The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-09-12
||||IlSkY SELLS
4 FOR So A QUART
"Bone Dry" Law Causes Big
Hike in Prices Here,
SHIPMENTS BY MOTOR CARS
0klahoma'S BootIeggerS Slow
1 " Forced to Quit,

\. The rcsourceiulncSS ol the Oklahoma
,bootleggcr since the advent Of the ''honc
dry" law is taxing the ingenuity OF Of
ficers in affecting his capture while,
4 with prices soating to eight dollars per
4 quart and two dollars a hG1i pint, hun
/ dreds OF these wary ones continue to
epiy their trade mmindiul of the scores
I who nightly come within the clutches
OF the law
Used to Be 81 Quart
Before the "houc dry" law became cl.
fcctive ordinary "hoollcg' whisky re
tailed as high as 81 per quart, the av-
crage price for a halt-pint ranging from
7S to Sl00 sale oi the forbidden hcy-
erage could then be conducted more
openly since the penalty for possession
was not SO great
Under present conditions any article
of furniture in house may serve as
4 hiding place for halt-pint OF IN
some instances, only a drink ut John
BarIeycorn" The latest find OF the
local police was incloscd IN statue
Of All angel with an open Bible IN its
hands. Picture frames. hollow tile in
fireplaccS, wall clocks and even Bibles
"a hole cut through the pagcS-havc
yielded their share OF the fiery liquid.
One wary logger, boldcr than the
rest. would invite his customer into the
darkness oi an allcyway produce a
small tube connected with a fountain
syringe secre,ed in his coat and pour
thereirom a small drink for the price
Of fifty cents
IN Automobiles Used.
= Bootlegging as system, however,
Is still conducted along general lines.
Since whisky no longer can be shipped
into the state, the Wholesaler has
sought not another source. but another
means OF transportation. The automo-
bile serves his purpose well. he
chauffeur for his trip from local head
ouarters across the state line TO Texas
and his dash back home receives $50
! to 500. II his car and lis cargo fall
into the hands OF officers, both are
confiscated and charge OF transport
ing is lodged against the driver
Thousands of automobiles are being
seized by county officers, their con
fiscation and sale greatly enrlchlng the
school fund, TO which the sale money
4 ID diverted under state law.
/ Once the liquor is delivered to the
/, wholesaler plant on the outskirts OF
Z city, il begins to pass to the retail
~ dealer by a still more difficult route
The wholesaler delivers his product a
2 . price, generally around 50 per quart
Truck Gardens Used,
The plant OF the average whole
nater" in many instances viii revea
great an evidence OF resourcefulness
that of the retailer" Truck gar
0ons, particularly patches OF growing
potatoes. have IN numerous instances
yielded huge quantities of liquor, In
ooe instance the chief source ot supply
Was contained in barrel erected IN
the center OF straw stack many yards
from barn, a line Of hali-lnch iron
pipe from the barrel to the barn, where
stock was watcrcd facilitated ITS
transportation under the curse OF an
ordinary hydrant
Despite the constant change in meth
DDS and hiding places, Oklahoma
bootlegger is slowly but surely being
forced on, OF business but III the mean
time he is reapiug harvest OF wal
time" profits