Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-16
BEN B0YD'S HOP ALE
A Jury That Spoiled His
.. Profits. M.
HOW THE DRINK is MADE
The Ingenious Idea Conceived by MIR. Joe
Daly, of Phoebus, Agent OF the
..~ Home Brewing Company.
Other Items.

That popular beverage and alleged
non-intoNicant heretofore dispensed un-
der the allurng and euphonious alias Of
hop ale will in future pass by its right
name. A jury in the County Court SO
decided yesterday afternoon, and there
is not. the slightest likelihood of an
appeal from their decision. AS result
of their conclusion. one Ben Boyd, a
colored resident of the town Of Phoebus,
stands indebted to the commonwealth
in the sum of fifty odd dollars. despite
the eloquent effort put forth by At
torney +. E. Montague to present him
to the jurors attired IN the mantle of
penitent innocence.
Until last Sunday Ben was happy as
the owner of we'll patronized reStau-
rant on Mellen street. For several
weeks Fortune had been dropping her
shekels in his lap with unstinted favor.
But the day of all days to the young
restauranteur was Sunday, for then the
good dame came with her palms filled
with guineas that made the merriest OF
music as they jingled their way into his
spacious till. Nothing could have been
more satisfactory than the way things
moved along in this Mellen street eat
ing house until Officer Mastin, observ-
ing the hilarious effect produced by the
food served by Benjamin Boyd became
suspicious and as means of clearing
his mind decided to enquire Within"
Alack the, day! From the moment he
crossed the threshold Ben Boyd's trou-
bles began. In the room were a number
OF men quafting the contents Of half
pint bottles tabled Hop ale, q non
intoxicating beverage"
Mr.. MaStin promptly filed against
Boyd the charge of selling beer without
a license, and last Tuesday the grand
jury returned a true bill. When called
To the stand yesterday he admitted
that he had sold the ale, but did not
aS intn op,t IJn ~1,% Sr,
ed it, he said, from Joe Daley, the rep
resentative of Richmond brewing
company. and had learned from that
person that man could not drink
enough of it to make him drunk. He
did not know that he was violating the
law. He knows it now In reply to a
question as to how he learned about
hop ale. Boyd rhyningiy replied that
he went to a ball in Kaiser's hail."
where the beverage was sold and
drunk. sss- .i5ssF
Mr.. Daley. who was summoned to
testify in Boyd's behalf, upset the ne
groe's chances Of escape by telling how
hop ale is made. The bottles are part
ly filled with water, after which enough
beer is added to produce a drink with
an alcoholic strength OF about three and
q half per cent. Then, instead of call
ing 1t actual beer, a hop ale label is
slapped on the bottle and Sunday
drink, which is better than no drink at
all, is ready for the thirsty patrons OF
sham establishments like that conduct
ed by Boyd.
Mr.. Collier made a strong speech to
the jurors. in the course of which he
indirectly complimented Mr.. Mastin for
entering the restaurant for the purpose
OF escertaining what was going on
within. THAT is an officers duty"
said Mr.. Collier with considerable en-
phasis. IF a man is suspected of vio-
lating the law the policemen should go
into his place of business and if he
finds that his suspicious are well found
has to snatch him baldheaded in doing
it,
Mr.. Montague made the best speech
possible for his client.