The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-10
SAY LITTLE POISON
IS SOLD OVER BARS
sAIooNKEEPERs lsEsENT ACCU-
sATIoNs MADE BY OFFICIALS.
Cheap Whiskey Is Not Necessarily
Poisonous or Bad, Say Liquor Men
Knockout Drops Never Go Over the
Bar-Passage Of State Test Not a
Guarantee.

od%-I dSSoSe VI 0IdGe 4eSt NoI d
Guarantee. 49,.
Minneapolis saloonkeepers who have
been scored by the mayor, chief of
police and the state dairy and food de-
partment for selling poor whisky are
inclined to be aggrieved. Special ex-
ception is taken to the statement that
they dispense "knockout' whisky and
that they are responsible for all the
sudden deaths that occur in saloons.
There is no attempt to evade the charge
that knockout Drops are sometimes
administered in liquor, but they assert
that the responsibility for the ifknock-
out Drops rests on the shoulders of
the "lumberjack rollers' and grafters
who administer them, and the druggists
-w who sell them.
"What object would any Minneapo.
lis saloonkeeper, dependent for his liv-
ing on his trade, have in selling whisky
or other drinks filed with deadly poi
son or knockouts7' asked one dealer.
"How long could he stay in business
with such methodist It would be but a
short time before his place had rep
ptation as killing joint and he would
be out of business''
Cheap Whisky Not Bad.
Cheap whisky is not necessarily poi
sonous or bad, according to the state
ments of well-posted liquor men. The
same men are authority for the state
-ment that the passage Of the state test
is not complete guarantee of high
grade goods. 1t is pointed out that
the records show cases where the state
department. has passed cheap "maden
whiskey and has refused high-proof
goods, bottled in bond, under govern
ment supervision.
The ingredients Of cheap whisky are
said to be no more harmful than the
contents of can of factory preserved
fruit. 1t is admitted, tho, that cheap
wines and other similar drinks contain
harmful poisons and that they and
cheap beers are preserved with sail
cylic acid.
"Cheap whisky is made with a base
Of cologne spirits and water mixed to
the desired proof, ranging from 70 to
100 proof" said whisky authority.
''Celogne spirits is the raw distilla-
ton OF the corn, and is pure white. It
is alcohol and is subject to the same
tax as the best whisky. The color is
obtained by adding burned sugar or
prune juice or both. The prune juice
as we'll as the sugar tend to cut the
edge of the raw spirits. Beading oil is
added to give slight bead. =,
- do not know just what this is,
but We do know that not more than
half an ounce is used to the barrel. IF
it is poisonous, the slight amount used
is similar to the small amount of nico-
tine IN a cigar. 49,. 81,
'FSome manufacturers use extracts of
rye or bourbon for favoring, and they
may be poisonous, but tt. will not pre-
tendFto say. asI know nothing of them.
There. is little used, tho, for manufac-
turers use about gallon of real whisky
to the barrel to accomplish the same
purpose. Cheap Scotch WHISTLES are
favored with creosote.
Age Makes Whisky.
"Good whisky of the yest quality and
honest manufacture is good principally
because of it's age. We hear talk of
fusel oil. There is fusel oil in all whis-
KY, as there is nicotine in tobacco or
caffeine in coffee. The new, fresh
whisky comes from the still white and
secures its color from the charred bar
els in which it is kept and from the
effects Of age. The fusel oil is rank
poison If taken alone, and is eliminated
>nly by proper aging.'
1t is generally admitted that cheap
vines and brandies are the worst adul.
;erated and the analyses of the state
tend to prove it. They are
made of spirits, cheap favoring ex.
racts, coaltar dye and water, and are
preserved with salieylic acid. The de.
)artment has offered exhibits in court
where piece of white flannel has been
lyed a deep red from the coaltar dye in
tdulterated blackberry brandies. The
'alicylic acid is necessary as preserv
tive on account of the small amount
# alcohol in the mixtures.
Beers which are intended for lone
forage are also preserved with sail
:ylic embalming fluid for the same rea
on. Carbonie acid gas is used to make
thick "suds" in cases where fresh
,eer is put out and it is necessary tt
initiate the effects of age.
Blame the Government,
Well-informed liquor dealers say tina
he government is principally to blam,
OF Inc dUulGoTdIe(l anu maze liquors
Under the regulations covering rectify
ng Of spirits almost any mixture no
,etually poisonous can be made an,
old. AS has been said, the druggist
re blamed for the knockout drops
~ would never allow drop O.
oped liquor to 60 over my bar,' sait
ne saloonkeeper, "but what happen
then some big NIT or 'grafter
dopes' drink for some sucker h
as in tow7 The man is down and on
nd I get the blame, tho the stuff wa
in the liquor after it was bough
it might have been carried away il
he bottle and .Edoped' outside tn
uilding. Saloonkeepers of any de
eney are not in the, doping bushes
or can they afford to start it. Il
ough resorts and other places it is bare
possible that some bars may have
dope bottle that is passed out on tn
Tink of some capper,' but mot in Min
eapolis."
III ~ M Fvc,,ee