Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-11-04
NARRATIVE OF A
QUART OF Wu..ssSEY.

Washer and the Stills. My early years
were spent in a dark but clean barrel
in company with my brothers, all con-
genial spirits; had no sisters. We had
ripened into maturity when prohibition
came, and at that time rumors seeped
in through the bunghole that we would
be destroyed.
Presently, however. we Of the barrel
found ourselves in a warehouse and
there, for the first time since we had
come together in the round oaken house
with its charred walls, we were sepa-
rated. We were put into quart bottles
and packed, in lots of twelve, in wooden
boxes. In due time, watching through
a crack in my box, saw some of the
other cases being taken into the outer
world. The whisper went around that
they were to be greatly honored that
they were to be used for medical pur-
poses. The only address CHANGED to
see on one of the cases prepared for
shipment was Mineral Point. Wis. "
and | want to congratulate the good,
suffering people of that place on their
great luck.
II seemed odd to me that, as each
load Of cases went out of the warehouse
and some man said something about
medical purposes, there was a great
deal Of laughing, And when they were
not laughing the men talked Of nothing
but money.
My turn came last. A man with a
permit took our case with some hundred
others out into truck and drove away
expected to land in one Of those nice
warm drug stores Of which had heard,
and where could be of some benefit to
the human family But. we were taken
by night 10 a place on the outskirts Of
the city, loaded into fast motor cars
and driven for miles in the darkness
Then we were turned over to another
man, who hid US in cellar Every
time we passed from one man to an
other there was talk of money. Occa-
sional reference was made to our fine
quality, but money was the prime topic
Our case was broken open by the
latest owner so that he could drink one
of my companions therefore | could see
better what was going on. Men in
motors came, ususlly at night, and took
cases away. From their talk they
owned roadhouses, and, although they
grumbed little at the high price
ctSfged for my bottle companions. they
decided that the public would have to
stand IT,
One night man drove up in a hurry
and asked 20 buy one bottle of whiskey
He said his wife was sick and that the
village drug store was closed My owner
demurred at selling less than a dozen,
but al last, perhaps because our case
was aleady preached, he sold me for
large price. and away went with the
man whose wife was sick. At last,
said. an honorable end is in sight am
to be used for medical purposes.
But. before we had gone a mile, our
car was held up by two men who
showed badges They searched The car,
found me, took my new owner to a
police station and con6scated his car
| thought surely | would be destroyed
but the two men who arrested us began
to quarrel over me, each insisting that
he needed me to carry out contracts he
had made along his route" for whiskey
delivery. eve made only $500 this
week. one declared and if | can't
get the hootch won't have any income
except my salary as q prohibition en-
forcement agent. This melted the
heart of the other who said that his
weeks rakeoH amounted to nearly
81, 600 what with Matchmaking the
bootleggers who would stand to be
MIXED and confscating the wares of
those who wouldn't
The men stopped quarreing and
laughed and joked. The thing they
laughed at most was the remark of one
Of them Did you see that Mr.
Kramer is quoted as saying that pro
nibition is paying its way'?" The other
man bent so far over from laughing
that a big roll Of bills fell out Of his
breast pocket.
Evidently / am to go out into the
world again; and eventually, by some
hook or crook, may be used for medi.
,al purposes, Here's hoping