WHAT IS A "CHASER"?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 342, 4 January 1918, Page 1

WHAT IS A "CHASER"?

Interesting Point In Treat* IngCate " What is a chaser ?" was a question raised in an interesting treating piowoijlion heard at the Godalming Borough Bench, England, recently. He principal defendant was John Kanderdle, licensee of the Qreat Qeorge pnblichouse, who was charged with allowing treating; Fte John Warnock was charged with treating (Carles McPhail, and Pte ItcPhail with flowing himself to be i treated.

The aoldien pleaded guilty and the publican not guilty. Corpl E., P. Annear, (Canadian Military Polioe), stated that on the evening of Oct, 2lßt he was in the Ghreat George Hotel, with two fellowcorporals, and heard Fte Warnock order a doable Irish whiskey and a glass of stout Mandeville placed the whiskey on, the bar, and afterwardfi brought in the stoat. Warnock took the stout, and pasttd the whiskey to licPhail, who drank it. Warner placed half-a-crown on the bar, and Mandeville gave, him back the change. The solicitor for the defence asked witness if he heard the landlord say "chaser?"— Yes. What is achaser A chaser is supposed to be a whiskey glassful of beer. , A chaser .means that'you take a drop of whiskey neat, and immediately chase it down with a glass of beer ?—Tee (laughter). Is that not a universal custom in Canada and the United States ?—1 dcn't know about the States; it is in Canada.

A chaser may be anything, beer or stout ?—I have never seen a man follow whiskey with stout. Corpl A- Birch gave corroborative evidence.

Solicitor for the defence: If you went into a licensed house in Canada, and asked for a wluskey and a "chaser " what would you get ?—Jshould receive whiskey in a gifts, and a small glass of beer. Defendant said between jl) and 30 persons were in the Jar the second time the Militarv police entered. One of the oth? defendants asked for a doubWhißkey, aud a glass of stout. H' asked, " A chaser ?" and the man jodded assent. He always ask&i this question to make sure one of the drinks was not for a pal. He did not see one of the soldiers hand to the other the glass of whiskey ; otherwise he would have knocked it out of his hand. Eighty out of every 100 Canadians asked for whiskey and a glass of beer, stout or dry ginger, as a " chaser." The solioitor for the defence contended that where a custom like this of ordering a "chaser" prevailed tbe landlord was entitled to assume that the man was going to consume the liquor himself. The Bench, in dismissing the case against Mandeville, said the magistrates gave him the benefit of the doubt. " Chasers " were a enabling soldiers to stand drinks to one another, and were likely to get landlords into trouble.