Still Raids

Officers Raid Henry County, Va., Distillery

5/24/1958

Police officers raid and destroy an illegal whiskey distillery located inside a shed in Henry County, Va. An officer has a discussion with a handcuffed distillery operator. A stack of boxes containing mason jars is visible through the door of the shed. The building is dynamited, and footage shows the wreckage left after the explosion.

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Anchor script text: In Henry County......state and county authorities have destroyed one of the biggest stills seen in that area in some time. (roll film) It was located 4 miles east of Martinsville off state route 58. (show film) Two men were surprised at the still just as dawn was breaking Sunday. Arrested and charged with the making of illegal untaxed whiskey were 37-year old Kermit Adkins of Route Three, Ferrum and his uncle--42-year old Luther Adkins of Henry, located on the Henry County-Franklin County line. The still was being operated inside a big shed. The the violators were living in a rented house nearby. The heart of the operation was a giant upright steam boiler. Seized along with the men were two electric and one gas pump...1,000 pounds of sugar...40 gallons of whiskey and 35 cases of empty fruit jars. Henry County sheriff Mortan Prillaman calls the still one of the three biggest captured and destroyed in that county in revent years. Channel 10 camerman R.W. Jessee was in on the kill.

Illegal Still Raided and Destroyed by Federal Agents

12/31/1959

State and federal agents find large fruit canning jars full of moonshine and a pop-up still operation in Franklin County, Va.

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Anchor script text: Late News Thursday, December 31, 1959 Federal Alcohol Tax Unit Agents and investigators for the State ABC System staged their own New Year party tonight (START FILM)...They raided and destroyed a 500-gallon illicit liquor still in Franklin county, thereby insuring a drier and probably sadder January for some Roanoke area folks (SHOW FILM)... The raid got under way about 7 o'clock near Six Mile Post, some five miles northwest of Rocky Mount. Three men were found at the still, which agents said apparently had just gone into operation. Two got away, but the investigators arrested 45-year-old Owen Hooper Stanley of Route One, Rocky Mount, and charged him with being the owner and operator. 18 cases CONTAINING six gallons each OF "MOONSHINE" were destroyed by being taken from a confiscated truck and smashed against nearby rocks. The distillery included two 75-gallon steam boilers and 13 300-gallon fermenter boxes. It had been cleverly constructed beneath a hill and above a creek. However, it is no longer in existence, for the investigators returned after arresting Stanley and blasted it with dynamite. They said Stanley was arrested December 22nd last year on a distilling charge but was not convicted.

Agents Destroy Moonshine and Illegal Distillery

2/12/1962

Alcohol control and tax officers survey and then destroy distillery equipment, many bottles of moonshine, and large fermentation boxes containing mash.

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Anchor script text: (Start film) Meanwhile, Liquore-by-the fruit-jar got the full attention of ATD and AbC officers today in Franklin County. (show film) They destroyed a 550 gallon, low pressure operation in an early morning raid. Agents swooped down on the operators and destroyed all the joy-juice. The still was located off State Route 623 about one and a half miles East of Ferrum. Officers say it had been in operation for several days. Using 100 pounds of dynamite, agents destroyed 32 boxes containing 225 gallons of mash, 375 gallons of untaxed booze and the still. Three motor vehicles were seized and five men arrested. They are: Roosevelt Chaney, Roy Quinn, Mike Quinn, C. E. Wright and Elton Whitlowe. The five appeared before a U-S Commissioner in Rocky Mount.