NEWS: Altoona Tribune, January 15, 1916, Altoona, Blair County, PA Cases of C. P. Calderwood amd William Paul Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Ruth Curfman USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ ___________________________________________________________ Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, January 15, 1916 The Jamaica Ginger Dodge Didn't Work Lewistown Merchant Who Sold It Convicted on Two Counts of Illegal Selling HE DEFIED THE WARNINGS Another Man Has Case Continued and Is at Old Stand, Coining Cash for Fine PROPRIETOR OF DEMOCRATIC CLUB Special to the Tribune. Lewistown, Jan. 13, - C. P. Calderwood, a local merchant has been convicted here on two counts, selling liquor illegally and selling liquor to minors, incident to the promiscuous sale of Jamaica ginger. The case of Calderwood was an aggravated one, in which the defendant had been warned by constables and magistrate that the practice was illegal. In one instance he went so far as to strike Constable Leonard Saxton and order him from the store when he entered to deliver a warning against the sales. Labels taken from the bottles sold by the defendant showed the decoction to contain 97 per cent. alcohol. One witness, whom the jury evidently believed was a man of intemperate habits, testified that he purchased as much as $3 worth at a time. Other unwilling witnesses said they were compelled to sign statements to the effect that the contents of the bottles were to be used for medicinal purposes only. In such cases the sales were restricted to two and three bottles which, witnesses said, were sufficient to make drunk, but that they used them to assist over the high spots on "the morning after the night before." Three little girls, from 12 to 15 years of age, testified to purchasing Jamaica ginger from the defendant. One of these said the man she made the purchase for got drunk on the contents of the bottles. President Judge Thomas F. Bailey in charging the jury, said that a substance containing 80 to 90 percent alcohol was an admixture in the eyes of the law; that the evidence seemed to indicate that, the defendant had sold it; but the all important question was "Did he sell it as beverage knowing it was to be used for purposes other than originally intended when manufactured?" The jury evidently thought so and rendered their verdict accordingly. Another Case Continued. In the case of William Paul, charged with selling liquor illegally as proprietor of the "Democratic Club," better known as the "Red Onion," the court granted a stay until May term, upon the statement of Attorney H. W. Aiken that Paul expected the grand jury to ignore the bill and therefore provided no attorney. Aikens was district attorney at the time Paul was indicted. He turned the business of the office over to his successor, L. J. Durbin, esq., on January 3, and then became Paul's attorney. It is alleged that after furnishing bail Paul returned to business at the same stand, in spite of the warning of the committing magistrate, and that he expects to do enough business between now and May sessions to pay his fine and come out even on the transaction.