Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-26
SELLING GIN ON THE SLY.
THE WAY 1T is DONE IN THE
DRY COUNTIES.

some Queer Tricks Resorted to by
Wicked MISUNDERSTANDING the stun
from Wheelbarrows and OK Carts-An
Improvised Bar IN the WoOds-Devel-
opments of the Revenue Omcers.
Nearly every case Of alleged violation
OF the internal revenue law brought to the
notice OF the authorities develops some
new trick Of the liquor traffic In the dry
counties"
In the cases recently brought up from
Camden county the witnesses gave away
some Of the methods resorted to. One
sinner is said to peddle very vile article
around in an OK cart, another Travelled
through the county with jug in wheel
barrow, third is a perlpatetic barber
who carries a tin bucket on his arm, and
( one woman has improvised bar from
log and a stump in the woods.
Yesterday afternoon Milton Scott was
/ before United states Commissioner Locke
/ for retailing without a license. The wit
nesses swore that the accused carried
/ his stock of wet groceries around ia
! sack slung over his shoulders.
Moses Hamilton. a One-eyed Justice of
the peace for the Thirtieth district Of
Camden, swore that he bought a gill Of
whisky from Scott some time Ia March,
ana that he peddler poured the liquor
from a sack. The witness could not say,
however, what was in the sack, hut he
thought that it was a small Jug. The JUS
tice said that he paid loo. for the gill,
which he took At one drink.
lie also stated on direct examination that
he saw two others get whisky from scott
On the same dav. and that it came out of
the same bag. Scott was not represented
by counsel, and conducted the CROSS
examination himself, much to the amuee-
ment Cf the spectators. John Young,
cOlored constable of Camden, stated that
he bought a quart Of whisky from Scott
in place called Jerusalem. He adj
mitted that ne never paid for it, and the
defendant brought the point out on cross
examination.
Did you eber pay me TO- dat hckeri"
asked Scott.
Receiving negative answer, he asked
"Did / eber ak you fo' it?"
NO" replied the witness. "Dat was
no sale den," Scott remarked triumph
antly.
The defendant asked permission to make
statement, and after being sworn he
proceeded 10 give the court a short sketch
of himself. He said that he was men,
Der Of the church, and prayed some times,
and then added: ''But | nebber got what
prayed To-"
Upon being subjected to cross-examina-
ton, he said that the bottle he gave Young
did not hold quart.
Glow much did it hold 2" asked United
States District Attorney Darnell.
"Well, sab, it heP less dan quart, an
1t was morn three pints. 1t was wut dey
call a quart bottle, but it didn't mole it,"
"How do you know how much it heldP'
he was asked.
Il measured 1t, sah."
"What withg"
"Well-w ell-well whisky measures is
scarce down in Camden now, since dey
done stopped selling llkker, an / jes
guessed at it.
Dis is a pretty bad case, boss, but l
want to tell de truff."
Scott evidently thought that the pros
ecution had nearly cOrnered him, for he
laughed at the way he eyaded the ques-
ton. lie declared that he never sold any
whisky, but that he had been so injudi-
cious once as to treat some friends. He
then explained that il is the custom
in the 1hirtieth district for the man with
the bottle to drink first and then the flask
is handed around. He volunteered as
evidence for the defense that ne was too
poor to buy whisky and, besides, his wife
would not let him keep il about. Scott
said that he owned 125 acres Of land and
number Of cattle, and was finally released
upon his own bond.