The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-14
Chief Parsons VIII Arrest
Druggists Who Sell 1t.
Supreme Court Has Held That
1t Is Intoxicating Liquor.
IT'S A FAVORITE DRINK NOW
Everyone Arrested Lays His
Jag to 1t, Police Say.
BOotleggers Are Absolutely Out
of Business Here.

| Practically every drunk who has
been arrested since the bone-dry law
went into effect has told the police
that he became intoxicated on Jamaica
ginger. That line of talk was respon-
sible for a conference today between
Robert Carver, county attorney, and
. Harvey Parsons, chief of police.
Growing out of the conference is the
ultimatum TO Topeka druggists who
/ sell Jamaica ginger. Every drunk
j brought in from now on Will be asked
where he got his liquor. If he says 1t
9 wasn't liquor but Jamaica ginger, he
will be asked where he bought the
ginger. He'll tell. They've been do
ing that right along.
Then Chief Parsons will pass the
/ information along TO Robert Carver
and the latter will have warrants is
/ sued for the druggists making the
sales.
! ''Since the bone dry law went into
effect and it became harder for boot
leggers to operate" said Carver today.
! the fellows who think they must
have something to drink have been
buying Jamaica ginger.
: Jamaica ginger is an Intoxicating
! liquor and has been held as such by
the Kansas supreme court. 1t comes
! under the provisions of the prohibit
! tory law but fer some reason was not
considered among the intoXicants until
4 the supreme court decided the matter
Warning to Druggists.
Most of the druggists in town sell
it and since the passage of the new
law some of them have been making
a regular business of it Jamaica
ginger DRINKS We're common enough
! before but now they have become the
rule We want the druggists to have
due notice but from now on a war
rant will be issued for every druggist
who sells Jamaica ginger for drink
ing purposes"
Practically all of the town drunk
ards, the men who register at the
city Jail regularly, say they haven't
had enough real liquor since the bone
dry law went into effect to get Il
kick. But they have had their "kicks"
just the same and they say they got
it from ginger and the ginger from
Topeka druggists. The town drunk
ards understand that it is no viola
ton of the law for druggist to sell
Jamaica ginger and have no hest
fancy in telling where they buy it.
list of the druggists whose Jamaica
ginger business has gone soaring since
the new law went into effect.
Under the inquisition law drunk
may be held until he Sobers suffi-
GENTLY to talk, then be compelled.
under threat of a Jail sentence, to tell
where he obtained the ingredients Of
his jag. If he says it was whisky or
dlcOnOl, ne must tell where ne got
That means trouble for someone. If
he says Jamaica ginger, and that 5
what they are saying, that means
trouble for a new class of people
the druggists.
Parsons Issues Ultimatum.
Just as fast as l get hold of these
drunkS,' said Parsons today, Il am
going to find out where they got it and
as quickly l find that out I'll report
to Carver. He'll do the rest
The business of the bootlegger is be-
coming more hazardous daily. If there
was such thing Is marine insurance
for the vessels cruising between Kan
sas City and Topeka the rates would
be out of sight. Ninety-one quarts of
alcohol and whisky have been taken
from grips and trunks and boxes car
ried from Kansas City to Topeka since
the bone-dry law went into effect. The
I Topeka police have picked up that
much before it got away from rail-
road stations.
= Since Robert Carver became county
attorney in January he has brought
fOrty-twO liquor cases and has OBJ
tanned convictions in twenty-five of
them. The rest are pending.