Arizona republican., 1919-12-07
GOVT. GIVES COURSE
FOR BOOZE CHASERS
New York Evening Post


How to know a blind tiger" when
you see one and what to do next are
some of the things being taught to the
prohibition law enforcement squad of
the revenue service in the customs
house. Instruction began in a life-size
and realistic barroom fitted up for the
purpose by Harry w. Mayer chief
revenue agent in charge. of the en-
forcement work in New York.
Mayer believes that an educated
sleuth is better than one with strong
arm and gun when it comes to keep
ing the dry lid clamped down on New
York. SO he is putting all federal
agents in this territory through a
course of instruction calculated to de-
velop a sort of sixth sense or nose for
booze. as it were.
The classroom lacked nothing that
a first class saloon should have. The
bar was of the conventional puddle
proof mahogany, and the footrail or
rest was brass and of standard design
and construction. Beautiful bottles of
rye and Scotch and bourbon decorated
the back drop and here and there a
mysterious flagon indicated that third
rail" was also on tap.
Only Playing Saloon
In fact everything with a kick in
it was either on view or on tap some
where about the bar, even down to the
now forbidden 2.75 beer. No, the fed
eral agents weren't allowed to sample
any of the wet goods. They were only
playing saloon.
Experts who are reputed to know
every trick of the willy blind tiger"
took charge of the classes and re-
hearsed some of the more popular
I dc 90
| function. For instance there is a
right and wrong way to approach
bartender. The saloon that may look
ever SO innocent may be made to take
chance on the right kind of a Gus
toner. The revenue sleuths were
taught how to address the man be-
hind the bar, how to drape themselves
! over the rail, and in general, how to
masquerade as a sure enough possess
scr of thirst and a bank roll who
/ doesn't care rap SO long as he gets
what he wants when he wants it. It's
an art, and the faculty down at the
customs house hopes to inculate it
/ into all pupils.
Mayer, as "Prexy" of the College of
Barroom Etiquette, let 1t be known
that there were other things his I'M
dergrads would have to learn before
coming up for their diplomas. They
must be taught to observe The edu-
Gated blind tiger huntsman of the fu-
ture will be expected to size UP a
crowd in saloon and without looking
at the glasses tell you right off the bat
whether they have been drinking any
thing but kickless beer, and II so, what
There's a lot of valuable evidence to
be gathered from scrutiny of the be-
havior of the patrons you see in a
blind tiger. Chief-or Prexy-Mager
says, and instruction along these lines
is being melted out to the more ad-
vanced classes in the new college
whose campus is Bowling Green.
How to Get Evidence
Other courses of instruction teach
the students how to assemble liquid
evidence, how to prepare it for pres
entation to a judge and jury This
according to Mayer, is highly i'm
portant, in order that the judge and
jury may be tormented by no doubts
that the article brought into court was
in fact obtained as charged in the in
dictment.
The use of the chillioscope is also
being tuaght, so that all fedora
agents may hereafter know what to dc
when they capture a few drops Of
suspicious wet goods. The Chillio
scope is an instrument for measuring
the alcoholic content of things
liquids, that is, not persons-and
with it the college bred revenue mar
of the future will be able to tell in q
minute just how much kick there is ii
the refreshment he has obtained.