Culp and Widenhouse Confiscate Still, "Hootch" and Lunch, April 28, 1923

Snake Season Disregarded by Prohibition Officers. . . Officers Culp and Widenhouse Revel in Ham Dinner, Leaving Prospective Purchasers to “Root, Hog or Die”

Albemarle News-Herald

Disregarding the inconvenience which it no doubt caused hundreds of prospective customers and absolutely inconsiderate of the fact that snake season is even now at hand, Prohibition Officers J.e. Culp of this county and D.H. Widenhouse of Concord raided the Bear Creek section just north of the Albemarle-Stanfield highway on last Thursday, smashed a perfectly good 90-gallon still and confiscated 16 gallons of what was regarded as a good grade of white sugar loaf “licker.” The still was cocked and primed and ready to run out this popular beverage at the rate of several hundred gallons per day, no bought, and indications were that the owners were on the job up until just a few minutes before the arrival of the officers. They had evidently gotten a “hunch” that the officers were coming and had snatched the large copper cap off the still and carried it some distance away, where Messrs. Culp and Widenhouse found it in their search. In attempting to save the cap to the still, however, the owners lost a perfectly splendid box of nice country ham and fried eggs, which had just been brought them for their lunch. This the officers also confiscated, and Mr. Culp will testify to the fact that no better ham has ever made his acquaintance.

The big still was cut into pieces and the cap brought to Albemarle, together with the 16 gallons of “hootch,” all to the great sorrow of the owners, whoever they may be, and to the unspeakable disappointment of some people who would have had, no doubt, plenty of good “licker” in their cellars at this writing, but for the raid.

The prohibition officers did not see any persons about the still and have not the remotest idea as to who the owners were. All they seemed to know when they arrived in Albemarle Thursday afternoon was that they had destroyed a mighty big “hootch plant,” seized 16 gallons of the real article, got one of th finest dinners consisting of fresh ham, eggs and large, white, mellow biscuits that it has ever been their satisfaction to come in contact with.

From page 4 of The Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, April 28, 1923