The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-10-24
LOCAL OPTION IN HARTFORD.

The following letter, which was written
by Rev. R. A. Castleman, rector of EN-
manuel Church, Bel Air, gives an exper-
fence and observation of the practical
workings of the local option law in Har-
ford county. 1t is addressed to the edi-
tor of the Cecil Wing, and is in response to
an inquiry from him concerning the prac-
teal workings of the law. The informa-
ton is given for the benefit of the voters
of Cecil county, who will this fall decide
upon the question of license or no license.
The letter is as follows:
Mr.. H. K. Torbert,
Editor of THE Wing"
Dear Sir:-I am sorry to have been so
slow in writing you the letter l PROM
ised in regard to the operation of the
Local Option Prohibitory Law in Bel
Air. but have been so situated, that
neither time nor convenient place was
mine. | embrace this my first opportunity
to fulfill your request. You can make
any use you please of what write.
Let me may say, in preface, that though
not by education Prohibitionist, came
to Bel Air in 1895, believer in local pro-
hibition, as an effective practical means
Of dealing with the question in villages
and small towns. l had for many years
seen such law in successful operation
i'll the town of Herndon, Fairfax county,
Virginia, where my family have lived for
twenty five years, as also i'll Falls Church,
Virginia, where had ministered for four
years just previous to coming to Bel Air.
But a very few weeks sufhced to show
NE, that the conditions were widely diff
ferent. At Herndon and Falls Church,
towns of 900 and 1000 inhabitants,
three-fourths, perhaps nine-tenths OF the
population largely of New England inn
migration, were themselves total alb
stainers, and determined there should be
no sale ofliquors among them. Ofcourse
| the few drinking men had their liquor,
/ but largely by lawful means from Wash
! ington City. Occasionally some one ver-
tured on clandestine local sales, but the
drunken man was promptly locked up,
and the illicit seller summarily suppressed.
! Back of the law was an overwhelming
public sentiment that would brook no
violation.
| In Bel Air, however, there was plain
ly apparent general indifference.
The wcll-to- do-man of decency and dig
nifty, got his liquor in quantity, largely
| from Baltimore. One gentleman of high
standing and absolute temperatures in
all things, (himself by the way, strong
promoter of the present law, admitted
to me privately, that on the passage of
the law, he got from a distillery barrel
of good whiskey, and kept it stored in his
attic. Another gentleman of similar
character and standing, whose health is
not strong, Che, strong supporter OF
the original law, and last winter
an earnest and influential opponent of
the proposed repeaD has for several years,
with characteristic openness. regularly
secured his beer in cases from Baltimore,
and with equal honesty and openness,
takes it regularly at his own table.
The young men about town could be
seen, i'll quite regular succession, disap-
pearing behind the counter of a drug
store at the most prominent corner, to
parts unknown, and each coming back
wiping his mouth i'll well-known fashion.
Another drug store $50 called) had in its
windows fine assortment OF cOlored
drug store bottles, and patent medicines,
but it was we'll understood, seldom or
never filled any prescriptions, save of one
sort, viz. "Spiritus Frumenti, one quart
or in broken doses as needed"
About 1897, this "inestimable right Of
the freeman" was denied by an amend
inent to the Legislature mot however
submitted to the vote ofthe community. }
The immediate effect was the springing
up like mushrooms of disreputable anc
partially concealed places, whence very
thriving bottle and jug" business o
large proportions was conducted. Soor
also our Railroad Station began to bi
crowded with NAIL KEGS covered will
bagging, sent c. o. D., to fictitious ad
dresses, from distillery across the lint
in Pennsylvania, often to the number o
% or so at time. Il have seen them
addressed not only to tom Jones" anC
"Bill Brown" but to bill Nye" and t.
John Barleycorn."O
The modus operandi was simple, a man
usually negr2, would come to the agen
| and ask, as their c. O. d. package 70
5 Tom Jones, or for John Barleycorn"
5 eyes, the charges are $3.50" TIL
5 money was paid, and off went a gallol
e of doubtful whiskey to be consumed in
2 Jag" by half dozen negroes, or els
peddled about amongst young men an
? boys.
| spoke strongly on the subject to
e gentleman of prominence and characte
from Baltimore, who had just establishe
1 a country-housc on the outskirts of on
A town. He said, "Give me the facts, all
Il l think can stop that ldidso. Short
n ly after, there came to the agent, frien
+. of mine, to whom this phase of the bus