LIQUOR UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 323, 21 January 1874, Page 3

LIQUOR UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

A strange discovery, which speaks volumes in favor of the ingenuity of the convicts at Sing Sing prison in the United States, has just hoon made at that establishment. It seems that for somo time past the convicts have occasionally been noticed to be under the influence of strong drink, but all efforts on the part of the officials failed to elicit from them where the liquor had been obtained. The other evening, however, an incident occurred which ultimately led the prison authorities to the fountain of convict bliss. As one of the night guards was pacing the galleries his attention was attracted to a sell occupied solely by- a prisoner known by the name of " Irish Tom." This captive appeared to be talking "in a conversational sort of way " to some person near him, whom he alternately chided and caressed, using such terms as a man under convivial circumstances might address to a bosom friend or benefactor. On opening Tom's cell the guard found r him in a glorious state of intoxication, giving some affectionate advice to a black bottle, the contents of which were almost exhausted. Next morning, on being threatened with severe punishment, unless he confessed where he procured the liquor, Tom. after some hesitation, stated that he had obtained it from another convict named John Short, who was working in the marble quarries. Without informing Short, a search of the quarry was immediately instituted, where, in a secluded corner, sheltered by a few rough boards, was found one o£ the most remarkable contrivances on record for the manufacture of whisky. A couple of the prison tubs holding perhaps 12gals or 15gals each, contained the mash', which was composed of potatoes, scraps of bread, a sprinkling of tomatoes, with some corn and coarse meal collected in the prison stables. An iron kettle answered the purpose of a still, while a section of gaspipe artistically bent formed the worm, thus completing an apparatus which it is understood was capable of producing sgal. of homespun spirits daily. This frightful liquor was retailed by Short to his fellow-convicts in sareaparilla bottles at the moderate price of one dollar each. Before Short was informed of the seizure of his distillery he was searched, and on his person was found a belt containing over 600 dollars, being the proceeds of sales from his illicit business, which he has, for a time at least, been compelled to relinquish.