Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-11-30
HOLIDAY WHISKY
WILL BE SCARCE,
DECLARESGAN

Atlanta is gong TO race snort
age of Christmas whisky this year
that will be even more acute than
the coal shortage emergency, accord
ing to the prediction made Saturday
by D. J. CAN'T, federal director Of
prohibition enforcement for the
southeast.
He added that this not only is his
prediction, but his staunch determin-
alton as well. My agents are ready
for the holiday season." said he, land
from now on he will be a lucky man
who smuggles as much as a quart
| through our lines into the city. We're
going to give Atlanta the sanest
| Christmas it ever had"
Director CAN'T asserted that the
supply of intoXicants now within the
limits of the city of Atlanta is sadly
EiHadequate TO meet the demands of
the holiday trade I'm fact, ali Of
the supply on hand will have been
seized by revenue agents or sold and
consumed long before the Christmas
bells begin to ring. And I am care
fully laying plans, to prevent the
city's supply from being replenished,
so you see where We'll be about De
| cember 25-there simply won't be
enough to go round"
To Thwart Plans
whisky interests in Savannah and
| Jacksonville" continued Director
CAN'T, "are planning to unload thou
sands and thousands of gallons of
| whisky in Atlanta between now and
| Christmas. But my department knows
how this whisky is going to move to-
ward Atlanta, and our job will be
the result.
incidentally, the shortage which
exist, will nave the probable effect
OF causing prices to soar higher than
ever. [ have reason to believe that
a quart of good red liquor, if it can
be found at all, will cost anywhere
from $25 to. $35 during the Christ
mas season"
Mr.. CAN'T said the movement of
whisky from Savannah, Jacksonville
and other cities into Atlanta for the
annual holiday trade began a week
go. But very little of it has ar
rived" he declared
Recruiting the activities of his
agents during the week, the director
showed that more than 5000 gallons
of whisky en- route to Atlanta was
The majority of the contraband
came through in suit cases and hand
bags, said Director CAN'T. He said
quantities of whisky valued at up
wards of $4,000 was taken from
berths in Pullman cars.
| Liquor Men Wise
The whisky rings of Savannah
and Jacksonville are beginning tc
awaken to the fact" said Mr.. CAN'T
that the task of flooding Atlanta
with their goods is going to be ex-
tremely difficult this year.
MY official reception committee
comprising several dozen of the best
prohibition officers in the country
is meeting every train which arrives
in the city. But that's not all, as
the chap who jumped off at Jones'
boro the other day with eight quarts
Will testify. We are going to patrol
the suburban stations and all near
by towns and cities. and in this way
will be able to foil attempts to come
most all the way to Atlanta by rail
land then bring the booze the rest
of the way by automobile. trolley car
or other conveyance.
| Moreover. we are closely watch
ing every highway leading into At
| lanta. and the booze vendors who
| formerly 'eased' quietly in with a
car of whisky will be restined to
bitter disappointment if they try the
old stunt between now and Christ
mas.
without disclosing any more of
the plans we have made and the
traps we have set. I will state to
the whisky interests that we are
prepared for them. and l hereby chal-
lenge them-dare them to enter At
lanta's gates with their goods
But it will be great Christmas,
anyhow" said the prohibition direc-
tor. "In fact. as 1 said before, it
will be the safest and sanest. and
most deljghtful Atlanta ever had"
Police Get Liquor
The prohibition offices in the fed
ar91 h11i16ino f1i1n1 hiCh Sat-
urday with suit cases and handbags,
all full of high-grade whisky, which
had been seized during the week.
While the Atlanta reception COM
mittee' was meeting trains and au-
tomobiles and relieving new arriv-
ais of their contraband goods, Off
GERS Harris, Sowell, Dixon and What
ley were out in the rural districts,
busily engaged in intercepting ship
ments of whisky en- route to Allan
ia. When they came in Saturday
night, they brought with them sever
al defendants and as much evidence
as their automobile would stand up
under.
The officers also made large raids
during the week on distilleries in the
outlying territory, their efforts in
this direction, it is said, netting nine
stills, approximately 10000 gallons
of whisky and $4,000 gallons of mash
and beer.
The largest distilling plant yet I'M
covered, according to the officers,
was found in Dawson county. Here
the officers located the outfit in OPP
Grafton, arrested the operator, de-
stroyed the paraphernalia, and, it is
said, poured out 10000 gallons of
mash and 700 gallons of whisky. An
automobile road leading to the still
indicated that. it had been a regular
filling station" for whisky interests
for a number of months, said the
officers. Mr.. CAN'T said other re-
ports received in his office reflected
similar activity by his agents oper-
ating in other parts of Georgia.
Tunulty to Practice