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

WIMBERLY EXPLAINS FINDING N. U. LIQUOR

Alan Williams Held After Raiders Enter Campus Coliseum.

Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 15.—A University of Nebraska professor and an instructor, L. C. Wimberly and N. E. Eliason, both of the English department, are under call as witnesses and Alan Williams, 25, a former student leader is under arrest charged with possessing liquor as a result of a raid by federal agents on an all-university dance in the campus coliseum Saturday night.

Chancellor Burnett of the university said action in the case of the two faculty members who were in a room where liquor was in evidence when the officers arrived, would be reserved until the district attorney finishes his investigation.

Mrs. Eliason, and Miss Lucille Mills and Miss Viola Butts, students also are to be questioned Tuesday by Assistant United States Attorney Van Pelt.

Professor "Flabbergasted."

Prof. Wimberly and Mr. Eliason were the faculty chaperons for the party.

"We had gone into the room earlier in the evening to smoke a cigaret and saw no evidence of liquor," said Prof. Wimberly. "Shortly before midnight, however, we saw a number of students going in and out of the room and, suspecting that liquor was there, went in to investigate. We found liquor in evidence and were debating between ourselves what to do when the officer came in. Naturally, we were flabbergasted."

Prof. Wimberly said he, Eliason and six or seven others were asked by Williams, a '31 graduate, to chaperon the party but that he and Eliason and Mrs. Eliason were the only ones who went.

"I had heard that at these parties, there likely would be liquor and we constantly kept our eyes open," said Wimberly.

"Seemed a Dry Party."

"We saw no signs of drunkenness during the evening until the two of us walked into that room and found Williams and several girls in there, it had seemed to be a pretty dry party. When the officers arrived, they found a small quantity of wine, a bottle or two of beer and several flasks partially filled with alcohol."

Williams, now a Lincoln insurance salesman, was released Sunday under one thousand dollars bond. After his arrest, officers found five gallons of alleged wine in his apartment. Van Pelt said the case may be turned over to the grand jury for action.

The all-university party was intended for non-fraternity students. Williams, when he was in school, was a leader in "barb" affairs and last year was a member of the Innocents honorary society.