Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-08
The whisky Mystery I'm tue Tennessee
PeulfenIfary.

The Nashville World has the following:
The authorities al the State prison have
been for a number OF years perplexed and
mystihed in any and every attempt to solve
the question as to bow whisky, aG times, got
into the prison. Every precaution possible
Was taken to prevent It's entrance, but every
thing failed. Notwithstanding The protesta-
tions OF the guards, when accused OF taking
liquor in TO the prisoners, numbers OF them
on suspicion were discharged. Every safe
guard and restriction that could be thought
of WIS thrown around the TRUSTEES, still at
certain times it was evident that whIeky was
in the prison, but how 1t got there or who
the party was that brought il in remained a
mystery. Recently Warden Harris was in
formed by a certain convict that he had dis-
covered on one or two occasions the smell of
fermented beer. A eearch was made, but no
discovery was made. Later on q convict,
sort Of trusty, an assistant engineer in the
shops, who slept within the walls, but not
locked up in a cell, was discovered
one day stealing meal at the prison
mill. An investigation of the mat
ter was had, but the convict
could or would not reveal what he wanted
with the meal. There was no necessity for
his stealing it for bread, as an abundance of
that kind OF food was furnished him at his
meals. The fact OF his taking the meal was
OF itself quite mystery, but taking it in
connection with the reported smell of
sour-mssh beer the warden thought
he. had struck clew TO the mys-
terry. most diligent watch was set
on the movements Of this man. As before
stated, the convict was an assistant engineer,
and had access TO the engine-rooms al all
times, night ard day, aud was, by the way,
a practical mechanic and machinist, aud one
of the oldest as well as one OF the shrewdest
men in the prison. On Saturday evenings it
is customary in stopping the machinery 10
let out all the water In the boilers, clean
| them out aud fill them up again 10 be ready
| for Monday morning. One Monday recently
| one of the boilers was found 10 be empty, with
| evident sigus Of some one having been about
| it. A few evenings afterward the liquor pc
riod began again and the guards began to
have more trouble. Msj. Harris remonstr led
with the employees and TRUSTEES, but TO ne
purpose. The liquor was in the prison, bu
no amount of searching could find it. Shortly
| sfterward more beer was scented. A shsrl
eye was kept on the engineer, and from his
movements it was pretty certain be was a
the head of little crookednesP. Unfor
tnnately, however, he discovered thal he wal
watched. A few mornings afterward il wa
sscerl aimed that beer had been emptied into
the drain leading from The pool, and tha
the water had been turned on and the drair
thoroughly washed Uu'. From Investigation
20 far it is evident that the old wid-cstts
has an ingenious wsv OF using the engin
boiler for his distillery, and come secre
method of attaching his other machinery an
thus converting mash beer into whisky. Th
warden is confident he has solved the liq no
problem. The only mystery now remainin
is Just how the thing was done.