The record-union., 1891-08-19
GOOD STCrF TO IMBIBE.
Breathitt County (Ky.) Citizens Swe
FrI1nf Il..;, Il, LII

Bre8tnltt County (ky.) Citizens Swear
That They Know Prime Whisky.
We have some queer cases to adjust in
this branch Of the service, said an official
OF the Internal Revenue Bureau to a
Washington Post reporter. 81 never
thought before that there was any doubt
about thorough Kentuckian's ability to
judge about whisky, but it seems that
things have come to such a pass out in
Breathitt County, i'll that State, that q
number of citizens there deem it neces-
sary to make afiidavits 10 the fact. Some
time ago small distillery in Breathitt
County was destroyed by fire, and Il
question arose as to the payment Of the
Government tax on about eight hundred
gallons of liquor. There was also dis
pute as to the quality Of the stutf, and the
department has been deluged with evil
dence of one kind and another.
What has amused US all so much is
that in the various affidavits submitted
these Kentuckians, with scarcely an ex-
ceptiOn, have deemed it necessary to
swear that they are all good judges Of
whisky"
There is another affidavit from man
who states that the morning after the fire
he rode his horse along the road he
was in the habit of travelling very often,
and about a mile below the spot where
the still formerly stood the animal was
accustomed to drink water from the
creek.
The horse had never before failed to
drink atthat place, but on this particular
morning he elevated his nose in the air
and positively refused to touch one drop
of the fluid because il was impTegnated
We have concluded that inasmuch rs the
average Kentuckian takes his whisky
straight the horse decided that he would
take his drink straight or not at all,
This same official says that tn G Breath
lit County case has brought TO mind
story that was told several years ago on
Senator Blackbur and the late Senator
Beck. A friend OF theirs, knowing that
all kentuckians are fond of good bour-
bon, is said to have sent the Senators a
whole barrel of the best whisky that the
State could afford. 1t was a prime arti-
Gle, and when the barrel was tapped and
the Senators had sampled it they pro-
nounced it fine, but each of the distin-
guished gentlemen declared that there
was a slight taint in the taste. 81 am of
the opinion that it tastes Of iron,n said
Mr.. Beck.
Il do not agree with you," replied Mr..
Blackburn. According to my taste
somebody has dropped a small piece of
leather in the barrel"
AS time wagged on the contents of the
barrel were consumed, and when at last
the barrel had been emptied, with the aid
OF hundred or two of the friends of the
Senators, Mr.. Beck is declared to have
insisted on having the barrel opened with
view of determining whether he or his
colleague was right. So the barrel was
mashed all TO pieces, and after a diIigent
search a carpet tack was found. Mr..
Beck was right. There was a taint of
iron, and his friends admitted that his
taste was decidedly acute.
When Mr.. Blackburn first became a
Senator he had an experience that will
be appropriate to relate just here, though
the story has perhaps been told in print
before. He was speaking to some friends
in one of the Senate Committee rooms
about a celebrated brand Of whisky, and
made statement which one of the party
disputed. There was nobody present
who could decide the matter. however.
In a few moments Senator Blair, who
had been an abstainer from alcoholic bev-
erage all his life, entered the room. The
New Hampshire man was in dreadful
hurry TO get report, SO he snatched it up
and was about TO leave the room again
when he was accosted by Mr.. Black burn
and asked what he thought of that partic-
ular brand of whisky. Mr.. Blair quite
rudely replied, as he drew himself away
and snatched the door open, My dear
sir, l cannot tell whisky from brandy"
Mir. Black burn, not knowing that Mr.
Blair was such an enemy to intoxicants,
turned to the other gentlemen present
and said: "A mans stomach must be in
a devil of a condition when he can't tell
NybiSk Z from brandy ,: