The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1915-09-24
RUNNING THE DRY BLOCKADE
Whisky Sellers Are Busy ln west
Virginia to Strange
Tricks,

laws.
Liquor j. brought here in motor
boats, automobiles and on freight
trains in large quantities, and is
peddled out by agents or men
"higher up" The little fellows get
caught, but the BIZ ones are max
ing a great deal OF money. One man
who never sells direct to the con-
sumner operates three automobiles
and a motor-boat; but he cannot be
convicted here because h. does not
deliver the liquor within the city
limits. His agents receive it outside
the city line, and later dispense II
at a dollar pint.
Cunning devices used in the trans
portatlon Of intoxicants from wet
into dry territory indicate that pro
hibitiOn, A. well aS necessity, IL the
mother Of invention. When Willis
Howe was arrested recently in Tyler
county with 29 gallons on whisky in
tubes used ordinarily for the trans
portatiOn OF nitroglycerin for use i'm
shooting oil and gas wells the prohi-
bition officers admitted that Howe
was ut least original. He would not
have been caught had he not been
unduly reckless i'm handling the
tubes, supposed to contain explo-
sives.
They try all kinds or schemes In
bringing whisky into the state" re-
marked al HI. Curry, one Of the most
active field workers for the depart
ment of prohibition in this state.
i'll am never surprised any more at
anything | find
IL was only short time ago that
Mr.. Curry was appraised by friend
that some mine town loafers had
hit upon the shipment OF whisky in
small gas pipes. He had no difficulty
in finding some Of these pipes and
their contents, but the owners or
shippers could not be found.
On one occasion. at Fairmont, I'm
the central part OF the state, the pro
hibition officers confiscated a whole
box car loaded with whisky or a
very good brand. On another oc-
casion carload of household goods
received in Charleston, having been
consigned from Cincinnati, was
found to contain a piano box filed
with whisky in pints. 1t was the
anxiety shown by the consignee for
the safety or the piano box that led
to his arrest and the subsequent in
dictment When his case came to
trial in the Kanawha County Inter
mediate Court the jury was unable to
find a verdict.
1t was estimated at the time the
state was placed In the prohibition
column that hundreds OF barrels Of
whisky were safely hidden away,
some OF it not to be used until years
later. In nearly every town along
the Ohio River the prohibition Off
Gers have had their eyes on suspects,
most Of whom have not made an
effort to sell any OF the hidden liquor.
It is believed that the barrels and
cases hidden then are nearly all
safely slowed away yet, and after the
officers become less vigilant than
they have been during the first year
Of prohibition it is expected these
goods will BE- put on the market at
a high price.
On the outskirts of Charleston one
householder, who financed several
bootleggers during the period when
Charleston as without saloons, a
few years ago, had hidden In his
garden over 800 gallons of whisky
I'm bottles and jugs. He buried 1t In
much the same way that farmers
bury turnips and apples I'm the fall.
"A short time ago the little heaps OF
earth in the mans garden were re-
moved, the liquor having been taken
In the nighttime to a place the owner
thought safer.
II was just few days ago that a
man of good address, wearing modest
clothes of the kind suggesting him as
a business man, registered at one Of
the Parkersburg hotels. He had two
large trunks like those carried by
travelling statesmen. He had a sam
ple room reserved, yet he took no
prospective customers to it. About
one week after the man had left. the
proprietor or the hotel was informed
by a man about town that the sup
posed travelling salesman was a boot
logger of the first class, and that he
had disposed of a large amount of
whisky at 80 quart during the short
time he was there. This man did not
sell to the common herd, but selected
for his customers business men who
like their toddy, young men who be-
lOnged to social clubs and good fell
lows" generally, but not Of the type
that tells everything that might be
told OF such purchases as are under
the ban of the law.
ITO every one OF those who made a
purchase the up-to-date bootlegger
said that soon another vendor would
be along and in another method sup
ply their wants in the whisky line.
His list or safe men to sell to would
be considered OF big value to the
next vendor paying the town visit
In some sections OF the state the
creation Of new drinks has been re-
ported. One connection was of suffi-
cient strength to shave caused the
temporary insanity of one Of its
users. This liquid was made fiery
and effective by process of fermen-
tation which followed a combination
OF red pepper, sort OF mash made
of bran, rain water and rev in
gradients none but the maker knows
1t requires about one month for this
stuff to get right" and when it does
reach its real point OF excellence
its consumption would make tor
toise run foot race with fox.
A good many railroad men have
found it easier to earn livelihood
by selling whisky than by working
en- the road. Yet some of them still
retain their jobs on the road and
bring in whisky as a side line. "A
few of them have been arrested, and
some have been sentenced to work
on the county roads after conviction
but the majority have established a
safe trade which they SuDrllV AL frp-