The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-09-28
BOOTLEGGER'S PATH
IS FULL OF TH0RNS
Men Still Sell Some Booze in Okla.
homa, but They Do 1t at
Great Risk and Heavy
Expense
Automobiles Used for Carrying Liq-
uor Are Con6scated and Their
Contents Dumped on Soil;
Whisky Prices High

There is scriptural warrant for the
idea that the path of the transgressor
is hard, thorny and full of pitfalls.
The way of the Oklahoma bootlegger
is not bed of roses whose stickers
have been removed.
The bootlegger, whether in dry
Oklahoma or wet Illinois, is a re-
sourceful gentleman. lie has Bret
Harte's peculiar Chinee beaten six
different ways. But that resourceful-
ness and ingenuity have been severe
ly tested since the bone-dry law of
Oklahoma was reinforced by the
bone-dry law of the federal govern
ment.
1t is admitted that some liquor can
be had in Oklahoma, supplied prin-
cipally from Joplin, Mo. 1t is fur
Their admitted that, unmindful of the
fate of those bootleggers who fall
into the clatchcs of the law, there
are still other foolish bootleggers,
like the moth that singes its wings
in the flame of the candle, who are
willing to take chance.
But the supply of bootleg whisky
Is steadily diminishing, the price is
rising to prohibitivc heights, and the
watchfulness of the wary officials is
becoming greater than ever. Where
as, even in these days of high whisky
prices man may buy a quart of liq-
uor in saloon in wet state at less
than 81, and there is none to modest
or make him afraid, the thirsty Okla
homan. following a devious, uncera
tain and uncomfortable trail, may now
and then assuage his thirst at 81 a
half pint or So quart the while he
keeps his weather eye out and cocks
his ear at the rustic of leaf.
Before the bone-dry law became eff
fective, bootleg whisky sold at half
what it now brings. True, it was
hard to get, but the sale was more
open than now. The penalty for SELL
ing was not so great, and the sentence
for possession of liquor not so severe.
It's Expensive Now
Under present conditions, not only
the liquor itself is conhscatcd and de-
stroyed, and both the seller and pos
SCISSOR of the contraband may be pun
ished, but the vehicle, even though it
be high priced automobile. is taken
from fife man who Transports the
booze, and sold.
Before the one-dry law it was not
possible to seize as contraband an au-
tomobilc that was used for conveying
liquor, but now the law directs that
very procedure. Automobiles are ex-
pcnsive, and it's mighty discouraging
to an enterprising bootleggcr, who
has come all the way from Joplin with
a load of expensive booze, to have
federal or state officers walk up, seize
the $500 or $500 worth of liquor,
break the bottles, pour the booze on
the ground, conhscate the machine
and lock up the bootlegger for six
months or year.
Increasing penalties, coupled with
Increasing vigilance on the part of Of
ficers, has led the sellers and buyers
of liquor to resort to unusual hiding
places for their unlawful treasure.
Sometimes half pint-for that is the
usual maximum-is found concealed
in house furnace. The latest find
was enclosed in static OF an angel
with an open Bible in its hands. Pic
turc frames, hollow tiles in fifeplaces
and even Bibles, with their leaves
cut through, have served as hiding
places for half-pints.
But in spite of the change in plans
of bootleggers; in spite of the efforts
of the liquor traffic outside the state
to debauch the state and make the
law ineffective, Oklahoma's bootleg
ger is being forced out of business,
and when caught at his tricks finds
that sin is bad master.