Smyrna times., 1859-10-13
AdulteratiOn of Liquors.


The evidences of very general adulteration
of liquors. well as of the concoction of spuri-
GUS articles on large scale, accumulate daily
and place the truth of the matter beyond ques-
tion. The latest testimony we have seen, go
ing to prove these criminal practices, comes
from a well-known dealer in The article OF GU,
Udolpho Wolfe, of "Scheidam Schnapps" ce-
lebrIty. We presume his competency to speak
on this subject, being himself engaged in the
liquor trOffic, will be generally acknowledged
In pamphlet recently issued he furnishes the
results of his experience and observation. Ac
cording TO Mr.. Wolfe, The practice of adultera-
ting pure liquors and compounding spurious ar.
tcles has reached a most startling point. He
tells US that while in the New York Custom
House, the returns show an actual importation
of 10000 half casks of brandy, 81, 900 quarters,
and $4,000 eights, twenty or thirty times that
number are sold by mixers and iobbers to re-
taIlers and country dealers, as genuine French
brandy, newly imported, and of the choicest
brands; with one gallon of pure brandy will be
mixed twenty gallons of spurious compound
" Three fOurthS of all foreign brandies and
gins" 1t is said, are imported for the cypress
use, an dduLterGtionS, Of the mirers and jO6bers
OF the day." But comparatively few of the
selt-styled importers of brandy and other liquors
are such in reality, says Mr.. Wolfe. They may
import enough to furnish cloak for their prac-
tees, but that is all. One man who has sold
thousands of gallons of a certain kind, of
"torelgn liquor, has not imported more than
five pipes in five years! THIS is shown by the
Custom House hooks.
In the work of aduIteratlon, subtle poiSOnS,
taken from the vegetable and mineral kingdoms,
are recklessly employed. From the vegetable
says Mr.. Wolfe, opium, tobacco, henbane,
strychnlne, coculus Indlcus; from the earth,
various elements too numerous to detail from
the acids. oil Of vitrol, muriatc acid, and many
other medicinal polsons. These baneful ingre.
dents, mixed with other articles, are dispensed
to the public under the names of Scotch, Irish,
Bourbon and Monongahela whiskeys, rum, Gin,
wine, brandy, lager beer, &c. The bulk of the
" Bourbon whlskey," SO called, was never with.
rior common wbIskey, refined by peculiar pro.
cess, softened down by various Uanetul lngredi.
ents, and is produced at cost not exceeding
twenty-five or twenty-three cents per gallon.
Cincinnati has several manufactures of" Bour-
bon whlskey, which is sold at the rate of five
to seven dollars per dozen!
Mr. Wolfe also reterates what has been sta
ted before. that the greater portion of the i'm
portatOns III foreign brandIes, go called, once
left our shores IN the shape of whskey, aud af-
ter having been "duclorcd" IN France and
stamped with French brand, are returned to
this country and sold as genuine French IL
quors. OpOrtO cannot dlstlli more port wine
than will supply her own people and her PRIV
eleged English customers; aud yet there is not
a more common beverage IN the stocks Of re-
| taiers than port wine! OF course It is a home.
made article. Among its ingredients will be
found spoiled claret, logwood, alum, elderber-
rles, red sawdus', beet-root, whlskey. gypsum,
and bitter almonds. Various preparations OF
lead are employed 10 give to inferior madeira
and sherry wInes the appearance and favor OF
the best. Nearly all The gram, potatos aud mo.
lasses used IN the manufacture of the common
preparations OF alcohol have advanced into the
acetous or putrefaclIve stage before they are
subjected to the process of dstilation.
Such are the facts-not all of them new, to
be sure-which Mr.. Wolfe brings forward tc
prove the deleterious and bauefuI character o
the great bulk of the liquors drank at the pre-.
sent day. To The fiery, poisonous nature o
these compounds is justly chargeable very
large per centage of the crimes which are com
mitted from day 10 day.-BOston Journal.