The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-05
MIR. Plummer Got to
Work Early Yesterday
And Caught a Man In the Act of
of Selling Rum.

The liquor deputies put In a busy day
yesterday. Deputy Plummsr was out
before daylight ana ut half past six
o'clock caught Daniel ]. Desmond sell
ing LIQUOR in the shoo of Martin o Hare.
MT. plunmer had ON an ulster and
turned cap down over his ears so that
he was not recognized. He went into the
saloon where many men were getting
their morning drinks. having passed the
watcher without being recognized. Dss-
mond had the liquor In his pocket and
was standing outside the bar giving
drinks to those who wanted them. The
man was taken TO the police station and
later to the Jail. He said he was selling
on his own account and not for Martin
O'Hars, His case will be heard this
morning.
MIR. PIummer also made an early morn
ing call at Aggus's place at the corner
of Cotton and Fore street. He wore the
same clothes that had fooled the watcher
at O'Hares shop. and when he entered
the room found an old man just lifting
a glass OF whiskey to his lips. Mr..
PIummer seized the man by the wrist
ana took the whiskey AWAY from him.
All the old man said was BE gorras,
the sheriff. and then he lost no time
IN leaving the premises. The bar keeper
was standing near the stove and outside
of the bar. MIR. Plummer knew him well
enough, but as he had no proof that he
was the bar keeper, let him alone.
Later, Mr.. PIummer paid this place
another call and got jigger load OF beer
and whiskey. but made no arrests. Dur
ing the forenoon the liquor deputies
called at about every place In the city
where LIQUOR has been sold, hut found
that few of them were doing business
In one or two places they found some
lIouor, but could find none OF the propri-
ators and SO made no arrests. The saloon
men all said that they had gone CUT OF
the business for the present anyway.
Late in the afternoon MIR. Plummar and
MIR. Skillings dropped down on George
W. Hunts place on Commercial wharf
Thsy had reasonable grounds for think
ing that MIR. Hunt WAS selling liquor and
go started cut to search the place The
search went along without result until
Mr.. Piummer came to the gasoline stove
which stood in one corner OF the room.
The proprietor then got nervous ana toia
the deputies to be careful how they
fooled with this stove as 1t might ex-
Mode. MIR. Plummer Investigated 1t care.
fully and pulled out three bottles Of
LIQUOR which had been neatly stored away
behind the tanks. Hunt was arrested.
Portland never was SO dry before as 1t
Ia today. There Will be little more
'wetness' when the grand jury rises,
said one Iumseiler to PRESS reporter
yesterday. The drug stores are not cell
ing any liquor not even to respectable
and well known citizens. The hotels
refuse their guests without regard TO
whom they may bs. A walk around the
city last night revealed the fact that
there were one or two places on CONNER
oial and Fore street where a man might
buy a drink, but the chance of getting |
one was pretty slim and the stun OBJ
tanned very poor, SO 1t was said. gang |
OF street laborers, paid of by q contrao
tor yesterday, walked all around the
rum district trying to buy beer or
whiskey. but could get none and were
completely disguised because they had to
accept uno beer or hop beer.
A man who was in Boston on Wednes- |
day was shown 70 packages of liquor to
be sent to people In Portland. at wes
the worst stuff man ever drank so
this traveller told the PRESS last night. |
at would kill dog quicker than
prussia acid.'
In Portland two men are now engaged |
in manufacturing whiskey. They buy a
sort of alcohol for 80 cents gallon and
using some other stuff make what they
call whiskey. This they retail at 81. rs
a gallon and it is sold by pocket psddIers
for % cents q drink.