NEWS: Altoona Tribune, January 15, 1916, Altoona, Blair County, PA
Cases of C. P. Calderwood amd William Paul

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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.