Project Editor: Jeffrey Miller, History 470: Digital History, Spring 2008

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Drys Raid University Dance on Campus

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EX-STUDENT BARB LEADER IS ARRESTED, RUM SEIZED

Alan Williams Out on $1,000 Bond; Plan Grand Jury Quiz; Wilson's Hand Is Seen

LINCOLN. Feb. 14.—Alan Williams, 25, former student at the University of Nebraska, was charged with illegal possession of liquor Sunday, following a raid at an all-university dance in the campus coliseum.

When Williams was arrested, Lowry C. Wimberly, associate professor of English at the university, and Mr. and Mrs. Norman Eliason, with two young women, were taken to police headquarters, and later released without bond. No charges have been filed against them. Eliason is an instructor in the English department. Police said they believed the instructors had nothing to do with the liquor.

Wimberly and the Eliasons had attended the dance as sponsors.

"BARB MIXER"

Williams, released on $1,000 bond, will be arranged [sic] Tuesday before United States Commissioner H. J. Whitmore, according to Robert Van Pelt, assistant United States district attorney. Wimberly and Eliason, with the three women, will be witnesses, Van Pelt said. The women gave the names of Viola Butts and Lucille Mills.

One pint of whisky, a quantity in cups ready to serve, and seven quarts of beer were seized at the coliseum. Williams admitted all the liquor was his.

At the police station Williams told the raiding officers he had five gallons of wine at his home, 504 North Fourteenth street. This too was confiscated.

Williams, an insurance salesman, is a former "barb" leader at the university. The dance was known as the "Barb Mixer."

The dance progressed without interruption to its close shortly after midnight. As most of the guests were leaving by the front door the raiders entered through the rear and went straightway [sic] to a room off the ballroom, where they found the liquor.

MAKING ROUNDS

Professor Wimberly said he and the Eliasons were making the round of the building, as is customary at the conclusion of a university dance, and had just stepped in the door of the room occupied by Williams.

Wimberly said he saw the bottle containing liquor on a table, and was about to order Williams out of the building with it, when there was a knock at the door, which Williams answered.

The raiders entered the room.

Van Pelt said the testimony presented at Tuesday's hearing may be presented to the grand jury, convening in March.

The hand of Harold Wilson, new deputy federal prohibition administrator in Omaha, was seen in the raids. Charles Davis, his chief deputy, and Harry A. Pound, both of whom have been stationed in Omaha, conducted the raid.

They were aided by Detectives Frank Weygint and George Meyer of the Lincoln police department; County Deputy Cecil Ward and Campus Policemen L. C. Regler, James Magee and Hollis Miller.

Regler, Magee and Miller in their capacity as campus officers, were present at the dance all evening and saw nothing wrong, Regler said.

Regler wanted it understood he did not instigate the raid or fur-

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RAID UNIVERSITY CAMPUS DANCE

nish information which led to it.

"I was there all evening," he said. "I saw nothing wrong. If I had I would have stopped it.

"Then, when the dance was over, these federal agents come up to me. They identified themselves and asked for my help. I was glad to help them. But I knew nothing of the raid until then."

Regler said he had noticed several strangers at recent dances, and believes they were undercover agents preparing for the raid.

Chancellor E. A. Burnett is in western Nebraska. In his absence Dean H. H. Foster of the law college is acting as chancellor, but the latter said no official statement will be issued until Dr. Burnett returns.

Professor Wimberly is editor of the Prairie Schooner, known as the "voice of the midwest's culture," and is a contributor to the American Mercury.