made a fine talk to the jury. He was succeeded by defendant's attorney, who took Occasion to ridicule the state's main witness, because he was confined in the county jail at this time. Judge McCall followed and was quick to take advantage of the last remark by asking the jury how it was that this young man came to be in jail. The answer was pertinent and to the point. Because, as the witness himself had stated, he had become Intoxicated upon purchased from the defendant in case. Defendant's attorney called him a drunkard, when as a matter of fact there was no evidence to how that he had ever been drunk except the one case above cited, at which time he and the two other young men referred to alleged that they purchased a half gallon of alcohol from Chapman. Judge McCall gave a splendid talk on law enforcment and liquor violations in particular. It was attentively listened to by a court room full of people and made a lasting impression on the minds of many. He administered a just rebuke to bootleggers in particular and summed up the whole situation by saying that bootlegging was a "rotten business.”

DANCE HALL

A few days ago Harl Gimer, Klemme young man, was arrested near the dance hall at Lake Cornelia by Deputy Sheriff Wilson It was suspected that he was trans- porting liquor When his 1929 Ford roadster was searched two bottles partly filled with booze were found The young man was released on bond but his car was held by the officers Trial is set for this week.

VAN ARSDALE HELD ON BOOZE-THEFT CHARGE
 Eagle Grove Young Man Faces Serious Count
Claude Van Arsdale, 21, of Eagle 3 Grove, is again in the toils of the law. He has waived to the grand jury on two counts. On a bootleg charge his bond was fixed at $2000 and on a robbery affair involving two diamond rings his bond was fixed at $5000. When these matters have been cleared up he will be called upon to explain why he defrauded an Eagle Grove woman out of $430, for such charge will be filed against him by the county attorney.

54 Bottles Homebrew Seized in Raid at Belmond Saturday
Sheriff Leonard, Deputy Wilson
and Marshall Rierson raided the home of Donald Beenken in Belmond Saturday afternoon, seizing 54 bottles of home brew. Beenken was brought before the mayor at that place who sentenced him to 30 days in the county jail or to pay a fine of $100, after the defendant had pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal possession of unlabeled liquor. Beenken is now in the county jail.

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