New-York tribune., 1921-10-09


or who had not been arrested OF accused, had
free access to the berths. and that other por-
ters, waters, cooks and brakemen, against
whom no accusing finger had been pointed,
might have been involved, the jury returned
a verdict of "Not Guilty."
4 most diverting little comedy came
crcpper some two or three months ago after
d long and successful run. The performer
was real comedan--a fat, middle aged
French Canadian who plausibly explained his
frequent trips back and forth across the line
bv saying that he owned little business in
a Vermont village and another in a town north
Of the line. The French-Canadian always
rode in the tourist smoker where he made him
self general favorte by telling funny stories
and singing comic songs in the French-Can"~
dian dialect. Scores Of travelling men will
recall the funny Frenchie who always accom-
panied his songs by playing huge accordion,
which he carried in a big, black bag. The
revenue officers became suspicious of this peri
patetic comedian, but their examination of
his luggage revealed nothing but clothes.
Finally revenue agent said to him one day:
'Lemme look at your accordion"
"Wiz zc greatest pleazure," replied the
French Canadian.
The revenue officer saw nothing suspicious,
but he thought the musical instrument was
pretty heavy. He placed it on his knee,
played few notes. cooked his and shook
the accordion. He heard a splash Then he
observed that the accordion could be opened,
He opened it and inside he found gallon tin
full Of hooch The trial was one of the gayest
affairs in the thus far brief history of SNUG
CLING court actions, and the court, in imposing
fine Of $500 and costs, remarked that the
plot was so clever that he did not feel like
applying greater penalty, especially as the
operations of the defendant were not extern
siVe.
Recently a revenue officer in the Newport
district examining the extensive luggage
Of gray haired lady dressed in deep mourn
ing, who explained that she had been visiting
a famous shrine in city in Quebec Province.
The lady looked so pious that it hardly seemed
worth while to give her trunks more than
cursory inspection. What made the INSPECTOR
dig down into capacous trunk was its ex-
traordinary weight. The search was rewarded
by the discovery of scores Of bottles of all
sizes and description containing what appeared
to be clear water.
Was the lady with the gray hair disturbed? u?
Not at all. When the revenue officer held up
bottle Of the coorless fluid, she said in an
even tone:
It's nothing but water from the shrine"
The revenue officer felt almost ashamed Of
himself when he drew the cork But the smell
was that Of Vim Blanc, popularity known on
the border as high wine Now high wine is
real booze, double proof If you have one
quart Of high wine, you can add two quarts
Of water to it, and even then you have booze
Of such potency, as explained to me by a civil
engineer Of scandinavian extraction, that
"threc drinks will make you sing six will en-
able you to outrun a squirrel in a clump OF
cedars and tamaracl<s, and when 7 get nine or
ten Of en- under my belt revert to the state
Of my carly ancestors; become a roarng
berserk. II had n steel trimmed shield such
NY ancestors carried and threw away be-
fore they engaged in combat | would bite
crescent out Of it.
High wine, my boy" he continued 'is
French Canadian booze, 1ao proof. 1t ia lha