The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-09
HOOCH HPEDDLERS
UNION ORGANIZED
Illicit Purveyors of
Liquor Hold Conven-
tion in Canada
TO IRRIGATE NATION
Delegates Plan Safety Meas
ures; Red and White Blocs
Engage in Battle


Special TO The World
WASHINGTON. July S.--Shades
OF FaIstuff! What havo we here?
Nothing short of a bootleggers
union, that holds conventions. sol
rocs and everything--on the Cana
dian border, far from the revenue
uuuuts Rest houses at frequent in
t.r,als along the slippery pike. It
sounds "fishy," but its the story OF
4 John Briscoe, self-styled LIQUOR
' drummer just back from the home
Of the Canadian club, and Johnny
walker tolls. John rocounts that the
boys who peddle the white and red
stuff all over the country met on the
line and discussed ways and means
of irrigatins the United States with
amber Scotch and other brands. and
putting one over on Mr.. Nolstead and
his arid law.
Had 10 Show n Conviction.
John said that everybody who sold
booze was invited to attend a meet
Ing for the purpose of forming a pro-
tective society. Invitations were sent
out printed on the backs OF whisky
labels, and all fellow had to do
was 10 show a conviction to attend
the convention.
Not only were the runners of
bootch on the Job, but the fellows
WHO htll on upLll tlAAlN do NNil Ndlilt
along 20 lend the boys moral sup
' port. Fine crowd there, says John,
and only 10 scraps in an hour. Most
OF tho time the boys were In sort
OF daze and managed TO keep the
convention moving In the right di-
rection--that IS, in the direction of
the nearest distillery.
Tho local representative OF the
hootleggers union explains that he
PnngiHtnI fiVa tipnna for
selling, and so was eligible for APP
pointment as chairman OF the ways
ana means committee.
Briscue explained that committee.
lie said the first thing it had to do
was find "A way to bring in the stuff.
The less said about the means
part the better, he remarked. BY
tscit understanding. all of the boys
eliminated the word means" Too
significant, he said.
Everyone Thcrc--200 I'm All.
About two hundred attended the
gathering over the line, he added,
and with thumb TO nose made ccr-
tain upholdcrs OF law and order in
the United states desert" bite their
initials in oak trees. The conven-
tion was held, says John. for the
purpose Of devising a plan to protect
the honest peddler of booze.
II the combined prohibition forces
of the New England states plus
the Northwest mounted had staged a
roundup, there would be little stuff
coming across the line now. All of
the fellows who travel by night were
there.
After the first few unpleasant
scenes were quelled and "a near riot
stopped by order of the chair. who
presided with a bung starter as a
gavel the meeting got down to seri-
GUS business. 1t was agreed nani-
mpusly that permanent organiza-
tion shOlld be effected. with local
chapters in all states where liquor is
the national beverage. Local option
counues-that were-get two chap
ters.
Relief for Hard-Prcssed Runners.
Fest houses were proposed and
this proposal was also adopted by
the convention. The plan is TO build
series of shanties, on or off the
roads that lead from tho border, To-
cal conditions determining the loCa-
tlun. These houses will be sanctuary
Tor the hard-worked bootlegger, and
IN lnclement weather Will protect the
runner and his assorted drinks.
Cots ana safes Will ue part OF the
equipment. Cots for the leggers and
safes for the booze. After all the
lads had been introduced and the
rest house Idea pushed through the
convention, one delegate proposed
that the business Of holding up leg
gers be stopped. When q fellow
joins fraternity, he doesn't have to
watch his jewclry, the man COM
mented; so il he joins the union. he
wight to feel that his jewelry is safe.
Brlscoe said that this remark
started another argument which
lasted until the wagon came down
the road. No arrests were made, be-
cause the boys were on neutral terri
tory. a delegation from the thickets
OF Maryland ana one from the green
mis- of Virginia, were in attendance.
Ihey came in n truck and brought
along applejack and corn.
Two Blocs DO Battle.
1his bloc was rather reaCtionary,
50 20 speak, the lads holding out for
tAelr natal product. 4 clique was
formed, and the "Whitcs," as the
corn liquor element was dubbed,
tried to down everything the Reds"
or rye runners proposed, This down
ing included an effort TO drink
everything in sight.
Another truce was finally called
and brought about by the rcctiflers
delegation. This crowd Is noted. aC-
koTding to Briscoe, for cutting down
S4e Canadian product with various
k!ck-lmparting conCoctions. These
boys were called the Blues" so
Tght patriotic crowd foreRathered,
SAID Briscoe, red, white and blue.
The blues lost out on the floor of
lhe convention, the whites and reds
forming combine that doused a
proposal by the imitators to reduce
LAe Kick and increase the price, A
ieW OF the private runners working
on commission were heartily in favor
OF Keeping the stuff at its distillery
strength.
Wood alcohol was condemned as
injurious to health, and the use OF
anything stronger than distilled
water and grain alcohol in reducing
or, rather, increasing a gallon to five
gallons was tabooed.
Brlscoe said that he had a right
good time" Plenty of liquor for
every one, and good stuff. Every
man had to bring a sample OF his
own ware and drink It. before 1t was
N'ssed around, The boys all trusted
esch other implicitly. The Blues re-
FUSED to drink their stuff, but held
Out Tor taste of the Reds product.
~ ended with the Blues picking up