Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-08-27
OBEDIENCE IS DEMANDED

"rho Courts have hold that this Is
the law, and we probably would get
into trouble If we made Il raid with
out the search warrant even If We saw
the liquor standing on tho bar.
In one place my agents did seize
whisky without a search warrant ana
when the case came to trial the Judge
forced us to give 1t back to the boot
logger because we had acted without
first complying with the strict letter
of tho law.
Where does the bootleg whisky In
Chicago come from?
II Is much tho same rs in the other
big wet ccntcrs. Some Of it IS distilled
illicitly, but the great bulk is colorcd
and Favored alcohol or real whisky
removed by crooked means from bond
cd warehouses.
4 favoritc method is the staging Of
real or fake chefs" while the stuff
Is in transit from ono warehouse to
another Tho wholesale owner applies
for permission to move his liquor. I'm
der the law he has right to move 1t
once. He puts up bond OF $500 n
gM' Ion and ships it off either by rail
way or truck. The liquor disappears
ell route.
It is reported to be "stolen," The
agents may be morally sure that the
owner knows exactly what becomes of
1t and has been compensated fully at
high bootleg prices, but it is neXt to
impossible to catch man in such n
transaction and no penalty can be in
ficted except forfeiture Of the SINAI
bond.
WARDINCss.ASsAIN "THEFTS."
The Federal Bureau now is taking
precaution, against these "theftS" by
arming men with pistols or rifles. aud
having them guard the liquor in Cram
sit.
Most Of TIL, fake whisky manufac-
tuied from alcohol here is tr:.ccdble
lack to the SINE cd '"'''h" thai hay c
been exposed by this series in other
Observation-Disclosures who disguise their
operations as the manufacturers Of eX
tracts, patent medicines and toilet
preparations.
III this city there are plumbers,
blacksmiths, chautfcurs, BARRIERS, men
from every conceivable trade, who
suddenly have become "mnnufactr-
ers" Of hair tonics or other preparat-
ions containing alcohol. OF course the
Government keeps checked record
of all the alcohol they buy, but If
they wish to be crooked and faIsify
their books it is extremely difficult TO
keep track OF what they afterwards
do with it.
Many of them as q result, mix the
alcohol with water, flavoring and
coloring and bootleg it as first-class
whisky. Isis is the kind sof stuff fir
which strangers pay SO cents or 70
cents drink over the bars here.
There is some real, bonded goods, OBJ
tanned from warehouses or smugg ed
in from Canada, but it is kept for
special patrons.
Real beer, containing from per
cent to per cent alcohol also Is wide
ly on sale here. 1t would take more
than 100 agents to keep these viola
tions alone in hand. Most Chicago
brewers are doing an honest business
manufacturing near beers,'' contain
ing less than one hat Of one per cent
alcohol.
But many are vioating the law.
They make some beer that comes wits
in the law and some. that does not.
They mix 1t together in shipments, &C
cording to prearranged understand.
ings with patrons. To keep this retl
beer entirely out Of circulation, ageuta
would have to stop every truck In
transit and Sample" practically every
separate case or barrel.