The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-29
TEXAS GIVES UP
MEXICO RUM
FOR CORN
increased Vigilance Along Bor-
der Serves to End Inn
port Traffic.
By Internatlonal News serrloe.


SAN ANTONIO. Tex, Aug. 90
Corn hooch has put the fiery drinks
Of Mexico to rout, according to
Frank Cole, State director Of Fed
! eral prohibition in Texas. e
Seizures Of tequila, mescal.
pulque and aguardiente, made
famous by the volstead act. have
almost fallen off to. those of pre-.
dry days. Cole declares. In their
stead. however, greater quantities
of corn liquor are being seized by
the dry agents. i
In the days when the dry law
first became effective natives, Of
Texas were not the experts in the
manufacture OF hOool1s that they are
today, and the market demand for
fiery fluids was filled BY. the bands
OF rum runners operating along the
l,42O miles of Texas border. Every
town and city had Its bootlegger.
from whom the best brands OF the
southern republics alcoholic drinks
could be purchased at practically
the same prices charged in. Mexico.
Then came the increase i'm the
number Of pro" agents in the
State and, with their advent,
greater vigilance along the border.
Rum runners found it more diff.
ficult to bring in their wares. The
trails through he mesquite, grease
weed and cactus, over whichg their
pack trains travelled sIoaded to over.
flowing with the Illicit liquor, were
more closely i watched Prices
scared and became almost protib-
tive for the average =, drinker
BOotleggers were unable to move
their stocks, SO they turned to the
manufacture Of corn. =.
The fact that the evaders of the
dry law had turned to manufacture
ing their own was first Indicated
to dry agents by the increased
number of private stills seized.
Each succeeding month the stills
taken in the raids were of better
workmanship and the liquor found
was Of much better grade.
Now, Cole declares, with q little
aging. the Illicit hooch seized in
raids would be found to be on a
par with the booze sold over the
bar in the average saloon OF pre-
Volstead days.
HONOLULU, Aug. R9.-Up-to-
date Hawaiian bootleggers tell bed
time stories to their little ones,
but the stories all have the same
ending, to-wit: the. prohibition Of
ficers will get you IL you don't
watch out. 8
1t took the dry squad here three
years to get the largest ti-root oko-
leho manufacturing plant .uncov-
cred in the history of Hawaii, but
they got 1t after a concentrated
search lasting two days. 81
Officers George r, Bruins and
Frank Kanae are the heroes of the.
episode. They left Honolulu and
went to Kawa Valley. some little
distance out, where they knew a.
ti-root still of large capacity had
been operating for three years.
They climbed over four hill ranges,
fought thick mud and thicker UNI
derbrush and, with the aid Of their
field glassestand infinite pains finally
located the still.
Two cords of ti.root, sufficient to
manufacture 1000 gallons OF the
light brown liquor, as well as 1000
gallons of mash, were seized. Sew
eral pieces of machinery" necess
sary In the process of converting
the ti-root into the kicking bevg
erage" were also taken. No ART
rests were made, as the bootlegger.'
who apparently. was one Of those
who watched out" was absent
when the dry squad called.
The bootlegger's quarters" con.
sisted Of grass hut and bed Of
ferns.