Waterbury Democrat., 1901-09-06
QUESTIONABLE METHODS.
Schemes Resorted To By Spotters, to
 Obtain Liquor Evidence

OUtN4AA QuOI A4fAdAAASS.
 The spotters, who have been in Wa terbury within the past few days and may be here now, perhaps, working their game on some other unSuspect- ing druggist or saloonkeeper, res0rted to tricks to obtain their charges of il- legal liquor selling, in a manner that forced the dealers to break the law. While it may be all right and undoubt- edly is all right to enforce the liquor laws, there should be some punishment for those who go to a place with the evident intention of making the pro prietors of such places criminals. Two druggists and one saloonkeeper tell some very queer stories about the act ions of the spotters who secured the evidence in the cases just settled.
 In the case of one of the druggists the spotters two in number, present ed themselves at the drug store on Saturday afternoon last while the pro- prietor was away. They asked for the brother of the proprietor whom they claimed to have met some years ago when they were here in the interests of the New York Recorder, a paper that is now extinct They told the clerk i'll this particular drug store that they had many good times in this city and named over some of the young fel- lows with whom they had associated. Their stories were known to be true for 1 they described the circumstances very | minutely. They also told of the good times they had i'll another drug store now out of business and they were I,a& the boys with whom they had passed such pleasant days and nights. They purchased cigars freely and claimed l they were here now ill the interest of another house and expected to remain some weeks. They finally asked for a I drink and it was given them because l they claimed they were not feeling well and they seemed to be sincere in their statements. They told the clerk before leaving that they would like to have some more of the good times that they had when here before and they wanted to return some of the ia
 yors they received from their many | friends here. They then left the store after being there quite little time 1 The next drug store they visited they l represented themselves as drummers l for a drug house and they quoted prices on certain goods. that opened the eyes of the clerk present and he also
 became interested. As in the other 1 case they purchased cigars with Ia wish hand and finally one of them be
 came quite i'll apparently and asked l for brandy to kill some pains he haG l in his stomach. 1t was given to hin
 and the other spotter was also giveI l some. to keep his companion company l That was all the desired evidence need l ed in this drug store.
 One saloon that they visited they made their first appearance on Satur
 day and played a number of games o1
 pool and spent money freely. They told the proprietor that they represent ed house which had patent harnes:
 which they would like to dispose of t the city for the fire department horses
 Their story was a plausible one ant being glibe takers they interested tn, proprietor so much that they were in
 vited around the next day to talk tn,
 matter over. They did not hesitate tt
 come around and thus secureT rne evi
 denee which caused his arrest.
 As they spent money freely in abou every place they visited their bill O
 expenses must have been quite ;
 heavy one. As it was not their ow1
 money probably they could afford t, be good fellows out on time. Per
 haps some day those good fellows vii
 get q drink that is not conducive t,
 good health and may cause them t
 wish they had remained in New Yorl
 and helped the committee of 107 to SC
 lect mayor to beat Tammany.