The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-07

theis mi e. n lSf1l N4Iua.
The socUnd criticism n that the
drugki&ts charge TOO much money for
hning these prescriptions.
home druggists charge as much sls
$500 per quart other 5000 per quart.
but none OF them charge more than
fifty cents for gill. and nine pre-
scriptions out or ten should be for one
gill, but more than nine ont IL ten
are for one quart Even at this rate
per quart the percentage of profit is
lower than druggists charge for other
prescriptions, for the overhead ex-
pense OF druggist n perhaps greater
than the expense Ut his naterfa4s- btst
be that as II may, all prescriptions
cost about fifty cents each for any
drugs and an culinary prescription for
one gill of whiskey costs fifty cents.
Now why should a. prescription for
whiskey (Which every druggist
abhors). be sold for less than pre-
scription of other medicines? Per-
sonally. I do not believe whiskey rs
necessary as a medicine, but l do not
feel that I may obtrude my personal
views upon the general Assem- bly,.
which has recognized it and there
fore In the execution of their laws
must discriminate between personal
opinion and official action. but neither
personally nor officially do / have any
sympathy with the hue and cry for
| cheap whfskey. much OF which obvi-
ousiy enters into the uses that are not
necessary. Certainly not SO long as
bona fide prescriptions for gill may
be procured for fifty Cells
Express Companies.
There are said to be about 1000
express Offices in this state. My APP
preparation has aver permitted q
al nj a~~I
of these. but as complaint or suspfc-
Ion arises they are inspected. Little
trouble has been experienced with
these offices except at Richmond This
ONCE Ia constant source Of "rurAor."
Many of the officials have requested
this department to assist them In
ferreting out the theft OF whfskey
and the introduction into the city Of
contraband whiskey through their
system. Inspectors were put to work
and large quantity of v'hiskey was
discovered in barrels, sixteen in ALL
labelled sugar. 4 man by the name
of =. J. Lenahan long under suspic-
ion. was arrested, tried and convict
ed IN the busting court In the city of
Richmond. from which judgement he
appealed to the supreme court and
his appeal is now pending Shortly
after his arrest the complaints ceased,
nut this office is again under surveii-
lance.
Almost daily complaints arrive, and
they come from all sections of the
state, that ardent spirits transported
by express are stolen. One druggist
wrote me that OF three orders con-
signed to him, he had received none.
Others who receive their packages
complain that the whiskey is removed
and water is substituted: other. that
there liz shortage in quantity. II Is
difficult indeed to detect these thefts.
IT an inspector enters and remains in
the express car when liquor is being
Transported there Is no theft; II not
in the car theft lis very frequent We
are working with pains on this prob
lem.
railroad Transportation.
The c, c. & O., Louisville e. Nash
vile. Norfolk & Western, b. & O., n.
r.. p. N. r, r.. the Seaboard Air
Line, Southern. G. & o.. Atlantic Coast
Line, Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac and Washington and South
passengers bearing contraband whis-
key. In their trunks under check and
IN satchels and suitcases as personal
baggage. The last six-named rail-
roads all enter the state over the
Potomac river on the trackage of the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac and Washington Southern rail-
way, and diverage throughout the
state below Alexandria. On this road
fully in compliance with law / have
undertaken to intercept the fiow OF
liquor. rs this was a strategic point
at which If successful. I could give
protection to hundreds OF stations and
a large part of the state of Virginia.
-Four men by the inspection of these
trains passing over the tracks of the
said Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac railroad can accomplish
more good and prevent the distribu-
zion OF more whiskey than 100 men
could accomplish scattered all over
the state after whiskey is distributed
william T.. Payne.
In this work 4 wish to~make mem
tinn OF enc gentlemen in particular to
whom the people of Virginia are more
indebted than to anyone else. + am
told that in ninety days ne and his
assistants took off OF these trains at
this point over 500 persons who were
IN the act OF breaking the law and
carried with them before a justice OF
the peace $500 quarts Of whiskey and
In all Of these arrests never made
a single mistake by arresting a. man
who did not have liquor in his pos
session am sure that this record
has never been surpa ssed. Mr.. Will
liam f Payne. of Rosslyn. Va. an in
spector in this department., in the
to whom / llude and
make this acknowledgment OF his In
comparable service. because no man
is as hated as Mr.. Payne and not man
has been so prosecuted. High on
Gals OF the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac. who ought to up
hold him have shown him great in
civility and have encouraged (Wheth-
er consciously or unconscionslyl
Bootleggers" TO resist officers In
making arrests by their attitude to-
wards the enforcement of this law In
this legitimate and effective way. r
am told that the state of Virginia
owns two-fifths of this railroad. but
that the majority ownership is in
control under the United States rail-
road adm inistratfon. It Is most I'M
fortunate for prohibition that those
who control this road should retain
In their men who UNI
der the euise OF protecting their pas
seneers are pursuing a course which
has a tendency to lower the morale
Of officers of the law and to embolden
"hootleygers' who defy the law