The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-10-14
DEADLY STUFF IS
SOLD As WHISKY

Continued from Page One)
titled article is not within. But in the
Iow-class saloons that infest certain
parts of the city this stuff is being
served as bar whisky, with the result
that the patrons Of the resorts in ques-
ton are fed almost pure poison.
Carries Death With Tt.
Several deaths that have followed
prolonged sprees have been directly
traceable to the imitation whisky
procured from low-class saloons. Once
a man becomes intoxicated from drink
ing the imitation whisky, there is no
telling where he will end up. The
vides a thirst of ever increasing in
tensity, while the impure alcohol goads
the unfortunate one into all sorts of
excuses.
AS long as the mixture is sold as
imitation whisky there seems TO be
scant opportunity for the officials to
get hold of the dispensers. Under
rectifer's licenses almost any mixture
short of quick poison can be sold, and
once the stuff leaves the rectifer it
is pretty hard to make certain that
the "imitation' label is not lost in
the shuttle.
Authorities Act.
A quantity of this stuff, drawn from
a case marked imitation whisky, was
sold to a spotter of the authorities
Tuesday, as pure whisky. The man
went in with demijohn, ordered two
and half gallons of whisky, paid over
his money, got the goods and left. An
officer watching nearby stepped inside,
seized the demijohn and the barrel,
sealed them both and carted them
away.
When asked last night concerning the
occurrence, Inspector Fennell declined
to deny or confirm the story. He ad-
mitted, however, that he is on the trail
of wholesalers who are losing sight of
the necessity for placing the word
imitation upon goods that are not
what they purport to be.
1t is understood that the seized and
sealed samples are in the hands of the
territorial chemist and that thorough
analysis is being made to determine the
actual composition of the mixture dis
pensed.
Worse Than Swipes.
Much complaint has been made con-
corning the manufacture of what is
known as swipes This is made largely
by the Japanese and Hawaiians, and
those who drink it at least know what
they are getting. The imitation whisky
is manufactured by men who make q
pretense of carrying on a legitimate
business. and is purchased by persons
who believe that they are getting the
real distilled article.
In times past there have been charges
of adulteration of case goods, bottled
in bond. These goods carry the label
of the United States, which is supposed
to be a guarantee of purity. In many
| eases the label has been about the only
evidence of purity connected with the
stuff.
A very ingenious trick is worked in
doctoring this bonded whisky. Two
| hollow needles are driven down into the
cork, and through one of these the con
tents of the bottle is sucked out while
| the other serves as an air inlet. Wher
! two-t thirds or threequarters of the con
| tents of the bottle has been drawn out
the artificial whisky is pumped in t.
| fill the bottle up. In this way, there
is clear gain of more than two-thirds
for the imitation whisky which is
pumped back in place of that drawn
out can be purchased wholesale at very
little a gallon.
AS far as is known, none of thi:
adulterating is being carried on at thi:
time, but some very suspicious liba
tions are being poured from bottles
bearing the labels of well-known firms
| The ornamental bar bottles frequently
| contain compounds which defy classi
fieati0n.
The crusade against the swindlin!
liquor dispensers viii be prosecuted
without let-up. The Federal authori
ties are anxious 10 learn whether or no
the Pure Food law has been violated
! the license commission would like t.
know a thing or two. aud the police ar,
anxious to stop the sale of the near
booze. for they are experiencing consid
cradle trouble on account of the sal
of brain maddening stuff among tn
eriminally inclined.