The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-28
DIsPUTINo ABOUT WHIsKEY
Men who Have Way OF Masking Raw spir-
Its Resemble the Pure Old stun.

tts ufo viz ''e"s
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27.-A very delicate
question has arisen in tho Internal Revenue De-
partment touching the alleged coloring of spir-
Its at places other than rectifyinR establish
ments. Pending the investigation OF the ques-
tion some seizures were made at st. Louis, st.
Joseph, Evansville, Milwaukee, and other
places. No allegations Of fraud have been made
or OF any attempts to evade payment Of tax, as
the spirits were oil tax paid, duly STAN ped, and
properly entered. The simple question was
coiorable infraoton of the law arising out Of the
treatment OF the barrels at a distillery licensed
for continuous distillation. The question Is
not only OF interest to distillers, dealers, and
consumers, but bears upon the business Of rec
tiners. The whiskey seized was from the dis
tillery OF Frieburg q workum, known as the
Boone County Distillcry Company, In the sixth
collection district Of kentucky. The Commis-
sioner OF Internal Revenue saws that the Wills
key seized was believed to have been colored In
the original packages, so as to give tho appear
ance OF old goods by the introduction OF color
ing and perhaps havoring matter into the bar
rels either before or after they we're nlled with
spitits. Analyfes by two chemists showed that
the lqunr was not In the same condition as
when II came from the worm of the still. IL
was highly colOred by some substance 9th er
than that ABSORBED either from plain or char
Commissioner Rsum. remembering tho con-
uuOi Ol htNtu anu DlufOru wilson, n1knt nave
seized the Boone county dlstillery /: but he says
IL b as been the wish Of the ONCE to exercise the
as not to unnecessarily emoarrass distillers In
their business. An expert, however, found on
the premises of the Boone county distillery
vat containing very dark So bstance which was
used for dipping the barrels into to make them
appear nn old package. and as whiskey barrels
can tie used only once. the public will see that
the consumer Is not the only one that Is de-
cciyed about mad dog" whiskey, but that tho
purchaser Is also imposed upon by the pro-
0uceIS whose interest 10 ~ to Keen on the TCCfi-
hets stamp. The law fortds chat anything shall
enter into spirits except water without the rec
tihet's stamp Ia attached to the barrel. and that
Is the evidence that 1t has been doctored. Tne
Cnmni~sioner says that the same substance
used Tor dipping tho barrels into also entered
| INTO the blrrels through a small gimlet hole,
showing concluslvel,, In the opinion II experts,
that pure distilled spirits could oe col, RED IN
precisely tue same manner as those detained at
| 81. Louis and el,ewnere, and that the Internal
Revenue oflce bad eyery reason TO believe that
| lne spirits IN question were coIored by tue In
| PRODUCTION INTO the barrels OF some OF this
substance while being suOmerg d In this bath OF
burnt sugar and other mixtures to give an ap-
pearanre OF age TO the barrel.
The lovers Of tine brands Of whiskey may
be amused when tney read that the same
substance that gives an aged look 10 wood has
also chemical power to instsntly oge whiskey.
lhe whole trouble, II appears. Is that distillers
VINO produce spirits by continuous distillation
claim that their products are not doctored or
rectihed. and hence are not under obligation to
put on rectiners' stamps. Their goods 20 into
the market m dry looking barrels with the
story that II Is whlskey made ten OF twelve
years ago. There Is, therefore, an issue be-
tween the many distillers who have recently
started this new prooese, and the Internal Rev.
enue once, and dispute, too, as 10 the correct
ness.ot the analysis OF the Washington chemists;
SO that In releasing the goods Ia St Louis. Nil
wdukee, Evansville, anu elsewhere, II Is with
| the understanding that Hll goods OF slmIiar
Kind Will not be allowed 10 be put upon the
market unless bearing rectiner's stamp, and
| every barrel found without tuat stamp will be
| subjected TO the closest inspection. Several
| years ago number Of cigar manufacturers did
large business by the sale Of what appeared To
| be Cuban n manufacture counterfeit customs
| revenue stamp encirclnR every Dox evidence
that the goods had passed through the Custom
House.
| The stamp itself did not cost anything. The
duty had To be paid before the goods could be
relehsed, and II was immaterial to the Govern
ment whether the boxes b ad the customs rev.
enue stamp, 30 long the COLO had been received
for tie duty lakin2 advantage OF this, hun
| dreds OF thousands Of boxes OF domestic cigars
were Imposed upon the market 10y the use OF
a good Imitation VI the stamp furnished i'm
| porters Qf cigurs. Congress wisely enacted that
counterfeiting this stamp should be penal
| offence, ana now the question arises whether
Congress will throw additional protection about
| the production OF dstil,eries, to prevent the
| sale Of raw ana doctored spirits as old whiskey.