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

Obtain Liquor Evidence.
 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, resorted 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- sedly 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 in 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 they described the circumstances very l minutely. They also told of the good times they had in another drug store now out of business and they were sorry that they could not meet some of. the boys with whom they had passed such pleasant days and nights. They | purchased cigars freely and claimed I they were here now in the interest of another house and expected to remain some weeks. They finally asked for a drink and it was given them because I they claimed they were not feeling l well and they seemed to be sincere in I their statements. They told the clerk before leaving that they would like to 1 have some more of the good times that they had when here before and I they wanted to return some of the fa- l yors they received from their many I friends here. They then left the store l after being there quite little time
 The next drug store they visited they l represented themselves as drummers for 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 case they purchased cigars with la- wish hand and finally one of them be- came quite Ill apparently and asked for brandy to kill some pains he had in bis stomach. It was given to him . or hn a4h oIc rr;x, some to keep his companion company. That was all the desired evidence need ed in this drug store.
 I One saloon that they visited they made their first appearance on Satur- day and played a number of games of pool and spent money freely. They told the proprietor that they represent ed a house which had patent harness which they would like to dispose of to the city for the fire department horses.
 Their story was a plausible one and
 being glibe takers they interested the proprietor so much that they were in
 vited around the next day to talk the
 matter over. They did not hesitate to come around and thus secured rne evi. dence which caused his arrest.
 As they spent money freely in about
 every place they visited their bill of
 expenses must have been quite 8
 heavy one. AS it was not their own
 money probably they could afford tc
 be good fellows out on time. Per
 haps some day those good fellows will
 get a drink that is not conducive tc
 good health and may cause them tc
 wish they had remained in New York
 and helped the committee of 107 to SC
 lect mayor to beat Tammany.