Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-05
SEIZED WHISKY MAY
Be MADE INTO ALCOHOL
State Officials Oppose Destruction If
$4,000 Worth of Liquor
Now Greatly Needed.
USED IN MAKING MUNITIONS
Prohibition Commissioner Peters and
Assistant Attorney-GcncraI Gar
nett Suggest That Courts Hold
Back Destruction Orders,


each year $4,000 worth of alcohol, con-
hscatcd By virtue OF tho prohibition act
ana dumped into the gutter in accord
ancc with a provision of the same law.
though II is invaluable for munition-
making purposes, is vested solely in the
judges OF Virginia courts. according 10
an opinion forwarded yesterday TO Co...
ernor stuart by Assistant Attorney
General Leslie G. Garnctt
Tho "unwarrantod waste" OF war
material in war times was brought to
attention OF Alexander Forward. sec.
rotary TO the Governor. BY Judson =.
Dickerman. engineer OF the State Cor
poration Commission. who suggested
that. II prevented by the prohibition
law. the Governor stretch a point" to
have contiscatcd liquor preserved until
the Legislature meets next year II
his idea for the General Assembly so
to amend tho law AS to allow all
seized whisky to be converted to gov
ernmcnt use for the manufacture Of
| munitions.
The suggestion met with the approval
OF Commissioner of Prohibition j. sidney
Peters. who said he would welcome an
OF alcohol from conhscatcd ardent
spirits and tho sale OF the distilled
product from the seat OF government
lie knows OF no way. he says. in which
tho present law, providing for tho de-
struction of unlawful whisky. can b,
ovcrriddcn.
| GOVERNOR CANNOT
REVERSE COURT ACTIo
The Assistant Acknowledgement is Of
the opinion that the Governor has no
authority under the law to reverse the
order OF the court in any given case
directing the destruction of liquor
which has been seized for violation of
the prohibition law, but believes the
judges may withhold the order for de-
struction until the Legislature has time
TO act.
Upon this point Mr.. Garnctt says:
This is matter which. it seems
10 me. can he taken care Of only by
the judiciary OF the state. There is
great force in the suggestion made by
Mr. Dickerman. that it is useless
waste OF very valuable material. and
If the judges of the State in whose
courts ardent spirits arc now held by
seizure agree with Mr.. Dickerman that
it is a very unnecessary waste Of use
full material. I do not believe that any.
objection could be urged to the courts
continuing the cases upon their dockcts.
and not entering an order destroying
such ardent spirits until the Legisla-
ture has an opportunity to meet and
provide for the disposal of these ardent
spirits in some manner for the general
good"
DICKERMAN POINTS TO
VALUE or ALCOHOL
Mr. Dickcrmans and Commissioner
Pcters's letters are as follows:
Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department OF the State Corporation
Commission.
Richmond. May Q. 1917.
Alexander Forward, Secretary TO the
Governor:
My Dear Mr.. Forward,-If you think
we'll OF it. would like to have You
call the Governors attention to the
suggestion offered herein. have
noted In the newspapers frequent al
| lusions to the confiscation of consider
able quantities of whisky, and tho fur
ther statement that such whisky was
disposed OF by dumping into the
sewer.
In normal times I presume this would
be justihable, but under war cond-
tions it appears to me that this is
distinctly unwarranted waste, and
some means should be found under the
eXigencics OF the occasion to utilize
this whisky rather than waste il.
Whisky ordinarily is approximately
so per cent alcohol, with only few
tenths per cent of essential oils and
various coloring extracts obtained
from the wood in which ii is stored.
the balance being water. II redistilled
in any commercial equipment. the
alcohol can be extracted practically
pure. except for small percentage OF
| water. Alcohol is now used in large
quantities for the purpose of manu-
featuring high grade munitions. I
would suggest. therefore. If it is pos
sible for tie Governor SO to do tc
CONTINUED on Third Page)
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