THE WALKER STREET " STILL."

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 10 July 1890, Page 24

THE WALKER STREET " STILL."

STARTLING DISCLOSURES.

On the 26th of June a man named William Donnelly, who said he was a sailor, was charged at the City Police Court with having in his possession an unlicensed still, a still head, and a worm. The case was remanded for a week, and was then again further remanded to next Thursday. When the matter was before the court last week the accused (represented by Mr Hanlon) stated that he knew nothing of the affair, and that he had only been employed for an hosjr or so, to keep up a fire and to remove some furniture. The story was a very improbable one, especially as acoused was found sitting Reside the still, which was apparently being tried. It now turns, out, however, that his tale is not far wrong, if indeed it is not absolutely correct, and that he was simply the dupe of two scheming knaves, who are now in the hands of the police. The story is an almost incredible one, but as supplied to us by reliable authorities, it is as follows : — Some time ago a man named Waters was sent down from Wellington to- Dunedin, bis duty being to ferret out any unlicensed stills that might be in existence in Dunedin or suburbs. He found that private stills were either not numerous or too difficult to discover, and accordingly he took steps to bring to himself more remuneration, as well as the thanks of his employers for his services, and the way he set about his object was by attempting to play on an innocent individual one of the most cowardly and selfish trioks that has ever been brought to light. He took into confidence a man named Stewart, who fixed up the still in Walker street and did everything in connection with it, receiving bis orders from Waters on all points, as the latter did not, of course, from his position, want to be seen in the locality of the still. When matters had reached a suitable stage, Stewart employed a man— the hapless Donnelly— to work for him in keeping up a fire under the still, the nature of which article Donnelly was not acquainted with. He was also to remove some furniture, and after having a glass of beer in the house with his employer he went about his duties, while the latter left, as he said, "on business," The business, it now turns out, was to communicate with Waters, who then set the police on the track of " a man in Walker street with an illicit still." The police speedily put in an appearance, and found Donnelly keeping up the fire. The still, stjllhead, and worm were also in the place in which he was discovered, and with this strong evidence to back them up the police soon bad Donnelly in safe custody. Now, however, a very different face has been put on matters. Waters' conduct gave rise to suspicion, and he was watched, with the result that he was posted as "wanted." He was arrested in Dunedin last night by Constable Cruickshanka, having just arrived from Invercargill. His associate, Stewart, was arrested at Gore yesterday morniDg by Detective Maddern, and will be brought on to Dunedin to-night. Waters will be taken before the City Police Court to-day and remanded till tbe case against him and his accomplice is made out. Stewart will be brought before the court to-morrow, and will also be remaned. The latter is a stranger to the police and nothing further is known against him, but the same remark does not apply to Waters, although he has never been suspected of anything. The object of the two men was, of course, to secure the reward given by the Government, through the Customs department, in cases of this kind, to the persons who are instrumental in bringing them to light. The reward varies (according to the importance of the case. In some cases it might be £5 and in other s £100. It is said that the men were in Invercargill trying to work a similar trick, but the police got wind of it, and suspecting that something was wrong their little game was spoiled. __— - THE INFORMER AND HIS ASSISTANT IN COURT. John May Waters appeared at the City Police Court on Tuesday charged with having on or about June 15 conßpired with one Adam Elliot' for the purpose of causing Wm. Donnelly to be apprehended for being found in possession of a still. Inspector Moore said the acoused was employed by the Customs department in order to find out if there were any illicit stills in the colony. He came to Dunedin for the purpose, and fell in j with a man named Elliot, whom he took as a mate, and with the latter's assistance he erected a still in a house in Walker street. He then got a man named Donnelly to stop in the house for a short time. Donnelly was found in possession of the still, and was now in gaol under remand. He would be able to prove that the whole thing was a conspiracy to obtain a reward. The man Elliot; bad been arrested, and

would be in town in a day or so. He would therefore ask for a remand until Thursday. The accused asked if he might be allowed bail. Inspector Moore said the accused was unknown in Dunedin, but on the previous night he was trying to obtain money for the purpose of clearing out. Accused said there was a friend of his in Dunedin named Mr Heffernan, who had known him for many years. Inspector Moore (to the accused) : Mr Heffernan says he knows nothing about you. The Bench agreed to allow accused bail in his own recognisance of £200 and two sureties of £100 each. Detective Maddern (to whom we understand much oredit is due for traoing the alleged conspirators) arrived by the Southern express last evening, having Elliot in charge. Both Waters and Elliot will be brought before tbe court on Thursday. Inveboaboill, July 8. Sensational disclosures re the distillery conspiracy were made at the Police Court to-day. Two men named Waters (alias Stewart) and Elliot have been in town for some days, Waters giving out that he was an exciseman. Their movements attracted the attention of the police, who have found out a deep-laid plan for entrapping business people on charges of defrauding the Customs. Seeing a report in the papers of the Dunedin case, Detective Maddern concluded that these men were connected with the business. Inspector Hiokson telegraphed for a description of the man whom Donnelly asserted had entrapped him, and the discription supplied tallied with Elliot. The police here then discovered that an attempt had been made to repeat the Dunedin taotics. A house had been rented, and a boiler and stillhoad procured; but the conspirators' arrangements were' not -quite completed when the schemers found the police on their track. Elliot left by the express train on Saturday morning, and Waters in the afternoon, both getting on at side stations. The former was arrested at Gore, and the latter at Dunedin. Elliot was brought up here this morning, and charged with having had in his possession certain materials for distilling purposes, and also with being connected with the Dunedin case. He pleaded guilty to both charges, and in reply to the Bench gave an extraordinary explanation of his connection with Waters. He said that he was engaged by a man who advertised in the Dunedin Evening Star, aud gave him to understand that he was employed by tbe Customs to detect breaches of the law. He was bound to secrecy, and instructed to do simply as he was told. In Dunedin, Waters ordered him to get a house with a boiler iv it ; not to give his name, but to pay a week's rent in advance. This he did, and the house was fitted up with a distilling apparatus. He told him that a merchant had a lot of things on which duty was unpaid, and he wanted to catch him. Under Waters' instructions, he (Elliot) brought a man to the house, who now turned out to be Donnelly. lie the Inveroargill case, they were informed that a local merchant (Mr Hawson) had goods in his storo on which duty was not paid, and to trap him they fitted up the house as already described, and intended to conneot him with illicit distillation and then searoh the store for alleged contraband goods. Mr Rawaon, R.M., said that if Elliot were the dupe of Waters he would probably be discharged, but if he .were a party to a terrible conspiracy he would get a long term of imprisonment. _ After further explanations Elliot withdrew his plea of guilty in both cases, and was remanded to Dunedin to appear there on Thursday on th 9 second charge, and till Monday at Inveroargill on the first.