The Oyster House Bootlegger
A local oyster house proprietor avoids conviction for selling liquor without a license by claiming he sold it at cost to his patrons.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Joseph Smith, proprietor of an oyster house, was before Judge J. M. Glasgow yesterday on the charge of selling liquor without a license, the complaining witness being J. H. Campbell, president of the Retail Liquor Dealers' Association. The bill of fare in Smith's house was submitted in evidence, containing a long wine list, though the defendant admitted having no license. Being put on the stand, Smith acknowledged the selling of liquor, stating, however, that he gained no profit from it, charging his customers what he himself paid for it. The jury, after being out a few moments, returned with a request for further instructions. Judge Glasgow then said that if it was established to the satisfaction of the jury that Smith acted as agent merely for his customer he could not be found guilty. The jury again retired, and, after considerable consultation, acquitted the defendant.
“Smith acknowledged the selling of liquor, stating, however, that he gained no profit from it, charging his customers what he himself paid for it.”
This case highlights the creative legal maneuvering required in the era before the U.S. prohibition movement gained its final momentum in Washington. Even in 1893, Seattle’s liquor trade was a battleground between the 'dry' associations and local businesses trying to bypass licensing laws, a precursor to the regulatory conflicts that define the city's modern hospitality industry.
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