Daily Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa Feb 26, 1870 OUTRAGEOUS Knepper & Schlapp's Beer Vaults entered and 1180 barrels of Beer destroyed. A most outrageous proceeding took place at the Brewery of Knepper & Schlapp, in East Davenport, last night, the long and short of which is the beer vaults of that concern were entered by one or more villains, and the entire stock of lager, new beer and fermenting beer was let loose upon the floors. The entry was made by forcing in the outer door that leads to the lager vaults at the rear of the building. Here were stored away 400 barrels of choice lager, ready for the market. The plugs were all knocked out, and the fluid left to run upon the floor, which, after filling the drain, which was choked up at the river end, flooded the floor of the spacious apartment to the depth of several inches. The strong door leading to the fermentation room was next forced open. This room is occupied by large casks of new beer around the walls and in the centre the large fermentation tanks. The casks contained 600 barrels of beer, and the part of these had the plugs knocked out, and where that could not be done the head of the cask was bored close down to the chime so that the fluid all ran out. The fermentation casks contained 180 barrels of fermenting beer. The plugs were either knocked down from these or the slaves bored close down to the chimes. The aggregate loss stands at 1180 barrels of 31 gallons each, valued at ten thousand dollars. A very severe loss, and an exceedingly aggravating one. Nor is this the first outrage of the same character, though it is the most severe one. About this time last year an attempt was made by unknown parties to destroy the large stock on hand- All at once they discovered that their beer had a very unusual taste, that went through the entire department, tanks, casks, &c.- After several efforts tro ascertain the cause of the trouble, they drew off a cask and at the bottom small pieces of ordinary bar soap. Soem one had entered the premises by night, and doctored every barrel of beer in the establishment by dropping small pieces of soap through the bungs, and by throwing it into the fermenting tanks. The vessels were all drawn off,and the trouble in a measure remedied but the loss amounted to a considerable amount. Shortly after last Christmas they discovered that some one had been tampering with their fermenting vats. All at once the contents became inactive,and the trouble was ascertained in time to effect a remedy. Finding that their designs were not entirely successful, the scoundrels determined to make a sure thing of it last night, and did it most effectively.- It is thought that more than one must have had the work in hand last night, though Messrs. K & S have not the least idea as to who their persecutors are. The loss is a heavy one, yet they are not discouraged, but will proceed at once to re-stock their cellars. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police, and no pains will be spared to ferret out the villainous scoundrels who thus make malicious waste of people's property. Cathy Joynt Labath Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm