Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-12
SOUL WARMERS.
SEEING the Goods Of Several OF the
Principal Time-HOnored SalOonists
Of Memphis.
The Revenue Officers Think the Liquor
Sold the Public is Weaker Than
Represented.

The talk of the town for the last lew days
has been the seizure OF certain liquor in the
saloon Of Mr.. Ed. Niederer, on Madison
street. This gentleman has for twenty years
! been one OF the leading salOonists of Mem
phis, and 1t has generally been thought that
whenever the epicure wanted 10 obtain some
thing rich, rare and titillating for his palate,
visit to Niederer's would satisfy him. This
saioonist has attracted considerable Gus
tom by his fine liquors, rather than by his
personal popularity, and he is known 10 be
| a very wealthy man. The amount of liquor
on hand at the principal saloons is more con-
siderable than most people know. Some OF
them have between
THREE AND FOUR HUNDRED BARRELS
of whisky on their premises. 1t is said that
| Madame Vincent used to keep about FIVE
hundred barrels at her saloon. These saloons
then became OF fully as much Importance as
the liquor dealers establishments The oppor-
tunities afforded the saloonists for the AMP
ulation of whisky to the detriment of the
general drinker are almost unlimited. Yet
1t must be said to the credit OF the Memphis
saloon-keepers, that they have the BEST liquor
to be found anywhere outside of the home of
old Bourbon. Now man having two or
three hundred barrels OF soul warmers in his
cellar what is to prevent him from putting
gallon or two Of water in occasionally?
WASHINGTON DETECTIVE AT WORK
In order to investigate the matter,
Washington revenue detective came here
about a week ago, and in company with the
local officers began an investigation of the
whisky placed In the cellars of the various
saloonists. When the came to the place of
Mr.. Niederer they discovered something to
be wrong. They first called upon him and
announced their mission. He asked them
to wait for two hours. They refused to do
50, and said they wanted to begin the exami-
nation Immediately. They were afforded
light and went into the cellar TO view the
accumulated whisky of years. great
many stories were in circulation about their
investigation. 1t was reported that they
had found
REGULAR DIsrILLERY
in Mr.. Niederer,s cellar. 1t was also rumored
that he had, by pouring water into proof
whisky and coloring reduced it considerably
below proof. Mr.. Niederer had number OF
large, greenish- looking barrels In his cellar,
into which, it is said, he emptied the liquor !
from the regular stamped barrels, and then
poured the water and coloring matter. There |
is no reason to doubt that he has been vio- |
lating the revenue law. The government |
officers examined a considerable amount of |
the liquor and found it
BELOW THE PROOF.
These men can tell when anything ails !
whisky as readily as the coffee-drinker can |
distinguish between good and bad coffee. |
They promptly seized the liquor and yester-
day had eleven packages carted away. Sew
eral drays were hauling it away to be placed |
in the custody of the revenue officers. All |
the principal saloons in town were visited,
and it is said that place on Adams street !
and one or more irst-class places have been |
pulled.
MR. NIEDERER's STATEMENT.
A representative of the APPEAL inter-
viewed Mr.. Niederer, who makes the follow
ing statement OF the causes from which the |
trouble originated He states that he placed
in his cellar several years ago number OF |
stand-casks which were used for handling the |
liquors he purchased for sale in his saloon.
AS is well known, no two packages of hand
made liquors OF the same brand and age are
of the same proof-one will be little above,
another little below, and frequently there
will be difference in flavor. These stand
casks were used to cqualize these differences,
which was done by emptying the contents of
two or three or more barrels into the stand
cask at a time, from which the bar vessels
were filed as occasion required. He also
adopted system of fitration-not rectify-
ing nor distillation-but passed the liquors
through the filter-paper, by which
ALL IMPURITIES WERE REMOVED
and the flavor and condition improved to a
more pleasant condition for drinking pur-
poses. In doing this he had no knowledge
that it was in any way an infraction of the
internal revenue laws-in fact he was SO
utterly innocent of any criminal intent as to
readily and thoroughly explain to the Of
fetal the entire process, giving in the details
many points that it seems will be evidence
against him that the official could not have
obtained in any other way or through any
other source. Mr.. Niederer speaks kindly of
the officials who are handling his case, and
SO OF the local revenue officials,
upon whom he attaches no blame in the
matter.