The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-18

arousing the curiosity Of the dry
agents.
Locally, it is understood, consid-
cradle quantities of wfiskey.
brandy, gin. and imported high
priced liquors found their way to
consumers able to pay the fancy
prices demanded for genuine orig
inal packages in the District OF
Columbia in this way.
Found By Accident.
The discovery of the bootleggers
butterized underground delivery
system came about when a food In
spector in checking up cold storage
holdings of butter found himself
several hundred firlxins over. The
surplus stocks were located in cold
storage warehouses against which
suspicion had never been pointed.
intending to inspect the butter and
determine If it had been railroaded
in from other points against regula-
tions and constituted violation OF
the pure food laws by being of an
inferior grade, he began sampling.
In the course Of his work his
trogan came in contact with a
foreign substance. This led to the
firkin being dumped with the re-
suit that four bottles Of exception
ally high grade whiskey put in their
appearance. The discovery led to
further investigations attended by
revelations which resulted in the
inspector summoning the owner OF
the butter to the warehouse. In
telephoning the latter the inspector
thoughtlessly revealed his identity,
Experience has taught bootleggers
~ ~ tot
the grade Of butter was right to
pass inspection in any State.
Hence, if his presence was wanted
by the inspector at the warehouse
it was for explanation of something
more vital than the grade OF the
butter. The conference never took
place. The butter speculator dis.
appeared Efforts to trace the but
ter to the packer proved futile. II
had been shipped from small sta
ton not within twenty miles OF the
nearest dairying interest engaged
in butter production on a large
scale.
Brought General Survey.
But the discovery Of the butter
In the whiskey tubs was enough to
cause a general survey of the but
ter holdings and a check-up on the
shipments made for the party in
voIved in the ownership OF the con
fiscated firlins.
Several shipments, 1t is declared
were traced TO Washington. But
here, according to inspectors and
dry agents, the trail led into a
blind alley. The shipments had
been received by a person or per.
sons practically unknown in local
commission circles, who had re-
moved them and, presumably, dis
tributed the butter" among their
high-class patrons.
Hereafter butter by the tub de-
liVeries will be listed by dry agents
as among commercial activities
worth investiga ton.
Supervision of such deliveries to
restaurants and clubs, it is under
stood, will be strictly enforced. In
the meanwhile dry agents concede
that the butter route will prove
one of the most difficult of the
bootleggers' systems of delivery to
defeat. Any person can buy but
ter tubs without procuring per-
nit or registering their name and
address. Butter is for sale whole
sale to any purchaser. There is no
way to prevent the bootlegger buy
ing a carload Of butter firkins. a
few hundred pounds of butter, and
proceeding to pack up his liquor
and make deliveries without de-
lection unless his sudden appear
ance as a factor in dairy produce
excites suspicion and draws Off
cial attention to him.