Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1920-06-25

In this day of prohibition, when
would-be conviviai parties are forced
to gather about the soda fountain,
when healths are drunk at Christmas
and New Years Day in sparkling
grape juice. and when it is considered
rather sinful even to think beer" it
seems fitting from an historical stand
point that we should call to mind the
habits of our wicked predecessors,
who took toddies when they had the
grip. Time was when Bacchus felt
pretty much at home i'll Windham
County, and it took the utmost efforts
of many local temperance societies to
send him into temporary exile IN the
first part of the last century. There
are abundant evidences of the fact
that wine was not considered an un-
mixed evil daring the Colonial period,
and the struggle for independence.
Certain it is that the men of those
times did not entirely lose their men
tai and physical abilities as a result
of their eountenancing John Barley
corn. Wander anywhere through the
country today and note The hundreds
of miles of stone walls laid by the
early farmers, and figure labor eX-
pended. and what a like task would
cost today. Yet these same men actu-
ally drank beer and shipped kegs of
rum up the Quinnebaug 20 Pomfret
Landing on RATS and bateauX.
L. i
certain high-minded gentlemen that
General Grant drank whiskey. These
good men doubted the ACCESSIBILITY of
having that sort of person in
command of large body of troops.
Mr.. Lincoln pondered few moments
and then asked if they knew the brand
of his whiskey, for" said he, Il
should like to send barrel of it to
my other generals-Grant wins vic
tories" In the same way one is
sometimes forced to wonder just
what sort of malts the builders of this
republic brewea and what kind of Ii
quors concected-they achieved re-
suits. -
1t seems that Bacchus proved to be
a good friend to James Fitch, Jr.,
when O~-aneco took him as a sort of
guardian, and made over to him all
right and title to his holdings, COM
planning that certain folk took advant
age of him. when in drink and caused
him ito sign deeds" This took place
in 1850, and it Is among the earliest
references to strong drink III Wind
ham county which we have. Early IN
the next century certain deacon was
severely reprimanded and punished
for over excessive drinking, and it is
uncertain whether he ever reformed
or not.
Though there is no direct allusion
to Bacchus in the accounts c. the pan
ic which occurred during the French
and Indian wars, this potent spirit
must have had hand in the affair.
The facts of the case were as follows:
During night in June, 1854, shortly
after hostilities had commenced, ne
gro slave, belonging to certain Mr..
White who lived on Windham Green,
came tearing into the house half
crazed with fear. Having aroused the
neighborhood he called their attention
to a peculiar rumbling noise, which
he claimed was the clamor of an ad-
yancing horde of French with their
savage allies. The folk Of Windham
Green awakened thus rudely from
their slumbers caught the panic read
ily, and it was not long before they
heard even the names of the pros
pective victims echoing from the dark
ness. Colonel Dyer's name in partic-
ular was heard by several. Some IN
deed there were who disagreed with
the advancing army theory, and were
Of the opinion that it was the Trump
of Doom sounded on the eve of the
Day of Judgment. And so it was that
most unpleasant night was spent
by all on Windham Green. Much TO
the chagrin of the townsfolk the mat
ter was explained next day by Mr..
Toilet, who lived near the mill pond.
He claimed that all this clamor had
been made by sick frogs, that the