Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-15
DEAL In BOOZE DROPS
CANDY CONTAINING IHToxI-
cANTs SOLD TO CHILDREN.
Statement Made to Commissioners West
Causes Rigid Examination--Ar-
rests May Follow.

That candy containing liquor. popularity
known as booze drops" Is being sold to
school children In the District was the
West yesterday. and today he has started
a rigid investigation. which he expects viii
end in a number of arrests.
81 was informed yesterday" said Com
missioner West this morning. "by a mother
who has several children in the Central
High School that the children in that school
were obtaining from stores in the neighbor-
hood this candy. known as booze drops"
which contains rum or some other concoc-
ton Of alcoholic liquors. Curiously enough
press disaptch this morning stated that
the mayor OF Canton, Ohio, Is investigating
similar conditions In his city. There is no
excuse. of course. for INSCRIPTIONS shop
keepers to sell this candy, which Is not only
but creates fondness In the youth for
liquor, and II there Is any law to reach
them it will be stopped.
Confers With Officials.
In the investigation which Mr.. West is
making today in this matter he has consult
ed with Mr.. Emory Wilson. the principal
of the Central High School, in order to
learn if that official had been advised Of this
illegal practice; with DIR. Woodward, the
District health officer, who will make q
chemical analysis of the candy to deter
mine the exact nature of the concoction
and what amount of rum is contained in
the candy; and with Assessor Darneille,
who is also chairman of the District ex-
else board who will make report whether
the sale of rum even in this minimum scale
would render the sellers amenable to the
excise laws; and if so. he has been directed
to undertake prosecution of the Offenders
for selling liquor without license.
Assessor Darreille stated that the sques-
ton had never before been brought to his
attention for decision, and that he would
ask the corporation courCcel of the District
to advise him upon the legality In the case
and to otherwise advise him upon the in
depreciation of the law as it relates to
such form of selling liquor, as is alleged
to be in these booze drops" He said that
II the drops were found to contain whis-
ky or other intoxicating liquor and has
been sold to children 1t was quite prob
able that the sellers could be prosecuted
under the law which forbids the sale of in
toxicating liquors to minors He pointed
out that after the chemical analysis Is
made and the drops are found to contain
only an aroma of liquor there would hard
ly be enough ground for action.
Principal Makes Inquiry.
Commissioner West said the matter of
this illegal liquor traffic had not been pre-
viously brought to the attention of the
pFlncIpdl OF tue f1tSn SCHOOL, Out upon tue
Commissioners suggestion. the principal
made immediate inquiry. and found that
at some of the shops in the vicinity Of the
school these booze drops could be, and
were, being purchased by children. Mr.
Wilson secured several samples, and, by
the request of Commissioner West, for
warded them at once to the District build
ing for analysis.
Mr.. West a so directed Mr.. Wilson. as
principal of the High School, to task the
stOrekeepers where these candies ara sold
to refrain from the sale of them to the
school children, and he was informed later
that this request would be complied with
by them.
While this remedies the situation SO far
as the Central High School Is concerned,
Commissioner West expressed his deter
minat;on to carry the matter further, and
he conferred with the police department to
inspect the candy stores located near the
various public schools throughout the city,
with view of~learning where else these
alcoholic canu,eS are being sold to school
children. .r -, ,@
Another Charge Probable.
When Commissioner West conferred with
the health officer he discussed the feasibil-
ity of prosecuting the offending parties for
selling adulterated candy. DR.. Woodward
stated that ne would at once have an an
alysis made of the candy and had no doubt
that after the first CT January. IL the candy
was adulterated, the sellers could be pros
ecuted under the federal pure food law
Relative to this booze candy" Mr. West
stated that the sale of alcOhol-f1avored
candy by confectioners and caterers was
very different from selling these drops to
children. and that he regarded the latter
practice as being even worse than the sale
Of cigarettes to minors.