The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-25
WHAT LIQUOR MEN SAY.
REGARDING THE LETTER ISSUED
ny THE MARSHAL.
Peacock. Macfarlane and Luce-what
Lycurgus Thinks 60 Marshal
Hitchcock Talks.

'"c ohiooH Ill honOlulu 10 tlls erect,
and the Marshal, not wishing to pro.
coed against any of the offenders with.
out warning, sent out the letter referred
to, of which the following is a copy:
MARsHAL's OFFICE.
HONOLULU, Oct Gath, 1894.
SIR; respectfully call your attention
to Section 81, of Chapter A, of the
Laws of 1882. relative to persons hold
b ing licenses for the sale of spirituous
liquors. The SAID law reads as follows,
viz:
Section 3l.-If any licensed person
shall sell, or offer for sale, any adulter-
ated spirituous liquor, he shall forfeit
and pay for every such offeAse any sum
not less than one hundred dollars nor
more than five hundred dollars. and in
order to analyze such spirituous liquor
any justice may, on complaint on oath
made to him that any such spirituons
liquor Is, or is believed by such COM
plainant to be adulterated, and on the
deposit by such complainant of the
sum of five dollars to pay the expense
of such analysis, authorize the seizure
of such suspected spirituous liquor and
cause the same to be analysed by some
competent person, and the expenses of
such analysis shall be portion of the
costs which such justice shall order to
be paid by the person convicted.
E. G. HITCHCOCK,
Marshal Republic of Hawaii.
Referring to the above this morning
Mr.. w. G. Peacock said that he had re-
ceived such letter. He presumed that
the cause of the issuance of such
warning was that rumors had been set
afloat to the effect that certain saloon
men had employed okolehao in their
liquors. There was temptation to
small dealers to dilute their goods, and
as okolehao was cheap and largely
alcohol it had doubtless been used for
adulterating purposes.
f. G. Dlacfarlane, of Macfarlane q
Company said that the letter was I'M
doubtedly sent out on account of the
use of okolehao in the preparation OF
beverages in the sample rooms. The
preparation was made chiefly of ii, but
instances mad been reported of its manu-
facture from poisonous roots. Deaths
were not infrequent from what is called
excessive drinking, but such are prob.
ably sometimes caused by poisonous
drugs placed in what is known as cheap
| liquors.
Okalehao ran 80 degrees alcohol.
Only 80 degrees was prescribed by law
for straight liquors and 30 degrees in
wine. When liquors running 90 de-
grees to So degrees We're imported it
could be diluted SO as to come within
the law; but the duty is now so great
on high goods that they do not pay.
Okolehao is very cheap and contain
ing such large per cent of alcohol,
can be employed in the preparation of
drinks to immense pecuniary advant-
age. 1t was at one time. if not now,
used in the preparation of wines. An
extract was imported to which diluted
okolehao was added in such quantities
as to bring the alcoholic property up
very high. The stuff was manufac-
tured on Hawaii and on this Island as
well.
The objection to its use as alcohol is,
first, that 1t frequently contains poison
Gus substances; ard second, that it robs
the Government of large and just
revenue. 1t is also an infringement upon
the rights OF the United States under
the Reciprocity treaty. California was
stocked with pure wines while this coun-
try was using spurious mixture, the
Government receiving no revenue for it
and the State referred to being cut out
OF the sale of their goods in this coun-
try. The practice should be checked,
and doubtless that is the present motive
OF Marshal Hitchcock.
Mr.. Maofarlane talked on at length
upon past experiences in keeping spuri-
Gus and unwholesome liquors ont OF the
market, aud expressed himself as being
thoroughly in accord with any move
ment to check and destroy the practice.
Mr.. w. S. Luce said, regarding the
matter:
Il always agreed with it and wanted
it done. l want the liquor inspected
and do not believe the authorities
should wait for complaints. The
Marshal is evidently striking at persons
in town who dilute with water and
adulterate their liquors. The saloons
have to do it, perhaps, when the ex-
1 horbitant license they have to pay is
r considered. There should be an in
Z spector of liquors.
a "Some of the drinks that are passed
e over the counter are simply frghtful
I This should be stopped by the inspector.
Many of the deaths among natives and
accredited to over indulgence are doubt
less the results of poison in liquors,
a have never seen a place where so mucl
l., liquor was handled as in Honolulu
J. without an inspector, Such an oiiicia
should exist and he should examine al
liquors placed ON the market"
Mr.. George Lycurgus, of the Cali
fornia Wine Company, had received
the letter, but had taken no notice of it
/. He said it was merely an idea of tn
Marshal to cite dealers to the law upol
the subject, ana further that if any ide
If was entertained that spurious liquor
:. were placed in the market for sale,
k would not be hard matter for tn
Is authorities to catch up with it.
* Marshal E. G. Hitchcock said; "
De sent out those letters because complaint