The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-07
SAYS GREED IS
MOVING CAUSE
LIQUOR DEALER DIsCLosEs DAN
GERoUs PRACTICE IN VOGUE.
Says that Whisky is Juggled' and
Adulterated Thru the Granting of
Rectifers' Licenses ~ Holds that
Government Should DO the Work in
Bonded Warehouses = Physicians
Opinion.

Rapacity Of the United States gov
eminent for "the coin' was the reason
given yesterday by a prominent liquor
dealer for the presence Of fusel oil
in the Whisky sold ON Bridge square
recently. 'Take away the granting
Of rectifer's licenses and decree that
the reducing Of spirits and whisky and
the so-called blending shall be done by
the government officials in bonded
be done away with, said he. - Goods
brought from the bonded warehouses
Of Wholesale manufacturers of whisky,
who should not be confused with rec
tifiers, bear the stamp of the govern
ment, guarantee that they are pure.
When the manufacturers Of these goods
wish the proof reduced the government
does so for 10 cents a barrel by adding
distilled water. BY purchasing rec
tifer's license the Wholesale manufac-
turer can himself reduce the spirits and
whisky. In the process he reduces the
spirits from 112, ITO or SO proof, as the
then has a thin, watery, blue appearance
and has little of the whisky taste. The
rectifer then adds beading oil, none
other than the poisonous fusel oil, and
certain other mixtures which give the
appearance of whisky and the taste.
:" Placing the Blame.
t'The small saloon dealers should not
be condemned for using this kind of
goods,' continued the liquor dealer.
HThey don It know anything about the
quality except that it is cheap. He
could not reduce his whisky; he don t
know how. They buy whisky at $3.50
paid because they have to sell cheap
whisky in their business. How do they
know that it contains fusel oil when
they see the United States rectifer IS
stamp on the package9 It's the gov
ernment's fault and it's a crime.
| "Neither can you blame the rectifers
The government pinches them SO hard
when they manufacture the pure goods
that they are forced to take out rect
Don't blame the rectifers. It's up tt
the government to defend It's people.
"'The rectifers, under the power Of
their licenses, don It have to get first
class spirits for their business. They
use the. third grade, called cologne spir
its, which is colorlesss and tasteless
BLEND and doctor s It up until It look
like whisky. and has the "head" thru
the fusel oil. The government stand
for it. For instance, one Of the biz
Cincinnati firms sent an agent to me
while ago to sell me some hrst-clas
goods from their bonded warehouse
After we had talked awhile he whisper
ed in my ear: You buy. these goods
and we will reduce them for you unde
our recti6er's license and then blen
them up till no one will know the diff
ference # that wouldn't be cheat
ing the public, I don't know wha
would. They would be buying tina
firm s goods thinking that 1t came from
the bonded warehouse.
"The effect of using bad whisky an!
fusel oil is horrible to contemplate,
declared prominent physician today
'EThe men who bought the chea
whisky from the dealers who were al
J raigned in police court the other day
little knew what they were putting int
their stomachs. The effect is much tn
same as is produced by wood alcohol. i
fact, virulent poisoning. The frs
symptoms are a dilation Of the pupil
! Of the eyes, which is followed by vel
tigo and tremors, even to convulsion'
Gastric disturbances may continue for
long period. In the severe cases, wher
!. the amount Of fusel oil was large, SYM
toms similar to acute insanity may TO
3 were, and is violent and dangerous. TIL
3 is followed by a collapse, which may n
:, suit in coma. The delirium is sometime
: followed by sudden death. Thirty-fv
r cases were reported in one year in til
r British possessions.
J.. eff the cases could be attended to {
|, once the same preventa tives as IN tt
= case Of ordinary poisoning might
n used, but they are usually diagnosed :
! common DRINKS and relief comes tt
- late.'