The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-25
SALE OF BAY RUM AND
 SOME COMMENTS MADE
 ON REGENT CASES HERE
Fly H. K. WHITE

Readers of Shakespeare all remember that unique serio comic scene in the great life tragedy of Hamlet, the mel ancholy prince of Denmark where the two grave diggers enter with picks and shoves to prepare the grave for the fair Ophelia who has so sadly suicded by drowning. The dialog runs thus:
 First grave digger: Is she to have Christian burial who wilfully takes her own life?
 Second grave digger: tell thee she is; and, therefore, make her grave straight way; the crowner hath sat on her and finds it Christian burial.
 First grave digger: How can that be unless she drowned herself in her own defense?
 Second grave digger: Why, 'tis found so.
 First grave digger: It must be SC offeri- dendo; it cannot be else; for here lies the point: If l drown myself willingly, it argues an act, and an act hath three branches; it is to act, to do, and to per form: argal, she drowned herself wit tingly.
 Second grave digger: Nay, but hear you good man, delver.
 First grave digger: But give me leave. Here lies the water; good: here stands the man; good If the man go to this water and drown himself, it is, will be, mill he, he goes-mark you that? But if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself. argal, he that is not guilty of his own death short ems not his own life.
 Second grave digger: But is this law?
 First grave digger: Ay, marry, us crowner's quest law.
 It has been many years since last saw Hamlet played by Edwin Booth ana Lawrence Barrett in the old O Br1en opera house of blessed memory; but the delightfully."- ridiculous logic of those two clowns in Hamlet as to the principles ana Interpretation of law was staged before wondering eyes and ears in the recorder court the other day in the actual trlal of a case involving the personal liberty of two well bred, orderly, intelligent ana respected young men, MT. Armstrong ana MT. Walpole, who have been sales clerks in the John L. Parker drug store Tor the last several years. l happened to ba in the court awaiting the call of clients case, when MT. Armstrong ana MT. Walpole were called before the bench of his honor, Judge Anderton, re- gently appointed recorder of the police court by Hon. Arlie Barber the com missioner of public justice. MT. Saoler of Allen, Bell x Sadler, appeared TOT tie prosecution and Hon. Edward D. Smltn for the defense The two young clerks had been arrested at the instance or Commissioner Barber by Officers Maglii and Mitchell, two of his plain ciotnes squad, through whom he is supposed 'o conserve and preserve the virtue ana temperance of Birmingham, according to the duties with which the said commls- sioner was invested last November by the wise and far-seeing citizens who so overwhelmingly elected him over Judge Lane.
 The charge was violation of the prohl- bition law by selling bay rum as clerhs at Parkers drug store.
 Of course, it was not disputed tnat hay rum contains a considerable per- centase of alcohol and can be drank, IS it is a liquid, just as furniture poi ish could be drank, and that IL Will produce intoxication. or at least an ap- normal physycial condition that resem- bles intoxication from the alcoholic liquors, which are listed as beverages in the prohibition statute.
 It appeared. however, that no bay rum had been sold or offered for sale at Parker's drug store, Commissioner Barber's durg store, or any other drug store, as beverage. or otherwise than as a toilet article for external appl- cation.
  dence by which the eminent and astute counsel for law and order--Mr.. Sadler, former partner of Solicitor Black, se- cured conviction from Recorder Ander- ton over the futile protests of Edward Smith, recently elected national com- mitteeman, who opposes surrendering the national organization of the demo- cratic party to the nationwide piohlbl- tionists. who wish Maine and Kansas to have an equal voice in determining Whether prohibition shall prevail in Alabanrs. and Oregon, was substantially this:
 One day recently married lady went to Parkers drug store and told one or the defendants that her husband had been drinking bay rum as beverage, some small bottles of which he had pur- chased at that store. as she could tell by the labels. and she requested that no more be sold him, as 1t could be easily seen by the clerks that the pur- pose of his purchase of bay rum could be no other than beverage usage, be" cause of the evident facts: (O that said husband just would jmbibe any thing intoxicating; CD that his head was devoid of hair as a billiard ball, so that he could not need it for hair tonic; CD that his face was dis1gured by a full beard. so that he could not need it for use after shaving; (D that he had a rum complexion so that he could not need it for imparting q youthful flush to his countenance; (5) that when under the influence Of bay rum he refused to be influenced by her; that he would go out and bay the moon,