Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-02-26
Maine Variety Have Many
Dodges to Fool the Federal
Agents.
FOUNTAIN syRlAGES USED
"Walkine spsakeas:ss" Are the Hard
est to catch--Llquor 10 Cached
In Odd Places by Itinerant
Vendors.

the STATE OF Mdiilc, SlopPNo va w.
Buffalo, says the Courier of that
city, for a few hours and related some
interesting methods Of conducting the
,io,,nr business under strict enforce
ment.
Mr.. Evans told OF many ways of
handling "wet'' goods used by boot
leggers," but not one Of the hundreds
with whom he has come In contact
ever used bootleg as a depository
for his stock In trade.
while the name still sticks to In
diyidunis who defy the liquor law out
side of regular saloons and Kitchen
barrooms, the bootleg full Of booze
ceased TO be when the high boots with
loose tops went out Of style.
Was Easy to Get Booze.
Up to the time Of the passage OF
the Webb law by the federal govern
ment a few years ago." Mr.. Evans
said, providing for the labelling OF
all wet goods handled by express
companies and other common carriers,
it was comparatively easy matter
to get plentiful supply Of liquor from
Boston wholesalers and even after
that most of the boOtleggers managed
to smuygle In by water or automobile.
and there were some who cOncOctei
a mixture out Of alcohol, water. burnt
sugar and a dash OF tabascO, which
they passed off on many an unsuspect.
ing victim.
1.-THE hardest bird we ever had TO
contend with was putting out booze
for years. We knew he was doing II,
but. We could not get the goods Oh him.
and ii was long time before We got
him, even after we were wise to his
system. This was his system:
AT night he would load his over
coat up with pints. half-pints and oc-
casionaliy a quart. These he would
plant one In pile Of clapboards in a
humber yard, another in junk pile
and still another under a doorstep or
in a rubbish barrel in an alley. The
next day his customers would come
to him. pay him for their purchase,
and he would direct them to the near
est plant.
1--WE began to be suspicious OF him
after Il woman reported seeing a man
remove bottle from the muzZle Of
one Of the two historic cannon that
guard the Soldiers monument. Final.
~ we trailed him at night watched
him SOW his crop. harvested II and
then placed him under arrest.
Strangers mot Wanted"
1--WE were unable 10 get conviction
against him, although the fellow was
not working and had no visible means
Of support. 1t was not until we caught
him mapping with a couple Of stool
pigeons that we finally convicted him.
In order for the system to work out
quainted with his customers and have
their confidence In large degree.
Another popular method Of dis
pensing the hard stuff was through
couple of fountain syringes, suspend
ed from the shoulders one in front and
one on the back. They would fill
flask or serve by the drink as desired.
"When things begin to get too hot
for the pocket peddlers," Mr.. Evans
continued, "they solicit business and
fill each order one at time by taking
the customers money, going to the
hide and returning with the goods. /
doubt II there Is sufficient trust In
ones fellow man for this system to
work out successfully in a city the
size Of Buffalo.
I'VE have picked up men with
considerable stock Of booze on their
persons while to all appearances it
did not seem possible that the indI-
vidunl could have more than a flask
or so.
"In the days before the form lifting
clothes, when long coats and peg-tOp
trousers were in style, many suit
was tailored with huge pockets In the
trousers, and sometimes inside the
coat under the arms.
1.-THE blind tiger, so popular in the
South, was never used much In Maine.
Its only recommendation Is that It Of
fers more or less safety In selling to
strangers. You put your money
through a small opening In wall and
out through the opening comes a
drink.
Beer Wa Too Bulky.
"The method, used by saloon keep
ers to keep out 0f the clutches Of the
law were almost as numerous as those
Of bOotlegging The first step OF the
saloon keeper when the lid was
ciamped down was to eliminate beer
and ah all together, as It was too
hulky to handle In the event of a raid.
IN those days near-beer was a much
despistei and little known article In
Maine. Rut when the district at
torney haied all saloon keepers who
possessed n United States license be-
fore the grand jury and fattened the
county's treasury. by about $500 i
head. they begin to take more kindly
TO near-beer. az It proved an aiibi fer
the federal tax.
IT. dry spells some saloons wgIld
sell only by the bottle to those they
knew very we'll while others would
sell only, by, the drink, going on the
basis that liquor In a mans system
could not he produced as evidence.
Ia The latter places the saloon keeper
usually kept pitcher full Of booze
under The bar handy to the sink. Sew
eral convictions were obtained in
such cases. however. The combine
tiCp of finding whisky glass the
odOr Of liquor and the presence Of q
w.~------s--~s.------