Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-10
Alefanorla Gax&tte
TUESDAY EVENING. JULY 10
Hl'ure Liquors."

| lu HI aEuFeSS III NCW loIki iasL DaLuluay .
Mr.. El johnson, Of Brooklyn, Il travelled dis.
| clple in the temperance crusade, presented an
array of facts, figures and practical illustrations,
| from specimens at hand Of the mode adopted
| by liquor dealers in manufacturing their goods
| lie related how we'll known liquor dealer ia
| this city, famous as an importer o! the una1ul
teratcl article, had died, and not single hlll ri
ladiug atcstlng the importation OF liquors Was
found among his papers; but lii lis cellar there
were discovered numerous evidences as to how
lis imported article was manufactured by q
process purely domestic lie mentioned case
where 4 prominent man in Brooklyn had offered
$50 for pint Of genuine brady. The ohe:
had remained open for ! long time, ,aYd had uct
yet been answered The speaker mentioned iu
stances where there was no hops nor malt 10
beer. and stated that when it was turned on the
sidewalk it made black surface, difficult TO be
erased. lie read extracts from Captain Cotter'a
book, showing how liquor saloon could be
supplied with variety Of liquors for the sum OF
$2j. 1t is notorious that drummers tor liquor
houses 10 longer carry With them samples OF
their goods, but instead samples OF essential
oils and drugs. and recipes tor the manufacture
OF liquors from poisonous chemicals. lie ex-
hibited from a tin box ounce v!as containing
essential oils OF brandy, rum, gin. whiskey,
sherry, Madeira aud port wines and other
liquors. each OF which was capable Of produc.
ing twenty gallons Of the so-calIed imported
article. Mr.. johnson (who looks like well
cared for, retired liquor merchant, and has evil
deuty touched the bottom 0f his subject. gave
his experience in London, where, OF all things
pure, liquors and beer are supposed to be the
purcst and showed BY extracts from works pub
lished there, generally in secret, how French
brandy was manufactured without seeing France;
how vial OF the essential oil Of gin could make
forty gallons Of the liquid without drop OF gu
10 ii; how sherry and carct were made by sim
ply using the essential oil Of one or the other;
how port vine prescribed so universally IN lng-
laud for sickness and used at the sacrament.
was concoctcd out Of the oil Of port, which never
saw Portugal how rare old English beer. por
ter, ale and other reputcd to be malt liquors
wero manufactured out Of the essential oil OF
each, with liberal infusion Of coculus lndicus,
an article of poisonous character lie asked
a London dealer 10 these essential oils whether
it was not unlawful to sell them. The Vender
replied that it was not contrary 10 law to sell
thing not Injurious But" said the speaker,
take teaspoontul Of either OF the ingredients
aud it will kill the strongest man 10 the city.
lie mentioned oil Of viirol, oil OF almonds,
spirits Of wine, &c., as among the compounds.
So dangerous arc these ingredients in their
separate forms that one London house engaged
iu the manufacture Of the oils Tor over hun
dred years has printed directions in regard to
the manner OF mixing them, with special IN
structioDs that none but practical or regular
rectiGers should undertake the operation, ior
4 few drops one way Or the other might lead
to fatal consequences. Mr.. johnson mentioned
the case Of we'll known physician III thus otty
who manufactured his own liquors by this pro
cess, and everything went along very we'll until
one morning he WAS found dead 10 his room.
wilh his throat cut, having committed suicide
in a fit Of lel;rium trcmens. The essential Oil
ni almonds, ten drops of which will kill, is used
TO put that "bead' OIL liquors which is 80 much
admired by moderate drinkers AMI connou
Scurs.
Mr.. johnson said hop c:scuces are great es
scntials in English beer manufacture. They
we're used to such an extent rs would he scarce
y credited by those unaclualnted with the bus
ncsa. Belfast in Ireland, WAS celebrated ior
lis pure port wine; but one OF the prlnct'
pal importing houses, 80 called, never I'M,
ported gallon. it waa all manufactured no.
dergr0und on The premises. ln fraGce every
liquor house was engaged more or less IN the
business Of adulleration. One firm alone paid
r400 to $500 a year for certain drug. La onr
own country California wine makers ere giving
up the manufacture because they can produce
the article much cheaper by means oil drugs.
lie showed how threo dollar bottle OF brandy
could be made for twenty five cents. and con
cuded by averring that people did not drink
brandy because it was brandy, whlskcy because
it was whiskey, wine because it was vine; but
because each had alcohol as its base. lie would
have the sale OF alcohol regulated like he sale OF
araensic and intrusted to only responsible hands
N. 7. Ueruhi.