Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
MAKE THEIR OWN BEER.
How Indian Territory Miners Evade
Prohibition Laws


Colgate Cor. Kansas City Star
Indian Territory has a larger constabulary
than any section of the United States. Ev-
cry city or town of any pretensions has a
United States deputy marshal. and many
are appointed in the rural districts In ad-
dition to THE force OF federal marshals.
there is a constable appointed for each
United States commissioner and several
hundred indian policemen, serving under
authority Of the various Indian nations and
clothed with the same powers the fed
eral officials. Each city and Incorporated
town has one or more marshals. which
swells the list to the magnitude of a small
army.
Two-thirds of the arrests made by this
force of officers are of persons charged with
the violation Of the United States LIQUOR
laws. Three offenses are named In the law
Introducing, selling and manufa curing
liquor Notwithstanding the vigilance of
the officers there are but few towns where
the hirsty wayfarer cannot find liquor of
some kind.
All the various brands of proprietary ,aed-
icines. tinctures. favoring extracts, per-
FUMES and toilet preparations, and other
preparations having alcohol for a base find
ready sale and are drunk with ayidity
The bootlegger'' who procures his supplies
in Oklahoma. Arkansas and Texas and
brings them into the territory by obscure
and little frequented roads in a covered
wagon Is found in most towns and In many
rural communities. Liquor is also brought
In concealed in boxes Of merchandise. bar
reis or fruit. vegetables and other prod
ucts- The disposer, il old at the business.
may flourish for many months before being
caught. The profits being so large a auart
or very poor whisky selling FOR So or 81
ne Is willing to run the risk of Jail SEN
tence.
Cider is another intoxicant which causes
the officers much trouble. A barrel OF fresh
Arkansas sweet apple juice which has not
undergone fermentation may be introduced
without the importer violating the law. A
re" weeks exposure to the genial rays of
an indian territory sun results In induc-
ing fermentation, and the harmless LIQUID
is transformed into an ardent drink
which makes a Choctaw Indian desire to
goboie as soon as he has imbibed a few
quarts of 1t.
In the Choctaw nation. and especially IN
the towns and cities in the coal land seq
regaton. the fayefite and almost. universal
beverage is Choctaw beer, better known as
chock The manufacture of this beverage
was introduced by the Scotch and English
miners is Identical with the home
brewed beer of the English yeomanry The
materials from which the beer is breyed
are barley, malt and hops, With the addi-
ions or grape sugar and sometimes flee
mat ana hops and the other materials are
Kept In stock at all grocery and general
stores throughout the mining districts and
are as staple as sugar and coffee.
Ihe apparatus necessary for brewing
S1RSSldtf itci IL very simple, consisting
a brass kettle or zinc washtub and a stout
heg The. malt and hops are boiled to-
gether and strained into the key and the
sugar added. The mixture is allowed to
stand for three to six days, according to the
state of the weather. when It is fit to drink
and produce the exhilaration so much
Sought after by the obviously inclined,
by varying the quantity of malt used the
peer can be made mild or as stout as
porter. 90
The prevention of the manufacture of
Choetaw beer is one of the most puzzIjne
problems that confront the officers charged
with the enforcement of the law, 1t Is made
In more than half of the houses in the
mining camps for family USE and a great
deal of 1t is brewed to sell. Those who
manufacture it for sale are in most cases
widows whose husbands have lost their
lives in the mines, and when a deputy mar
shall arrests one of these women and carries
her to Jail, leaving family of children to
the mercies and charity of the neighbors
he is the recipient of the indignation of the
community, and the sympathy of Judges
and juries usually results in the offender
being let off with admonftion. In view
Of this fact the officers content themselves
with splitting the beer when their attention
is called to it and destroying the vessels
containing 1t.