Evening journal., 1921-12-29
BOOZE
Death Menace,
SAYS ELLIOTT

Continued From First Page)
lous bootleggers are certain to turn
to any old concoction in an effort to
coin money.
Il notice." continued Director
Elliott, that already Philadelphia
is alarmed over the. possibilities of
poison liquor being dealt out there
in surreptitious manner. It only is
step from Philadelphia to VIII
mington-a bare thirty miles. And
once some Of the 'stuff' should get
through the Gordon we have thrown
out, and reach Wilmington, 1t will
do it's deadly work here just as per-
niciously as it has in New York.
"But there are other things be-
sides wood alcohol I would warn
violators Of the Volstead act against.
Since / have taken the office of di-
rector of prohibition for Delaware,
have become acquainted with some
Of the erroneous notions which
some liquor drinkers have acquired.
For instance, have learned that
some dealers content themselves
with finding the alcoholic content OF
the liquor they handle. Then they
say to the unwary purchaser; This
is s5 per cent. proof. or. this is 300
per cent. proof
such a declaration doesn't mean
anything at all. It doesn't define in
the least the kind Of alcohol--and
that, after all is the principal point.
Then. again, have heard that
drinkers will pour a little liquor into
a saucer, set fire to the surface of
the LIQUOR with a match and watch
the color of the flame. II the color
is yellow. then there is wood al
cohol in the concoction; If the color
is blue, then the alcohol Is OF the
harmless, pure grain variety.
"Such a test as that is just about
as nonsensica1 as the notion that II
someH intoxicating liquor is poured
upon the top of a heated stove, II
will form white sugar II pure and
yellow sugar IL impure.
There also is still another factor
to be considered, now that we are
on the subject. This is tfet fresf
made so-called whisky is dangerou.
at best because OF the presence o.
fusel oil and other deleterious in
gradients. whisky as anyone shoulS
know, should be aged in wood B,
putting newly-made liquor into
wooden keg and permitting it Il
stand for weeks or months. rather
the fusil oil and other harmful in
gradients are absorbed by the wood
en- sides.
Il can say very frankly very littl'
pure liquor is coming, or has beer
coming into Delaware for SOM
months past. The prohibition agent
; have made Il more and more dlfh
cult to obtain liquor bottled in bond
so that about the only stuff nov
= leaking into the State is fresl
. made or new In many instance
il is only some kind OF alcohol will
= some fiavoring extract. to cut dow
the sharp taste, and some colorin
e matter to make 1t resemble the 'rea
stuff Such concoctions are not Fl
for the human stomach
Asked II he would care to sa
a anything about "moonshine," O
: corn liquor" Director Elliott smile
e and remarked: LAS Kipling ono
0 said. that's another story"
( "Just now" he resumed, Il al
4 most anxious to see that Delawar
. people are spared from the hidaou
blindness and even death which
e trailing in the wake of bad liquor
a New York and Philadelphia. Oa-
= such liquor is put ont by bootlegger
+ there is no telling how far II ma
Q travel.
/ AS II to illustrate the warning ui
j. tered by Director Elliott. John 4
: Devine. in Municipal Court thi
morning, testified that after he ha
e been persuaded by a friend TO joi
j. in a drink, and although he ha
i taken only two "swigs" Of the liquo
= his memory became a complet
blank Devine pleaded guilty I
drunkenness, but Judge Hastings.
i view of Devine's frank statemer
q and confession, dismissed the cas-