Weekly journal-miner., 1918-12-11
DOPE LIQUOR IN EFFORT ID FO|L
 TRUNK THIEVES
TRAVELLERS WHOSE BAG GAGE IS FRISKED BY
 THIRSTY MEN, PLAN REVENGE BY MIX ING POISON IN WHISKY.
(From Wednesdays Oaily.)

(From Wednesdays Oaily)
 Tn view of the fact that practically every piece of baggage which is rout- ed from Los Angeles and other Cali fornia points into Arizona is broken into somewhere between the point of origin and the destination, supposed ly by thirsty baggagemen who are searching for contraband shipments of liquor, residents of Jerome district are discussing the advisability of shipping in few consignments of booze which will be so doctored up death or at least cause an awful Stomachache to any thieving baggage smasher who might happen to close in on the bottled goods after having either picked the lock on the trunk or else, as is frequently done, twist cd the lock off the piece of baggage The thieves break into the baggage safe in the knowledge that the owner of the illicit shipment will not have the temerity to lodge a complaint against anyone whom he may suspect and SO far. none of the pilferers have been exposed, but
 Here's what the Jerome News says is going to be done about the matter in the future:
 In order to protect themselves from thieving, thirsty baggagemen and brakemen, travellers coming into Arizona from coast points are plann- ing 10 plant in their baggage whisky treated with cynide and other deadly poisons.
 Practically every piece of baggage that has reached Jerome from Cali fornia and other points outside the state within the last two or three ! months has been broken open some | where en route The main object of the thieves, of course, is to confiscate | contraband shipments of liquor but when they fail to find liquor they do | not scruple to take anything else Of i value they happen to run across. | More than one drummer has reached ] Jerome ;n inc last few days to find | after his arrival that he was prac- ticallv without samples. Nothing that is wearable is safe from the vandal hands Of the trainmen. In addition to stealing clothing they sadly disar- range the carefully arranged contents of trunks making work for the laun- dries and cleaners.
 Locks No Bar
 The appearance of trunks reaching Jerome hotels within the last few days indicates that the trainmen have invented some special ingenious tool for tearing off locks. The heaviest and strongest locks are twisted off and made entirely useless.
 Usually the rifling is accomplish cd before the baggage reaches Je- rome Junction The train crews rum ming between Phoenix and Parker seem to be particularly active in this occupation Plenty of the same work is going on along the main line of the Santa Fe and within the last few days instances have come to light of baggage being rifled on the U. V. ! Jerome. One travelling man who came in last night swears that he saw his baggage at the junction and I it was in perfect shape. When 1t was delivered to him at his hotel here every piece had been entered $ and some of his samples had been stolen.
 Protests Useless. Whenever two travelling men ! meet there is an indignation meeting. | The situation is intolerable and the e statesmen realize that they must take Il some drastic steps to protect them | selves. Protests to the railroad V are useless as there Is no | means of proving the guilt of any d particular employee. F The result O fthe general discussion has been a quiet agreement among travelling men to carry out the plan one commercial traveller advanced when he was in Jerome recently. C, This is to place in their baggage s, whisky treated with deadly poisons. C Liquor so treated does not come G within the purview of the law pro- IT hibiting the transportation of in B toxicants for it is no longer a bever- age. There is absolutely no statute h; against anyone carrying prusSic acid ii in whiskey bottle.
 If there are any sudden deaths V, among Arizona railroad men within l. the next few weeks the reason wifi til not be far to seek K
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