The Washington times., 1924-03-13
BEST BOOTLEG.
CLIQUE QUITS
BUSINESS
Polite Note Tells Exclusive D.
c. Customers Supply of Fine
Liquor Is Ended.


Many residents Of the National
Capital were unexpectedly shocked
today by the information that one
Of the best" organized bootlegging
cliques operating in the East had
voluntarially gone out of business.
Members 1t Is understood. have re.
tired to live on the profits amassed
during the past two years in sup.
plying an exceptionally high class
clientele.
The information Of the withdrawal
or the organization was contained
IN courteous little notes received
today thanking patrons for past
raVors, and assuring them that in
abandoning the business, rather
than turning it over to other
parties, the interests of patrons had
been conserved.
1t is understood that all records
compiled by the bootleggers were
destroyed and that since the ring
broke up its members have stead
lastly refused to supply customer
lists to other Bookkeeping interests.
Much Local Regret.
Locally the action of the clique
has created profound regret. 1t is
conceded it had proved itself to be
the best organized 'whiskey Ring"
in the country. Through the
system employed it was practically
impossible for prohibition enforce
ment agents to obtain evidence in.
volving patrons or operators, and
in no single instance have any of
the raids made by the agents in.
volved any Of the patrons Of the
organization.
The history of the clique dates
back to 1922 when several former
whiskey statesmen getting together
were able to induce holders of
liquors carried over when prohibi-
ton went into effect, to release to
them their stocks.
These stocks had been privately
stored. They were formerly the
property Of wholesale liquor dealers
and were carried into the prohibi-
ton period by them on the assump.
ton that ultimately the Eighteenth
amendment would be declared un-
constitutional.
AS time past the cost Of keeping
hem secretly stored increased, while
he danger that they might be dis.
covered by prohibition agents was
continually present.
Overtures made by the former
whiskey statesmen offered an op.
Dortunity for disposing of these
stocks at a fair profit without risk
% the holders, and advantage was
aiken of it.
Clever Work On Lists.
The bootleggers' employed clever
methods In working up lists of Gus
toners.
In Washington they started with
the names e few well-known
individuals who formerly purchased
liquor wholesale from the dealers.
Carrying proper credentials from
eX-Wholesale liquor men they were
enabled to secure the confidence of
heir customers. AS time passed,
and the latter came to know the
bootleggers were dependable, the
customers list was expanded to
AXE in other buyers guaranteed, or
vouched for, by original customers.
This patrons list is declared to
have been the most exclusive list
of it's kind ever compiled by boot
logging interests. 1t contained the
cream" of the buyers here, at
Baltimore, Philadelphia, and in other
eastern cities.
The system employed by the boot
leggers is described as simplicity
itself. With confiding clientele 1t
was only necessary for the visiting
salesman to acquaint customers
with his arrival in the city to
gather in his orders.
The business was started on the
pay.in-advance system, this being
possible through the character of
the introduction bringing the sales
man and his customers together.
Delivers were promptly made.
The liquor supplied was of the
highest grade and everybody was
satisfied. The patrons got what
they wanted and the bootleggers
grew rich. Now the latter have re-
tired to play golf, sail yachts, winter
at Palm Beach, and indulge in all
their pet hobbies.
Their former patrons. are regret
ting not having put in "a carload
of liquor while the opportunity
existed" and are wondering IL ever
there will be such another organiza.
ton effected to meet their needs.
Incidentally, it is understood, that
practically all of the available priv
ately stored stocks Of liquor were
marketed before the clique decided
To Quit