Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-12
CAMDEN RUM MEN
BOAST|NG OF PULL
County Officials Told to Start
Cleanup in Session Before
Grand Jury

n rum problem no less difhcult 10 ue"'
with than Philadelphia according TO
both officials and the men who are Ill
the liquor business.
All. agree as to essentials. althousn
naturally looking at the 'probiem
from different points of view.
The saloon men say contemporary
that they are In no danger; tina. MY NY
are always sure to be tipped OIL
when n raid rmpends. They are pleased
] with the situation. ,.
District Attorney Wolverton, ADMIT
ting that Camden City and County are
wide open,' deplored existing con
ditons and is planning to proceed Ell.
fectively against them.
The Prosecutor announced today tnat
he had called the police officials ana
other responsible law-entorcing an.
thorities of every city. borough ana
township in Camden County before the
Camden County Grand Jury recently.
In the presence of the Grand Jury
he told these officers that he was fully
aware of conditions and that 1t was up
to them to take measures to nnd out
the persons guilty of violations ana
bring them to punishment. -,
The prosecutor says he VIII assemDie
the same police officials and law-en-
forcement officers before the Grand Jury
of the county again in the near future
and give them an opportunity to lodge
complaints and submit evidence on
which indictments may be based.
If they don't "come to bat this
time, the prosecutor declares. he Will
take measures himself to do away with
conditions which he considers disgrace
full.
According to assertions Of the liquor
men themselves, one can get all the
liouor desired, and at reduced prices.
The ten cent drink is thing OF the
past, but one can buy. plenty OF moon
shine for n quarter throw. Moonshine
year old brings fifty cents, But as
to "high class stuff" the saloonkeep-
ers admit frankly that they don't know
what it looks like: :,
tender of one of the central saloons,
"nnd I'm frank enough to say that our
, whisky isn't as good ns in the old days.
, But it's drinkable. and none OF 1t Is
coiorcd alcohol. If you like real lager
, this is the place to get it. We have .
per cent beer which we sell at quar-
ter and we guarantee 1t, too.
( "Where do you buy your beer and
5 whisky?" the bartender was asked.
"It's easier to buy it than 1t is to
sell It." he answered. Gas a matter Of
fact we have more statesmen coming in
{ here trying to sell booze than we have
, customers to buy it.
, Aren't you afraid of being ar
, rested?"
, mot in the least All Of the saloon
keepers stand in. and take it from me
, there isn't saloonkeeper in Camden
who isn't selling booze. We don't take
any chance in selling it, because we
know what's going on all the time. We
usually get tipped well in advance, but
, one day the sergeant stepped In with
| a detail unannounced. The first thing
[ he did was to pick up n case of whisky.
l He put it away where he took it from
and said well, there's nothing here
boys. let's 60
How about the prohibition agents?
. Don't they come around?'
9 1--WE seen but one in three years. and
, he came to sell booze. He was after.
c wards arrested himself. He was con
nected with n joint. He flashed his
badge and told us he could get us some
real stuff if we did business with him.
He made no front about being an agent
, and that he also represented n large
, hootlpgging concern located on North
,, Third street, Philadelphia. The place
was raided by the authorities some time
ugo
, For time there was cut rate war
, on between saloonkeepers over here.
} That's what drove moonshine down to
n quarter. Before that we used to get
thirty five and fifty cents for it,"
How much do YOU pay for that
: stuff?'
For the cheapest grades. SO a gal.
! Ion. and for the other grades up to 81.
But we can't get real whisky That
, price is hitting the sky. 1t is bringing
. 500 to $50 gallon in the bootleg mar
, ket. We couldn't touch it and make n
] profit Mt that figure. Besides, we have
plenty Of call for the stuff we can get
and SELL
The bartender was interrupted by
the entrance of four customers, who
called for whisky. When he returned
he was asked if he could arrange to get
| n case of real ST otch
, II can get you case of Scotch, all
rlsht; he said, but it will cost $12J,
! and ! won't guarantee 1t.
places around here are mnkinp
, Scotch and putting it up in tifths in
| stead of quart bottles, and even going
to tho trouble Of taking the seals, OnlS
seasoned Scotch drinkcr could de-
tect the difference
just then another party came in and
all ordered liquor. Some had bottles
of real beer.
THAT'S the way they do" said the
bartender. They come in by twos
and threes, and we manage to get rid
OF eight to ten quarts a day and make
q fair living at that OF course, orr
best business is Mt nights and Sntur-
day. If we didn't sell liquor we
couldn't exist"
Mr.. Wolverton was told of the boast
that liquor was being sold openly
through hout the county.
Il know it is" said Mr.. Wolyer-
ton. II am making every effort pos
siblc to suppress it. | have only four
men whom | can use for investigation
purposes. Two hundred thousand pco-
pie live in Camden City and it would
be impossible for my detectives to pry
into conditions everywhere
1T is up to the authorities in the
respective community to remedy any
evil conditions, | do not understand
how II bo"tlcgging place can exist if the
police are on the job. Far be it from
me to criticizc the police. 1t is 10. so
long ago that |, in company with
Mayo" Van Hart, visited the various
police precincts and the policemen were
addressed by the Mayor ana myself.
''Thc Mayor told the policemen that
they owed political allegiance to no
one and that they were sworn to pre-
] serve the peace and do away with law
violations. | know the Mayor would
, go the limit to stop bootlcgging or any
other illegal conditions.
The officials who were before the
. Grand Jury have been given ample time