The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-12-13
A STUPID ATTEMPT
To Sell Bad Whisky Under Popular
Brand.
Brands and Labels of the Famous Jesse
Moore Whisky Initiated by Seattle
Importer, Who is Now Under Arrest.

| The recent arrest in Seattle, WASH, of
Aaron Jaffs by United States internal
revenue officer for wholesaling liquor with
out license has disclosed one of the most
daring and dangerous frauds that has been
perpetrated against the government, and
against one of the most reputable and pop
ular whisky firms in the United States.
Numerous complaints have reached Moore,
Hunt & Co. of San Francisco, sole agents
on the Pacific Coast of the famous old
Jesse Moore whisky, that counterfeit ar
ticle was being largely sold in Washington.
The labels, bottles and wrappers were each
so exact an imitation of the genuine as to
readily deceive the owners Of the original
brand. The contents were, however, as
might be expectei, not even an imitation,
: but of so vile character as to be readily
detected by any one who is familiar with
the high quality of the Jesse Moore whisky.
Jatfe confined his operations to the sale OF
case goods; therefore detection was easy,
as was also success in disposing of his
goods, which bore the popular A A brand.
Ostensibly Jatfe was acting as agent for
the Golden Medal Distilling Company OF
Chicago" possibly mythical concern. At
any rate, all bills were made out and re-
ceipted in the name of that company.
However, in a typewriter letter prepared
by Jaffe and mailed without signature to
liquor dealers in Washington, he openly
| claimed that the whisky was spurious, but
that the labels and bottles were so success
fully initiated as to deceive even Jesse
Moore d Co. or their agents, and in this
single claim he was correct.
1t has been said that "poor things are
never inflated" which is a truism that
even Jesse Moore & Co. and Moore, Hunt &
WI at
satisfaction, and the fact that the Jesse
Moore WHISTLES have become immensely
popular and are steadily superseding all
other brands of whisky on this Coast as
well as throughout the Eastern States, was
doubtless the strongest incentive to Jatfe to
embark in an illicit and fraudulent manu-
facture.
Selling liquor at wholesale without a Ii
cense is serious offense against the United
States internal revenue laws, and Jaffe will
doubtless, as he should, upon conviction
receive severe penalty for his wrongdoing.
infringement of copyright is also seri-
Gus oftense, with severe penalties. Alto
gether, it would seem that this imitator of
an excellent article has involved himself to
an extent which will necessitate his pro-
longed retirement from the whisky bust
ness.
When arrested and confronted with the
evidence of his crime, Jaffe broke down
ana MADE FULL confession OF his own guilt,
without, however, duplicating his partners
IN the fraud, whose identity is yet in doubt.
The facts will doubtless come out on the
trial, AS the evidence against Jaffe is Gu
mulative and abundant, there is no doubt
of his conviction.
This is the most daring attempt yet made
to initiate the Jesse Moore whisky, but the
manufacturers may find some satisfaction
in the fact that the culprit is suppressed.
Moore, Hunt Il Co. will vigorously push
the prosecution of ] affe for fraud in .coun-
terfeiting their trade mark and labels.