The New York herald., 1922-03-08
drug STORES SELLING
BAD WHISKY TO SICK
Dry Chief Day Will Revoke
Permits After Analyses
Showing Deception.
MOONSHINERS Padded
400 Gallon Plant Is Seized
in Upper East Side and
One Arrest Made.
RUM MASKS AS SALAD OIL
Libby, Who Ran Hooch Fac
tory Near Cemetery, Gets
Six Months and $50 Fine.
RUM MASKS AS SALAD OIL

Ralph A. Day. State prohibition
director. announced yesterday that
chemical analyses which he has just
had made indicate a considerable per-
eeatage of the whisky sold for medici-
al purposes in drug stores through
out the city is not fit for drinking.
in five samples picked at random in
different sections Of the city the an
9alyses indicated that the liquor had
\ been made from denatured alcohol, re-
distilled.
Il do not believe" Mr.. Day said
that the better class druggists are
guilty of putting out this stuff, but
would advise every one who is obtain
ing any liquor for medicinal purposes
to be very careful about his drug store.
AS a result Of what these analyses
have disclosed / am going to revoke
several drug store permits and con-
tinue the investigation"
Mr.. Day said the retail druggists are
allowed 100 wine gallons of distilled
spirits every three months. which they
can buy either IN the form of whisky
or alcohol or both. They are also al
lowed fifty gallons of wine for the same
period. The director believes that drug
gists are replenishing this supply. when
1t falls shc-t. from boot,egging sources.
1t Is also a common practice he said.
for some druggists to dilute what good
liquor they may have, just as some
dairymen water their milk.
Some Dangerous Decoctions.
The analysis of one whisky specimen
read: Proof. "a; wood alcohol, absent.
glycerin, present; added sugar. present.
Artificially made. The alcohol used for
Its manufacture is a redistilled. de-
natured product Unsuitable for drink
ing purposes"
A specimen of alcohol was analyzed
as follows: Proof, 100; wood alcohol.
sbsent. A small black residue was left
which leads us to suspect redistilled.
denatured product. Odor not character
istic OF pure grain alcohol Unsuitable
for drinking"
And another: Contains ethyl alcohol
1921 per cent by volume: tests for
positive. This is impure alcohol prob
ably young. carelessly distilled. Not rec
commended for internal use"
Two other alcohol specimens were de-
scribed as made by the redistillation OF
denatured alcohol and unfit for internal
use
The largest Illicit distilling plant
which has been discovered in New York.
though not as big as one recently un-
l. rnfv
tartiay by a squad OF agents under Chris
Fortman. who is In charge of the city
field forces The plant was on the top
floor of three story building at 400
East 11Sth street. which formerly had
been used as stable. Agents had the
place under observation for several
davs
The doors opening on the street were
found barricaded These were broken
-iown The first two floors we're unoc-
cupied AS the agents neared the top
floor they saw man climb through the
skylirht. Agents Maxwell and McCabe
chased him across the roof and caught
him. He said he was Vincenzo Dirossi
OF 1893 First avenue.
Find Four 100 Gallon stills.
on the third floor three stills OF 100
gallons capacity each were found In
full blast. There was another still OF
the same size ready to operate. The
three that were operating. according TO
the agents. were fully charged with
denatured alcohol which was being re-
distilled A quantity of fake liquor in
bottles was seized. including gin bear
ing bogus Park & Tilford label. Thirty
cans Of the finished product were found
Beside a cot the agents discovered two
revolvers. an army automatic and
smaller revolver.
Chief Fortman was accompanied by
Agents Van Tasse1. Carson. Maxwell
McCabe, Barry. Fasullo. whitford and
Mulholland. These agents yesterday
also visited eight places, served nine
summonses and made four arrests for
violations OF the volstead act. Five bar
reIs OF liquor shipped as salad oil were
seized at Pier 10. Hudson River
Fred Libby. owner OF an Illicit dis
tiilcry at 36O5 Bainbrifge avenue. The
Bronx. across from Woodlawn Cemetery.
which was raided by Agents Einstein
and Smith last FRIDAY, surrendered yes
terday and was arraigned before Judge
Webb In the Federal District Court He
pleaded guilty to a charge OF unlawful
,,ogsession of alcohol and unlawful.
manufacture.
libby told the court he had been
making hooch for only about month.
and had not yet sold any OF his product.
Judge Webb sentenced Libby TO serve
elk months in prison and fined him $50
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