Rum Runners caught in Auto was the headline blared by the Wyandotte Herald marking for the first time the name of Walter Grund as a prominent member of the Downriver liquor fraternity. Grund was arrested in the company of Louis Payalock on November 18, 1929 by federal officers who spotted a group of suspected liquor smugglers loading 25 cases of whiskey into an auto on Grosse Ille. Grund and Payalock were arrested and charged with Violating National Prohibition Law. While Grund's position as a downriver liquor smuggler pailed in comparison to Joe Tocco, Chester LaMare and the Licavoli brothers, his operation did a brisk business as witnessed by the above mentioned raid and a prior seizure which netted 20 cases of whiskey and wine as it lay in storage at the lower end of Grosse Ille a week before.
Who Was Walter Grund
Walter Grund fought for the United States during the first World War and returned to Wynadotte wehre he became a member of the local Americain Legion. Grund made his home at 320 Eureka Avenue, Wyandotte, Michigan although he often gave his address as 128 Pine St. Grund's rise in the liquor trade came to a sudden and controversial halt less than 2 months after he was picked up loading liquor on Grosse Ille in the aforementioned case.
The Controversial Shooting of Walter Grund
Acting on a tip from an unnamed source, Cheif Inspector W.A. Albertson and a team of officers moved in on a boat which was in the process of docking near the Michigan Alkali Co. Amoung the persons on the boat at the time was Walter Grund and a companion later identified as Roy Fountain. Grund had made the papers jsut two months prior when he was arrested while in the process of loading 20 cases of whiskey on Grosse Ille. Grunds companion gave this account of what of the events which ultimately led to the untimely death of Walter Grund. Grund and Roy Fountain travelled to LaSalle, Ontario, Canada where they secured 30 cases if beer. Bad wheather on the Detroit river forced the ambitious duo to dump the majority of their load overboard to be retreived later. As Grund rowed his boat into a docking area on Grosse Ille, Fountain noticed the prescense of federal officials awaiting their arrival on the dock. Fountain claimed remarked "We'd better get out of here, there are federals on the dock." This statement was followed immediately by the sound of four shots fired from the dock by agent Claire B. Hopper. Three of Hopper's shots were errant but the fourth found it's mark striking the rising liquor dealer in the stomach. Fountain took over the rowing duties from the injured Grund and made his way to a dock on the premises of the Michigan Alkali Co. After tying the boat up Fountain set out to find help for Walter who was still conscious inspite of loosing a great deal of blood. Upon his return from phoning in a report of his friend being shot by a rival smuggling gang, Fountain returned to the boat only to find that Walter was not there. Grund was later found in the wash room of the Alkali plant and transferred to Wyandotte General Hospital. Both Grund and Fountain were placed under arrest after Cheif Inspector Albertson received a second call notifying him a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Albertson and his squad raced to the Alkali plant and secured the remaining twelve cases of liquor. Grund at this point was unconcious and in great need of a blood transfusion. Like a loyal soldier, Fountain provided Grund with a pint and a half of his blood to increase the chance of survival. Grund lingered near death for months even recovering enough to be moved back to his own flat before succumbing to his wounds on April 9, 1930. A coroners inquest listed the cause of death as shots fired from the gun of Clare Hopper. This finding rekindled an investigation which disputed the claims of Hopper and his superior Chief Inspector Albertson that Grund was shot when he attempted to pull a firearm from his hip. No gun was ever fund and Fountain denied that he nor Grund was armed as they made their quest across the Detroit River. Inspite of the coroners findings and statements attributed to Fountain, the prosecuting attorney declined to pursue criminal charges finding that Hopper acted in the line of duty when he fired the four shots at the boat and Grund. Walter Grund was just 30 years old at the time of his death.
