Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-04
$1.5O PER ANNUM.

thought we had the traffic buttoned
up, but soon found that whisky was
coming in on the Baltimore boats In
spite of special vigilance by Allen and
his guard. The first evidence obtain
ed came from the notorious resorts on
church street, and noticably so soon
after the arrival of the big steamer
from Baltimore. Women of ques-
tionable character were quite numer-
GUS among the passengers going and
coming from Baltimore, and as it was
a delicate matter to search baggage
there was nothing to do but watch
and wait Whisky kept coming, of
this we were assured, but in less
quantities than under the flour barrel
and kerosene system. Still we had
faith that q solution of the mystery
would be found, and it came soone
than expected in the most surprising
manner.
| A stiff gale had blown up the river
all night and the water was unusually
high when the steamer landed. The
gang plank was steep and passengers
had difficult work in reaching the
wharf, Allen and his guard were on
hand and rendered assistance. A
woman started down the plank as the
steamer rolled slightly. She screamed
the water. Allen bounded up the
plank and caught her when she al
most collapsed in his arms. In
hasty effort to regain his footing he
put his arm around the woman's waist
and she screamed in dead earnest,
was her undoing, for, from under her
petticoats, dropped big circular tin
can which rolled into the river. She
cried out In despair: 'My Cod Liver
OIL" and almost tainted. The wom-
an was put into hack and sent to
her destination, and negro boatman
picked up the floating can Of oil after
it had drifted clear off the steamer,
and handed it to Allen who, from its
singular appearance and wax covered
cork, had vague suspicion that the
cod liver oil was crooked. He brought
the oil can. 1t was circular in shape
and had two lugs from which bits of
brokeu suspender straps hung. The
cork was removed and the contents
proved to be a superior quality OF
Baltimore corn whisky. 'That beats
tailed his encounter on the gang plank
and suddenly realized that the wom-
an had another kind Of a can under
her petticoats. "When / seized her
around the waist l encountered a
harder bustle than supposed wom-
an ever wore, said Allen, but Allen
was unmarried. Women In those days
wore bulging hoopskirts and it was
difficult to say how much contrahand
"a woman could carry under her
spreading wires.
To properly solve the question d.
rected Sergeant Allen to find the
woman and arrest the bustle. In
due time Allen returned to headquar.
ters with the woman and her bustle
rolled up in shawl. The woman was
given a seat in the private Office
where we examined her hustle; it was
off of course. The busule was some
what fiat and circular shaped and
made of tin. It had leather straps
which buckled in front and when
placed under woman's skirts it
made rather stunning appearance
after she put on for our benefit that
we might recognize the shape in fut-
ure. The bustle was empty when
found but the smell spoke eloquently
of more "Cod Liver Oil." She denied
the soft impeachment when charged
with carrying Soldiers JOY" con-
trary to military orders. She was
ready to take oath that the hustle
contained no whisky-''it was bay
rum," she said, Bring in the Cod
Liver Oil, Allen" we announced mod
estly, watching the women carefully
to note the effect. She bit her lips
but was otherwise unmoved. Allen
brought in the G. L. O. and waited
events.
''That is the can you dropped to-
DAY from Ulle gang plank ana IL con-
tains whiskey. You know the penal
ty; would you rather confess or stand
trial?
First she was furious and denounced
the Yankee Vandals for interfering
with her, and then came sob and
silence.
explain the system and extent Of
the traffic and you can go Free" we
said to her alphabetically.
Then she told of regular organ
lied system in Baltimore, confined en-
tirely to women OF questionable mo-
rality who came to Norfolk or Ports
mouth; that in order to pay their
fare and expenses on the trip they
were induced to carry liquor for the
houses where they expected to stop
getting big price for the stuff and a
hearty welcome. She said the hustle
contained one gallon of whisky as did
each Of two circular cans she carried
suspended from the shoulders by
straps. "The hasty action of your
guard on the gang plank today broke