The morning call., 1893-11-20
LED INTO DRINK.
Incorporate Boys in the
Mission.
A Scavenger Sells Them Cheap Wine
Manufactured by Himself and
Does a Rushing Business.

There is an epidemic of drunkenness
among boys ranging from 10 to Is
years of age who live in the Mis-
sion, and parents have been at their wits
end TO find out where they procured the
liquor.
The boys succeeded for some time in
ba fling all efforts to get them to divulge
the secret, but finally one Of them. the son
of most respectable parents, came home in
a beastly state of intoxication, and told
his grief-stricken mother next day, while
in remorseful mood, story that filled
her with amaZement and Indignation.
G. B. Mangino is scavinger and lives
on Fair Oaks street, between Eighteenth
and Nineteenth. During his leisure hours
he manufactures wine. He buys large
quantities of cheap grapes. places the fruit
into tubs and tramps it into jelly with
his bare feet. Then he pours out the Juice
and distills it into wine.
This wine he sells at 80 cents per gallon
or 10 cents per half-gallOn, and his best
customers are bows of tender years who
live In the locality.
Six boys would contribute nickel each,
which would purchase gallon of the in
toxicating stuff. After procuring it they
would carry 1t to some secluded spot and
drink 1t till they We're Intoxicated Then
they would sleep off the effects Of their
po:ations and go home with a splitting
headache. complaining to their parents
that they were suffering from some natural
ailment, saying this to allay their suspi-
cions. And the same programme would
be gone through whenever they succeeded
In securing another nickel.
The buys were not only led into intem-
perate habits by this cheap mode of OBJ
tanning liquor, but were taught the ways
nf fraf frtlp
than Understanding money to satisfy their
growing craving for drink.
The mother OF the boy referred to, after
hearing his story, gave information to the
police, and means were adopted TO test its
accuracy. A boy IL years of age was sent
TO Manglno's house with 10 cents, &C
comDanied by another boy. to buy half a
gallon of the stuff He was promptly sup
piled. A police officer was in waiting not
far off, and the boy handed him the pitcher
containing the liquor. The boys went
back to ManginO's house accompanied by
the officer, who asked MIN if be had sold
them the liquor. He denied it at first, but
finally admitted that he did.
A warrant was sworn ont for Mangino's
arrest on the charge of selling liquor to
minor, and the case was heard in the Police
Court before jury on Friday last.
The evidence against Mangino was COM
plete. but unfortunately the complaint
was drawn up under the statute. which
says: "WhG shall sell or give liquor to a
minor under Is years of age to be con-
Sumed." There is also an ordinance of
the Board of Supervisors which leaves out
the words, ito be consumed"
The attorney for the defendant argued
that there had been nothing to show that
the liquor was given or sold ito be con-
sumed," and three of the jury stuck on
this proposition. There Was, consequently,
a disagreement, and the jury had to be dis
charged.
Ii the complaint had been drawn up I'M
der the ordna nce of the Buard of Super
visors there would have been a conviction.