Evening star., 1917-01-14
HE LOST HIS NERVE
AT UNION STATION
"BootIegger" Cracked Bottle
in Haste to Get Train for
Dry Virginia.
HOW TRAFFIC is CARRIED ON

4 lanky colored man. with beads Of
perspiration upon his brow and a shop
ping bag containing two dozen quar-,
bottles OF whisky. dashed into th.
Union station. 1t was late at nisht and
cold, but the man was in n terrific
hurry and all 'het up" from the exer-
tion OF running with two dozen bottles
IN a bag and perhaps more on the hin.
AS he reached the train gate he sa.ped;
rs she gone"
Yep" said the gateman a. he point
ed out a train pulling slowly down the
track, bound for the dry and dresry
regions OF the rumless Old Dominion.
A Bottle Cracked.
He placed the shopping bag on the
hoor. but not carefully at all. and
cracked a bottle. A stream of red
liquor flowed therefrom. whereupon.,
the "bootlegger" got notion that the
ofieials standing around the station
were watching him and this scared
him so he ran down the track. leaving
his rum behind. On the way he tossed
couple Of smaller bottles under a car.
People tried TO interest him in his shop
Il had one like IT," he said, but it
went on the train ahead"
Next morning the man returned and
claimed the bag. liquor and all.
This is simply one of scores of queer
cases where would-be ''bootleggers"
lose their nerve at the Union station
on their way to dry Virginia.
A report from the Petersburg -Hopeweil
section OF Virginia told OF the capture OF
large supplies of red" liquor in a house
In the country district. and OF city de-
iveries OF one-quart packages from Balt
one morning delivery OF an express COM
pany involving more than four hundred
quarts.
Still Are Some Gases.
Persons familiar with the liquor situa-
tion in the Old Dominion say It is possi-
BILE to obtain supplies In some sections
Of the state. Arrests and imposition OF
severe penalties. however. II 10 suggested,
will gradually decrease the number. and
the adoption OF a so-calied bone dry
amendment to the present law will ac-
complish much.
A story is told OF Washington mans
peculiar experience in effort to obtain
supply of liquor in dry Virginia st ortly
after the prohibition law became effective.
he reached the town one afternoon and
had to wait several hours to make a.
railroad connection. II happened that he
had been celebrating the day before and
was suffering from what is termed a
Hangover"
DESTROYS OF getting a bottle of some
thing stronger than the law permitted
to be sold. the Washington man inquired
OF a railroad man where he might get a
drink.
Il don't know" the railroad man is
reported to have told him, but II
you'll ask that colored man across the
way he may give You the desired In
formation"
Jack" Had Some Shoes"
Jack" as he addressed the coiored
man, said he could get him n bottle
of liquor. but it would cost him ST..
That amount OF money was no object
to the man with a thirst. and he handed
over a crisp two-dollar bill.
I've just bought my wife a pair OF
Shoes, said the colored man. handing
the thirsty man n box to hold. :
please don't let anything happen "a
the shoes" he said. FOR II go home
without them there'll be trouble in
the family"
And SO the thirsty man took the box.
he waited and waited for the return of
Jack, but saw nothing of him. Two
hours elapsed and he sought the rail-
road man who had pointed out the
colored man TO him. =
Il think he's pretty honest negro"
he said. but it's possible that he's
handed you a lemon"
Let's see." said the thirsty man, re-
moving the paper wrapper from the
box and lifting the cover.
a bottle OF whisky was in the box.