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Officers of excise may search for and seize private stills, &c. without a warrant from a justice;
and proprietors and persons obstructing shall be subject to the same penalties as if the officers had a special warrant.
Finding of illicit articles to be a justification of forcible entry.
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18. Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to make it unlawful for any officer of excise to search for any private or concealed still, back, or other vessel for the making, preparing, or keeping of wort, wash, low wines or spirits, or other materials preparing or prepared for distillation, . . . without such warrant as aforesaid, or from seizing every such still, back, or other vessel, and all such low wines, spirits, wort, wash, and other materials preparing or prepared for distillation, . . . which he or they shall so find, or to proceed in relation thereto in manner aforesaid; and every person with whom the same shall be found, or who shall obstruct any such officer, or any person acting in his aid, or shall otherwise offend in any of the particulars aforesaid, shall be subject and liable to the same penalties and forfeitures as if such officer had been acting under such warrant as aforesaid, any thing herein-before contained to the contrary notwithstanding; and if any officer of excise, having entered any house without a warrant, shall break open any door or lock, or forcibly enter any room or place, in search of any concealed still, back, vat, cooler, or other vessel or any spirits, low wines, wort, or wash, or other materials preparing or prepared for illicit distillation, . . . and shall find any such private or concealed still, still head, or worm of a still, or any back, vat, cooler, or other vessel, or any spirits or low wines, or wort or wash or other materials, . . . such finding shall be a full justification of such breaking or forcible entry, and on proof thereof in any suit or action to be brought against any officer, or any person acting in his aid, for the same, a verdict shall be given for the defendant.
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