Discovery of an Extensive Private Still

On Friday morning, at an early hour, a porter name Davis was observed to receive a box from two persons whose conduct had been suspected for some time by Serjeant Edwards, of the New Police, division S., who followed the man, and took him into custody. Serjeant Edwards then informed the supervisor of the division his suspicions, who, with two Excise officers, proceeded to No. 15, Suffolk street, Somers Town, where they found a man and his wife named Sales. In the passage they discovered about half a tub of molasses, in the kitchen a 40 gallon copper still, quite warm, and having the appearance of being recently worked; about 100 gallons of water to condense the spirit, three casks which would hold about 30 gallons, containing upwards of two gallons of unrectified spirit; five casks of wash, containing about 150 gallons liquor in an unrectified state, and five bladders, such as illicit distillers use to vend their commodity. The officers then proceeded to a house in Pancras street, Pancras road, where they found a person who gave his name William Blake Stow, who at first refused them admission, but eventually let them in. Here the officers also found about two gallons of spirits, of the same quality as that previously seized; a quantity of molasses, pepper, cigars, which they also seized, and then conveyed the prisoners, Davis the porter, William Sales, and William Blake Stow, to Hatton garden Police office, where the case was regularly gone into, and the facts above stated proved by several witnesses.—Davis, the porter, was discharged, and made an evidence against Sales, who he swore was one of the men who gave him the box to take to Tooley street for which he was to receive 2s. Mr. Stow, who said the cigars and pepper had been presented to him, but declared he knew nothing of the liquor, or how it came into his room, the house belonging to a person named Ryley, was ordered to be detained until that person came forward. Sales was fined in the sum of 251. and costs and in default of payment ordered to be imprisoned three months in the House of Correction.