Mexborough and Swinton Times February 24, 1906

Weak Whiskey at Conisborough
An Expensive Mistake

A Conisborough licensed victualler named John Lowe, was summoned at the instance of Joseph Wilson, an inspector under the sale of Food and Drugs Act to the West Riding County Council, for having sold adulterated whiskey at that place on 12 January.

Mr Jones from the office of the West Riding Solicitor, conducted the prosecution.

The Inspector stated that on the day refer to you visited the Station Hotel, Conisborough, when he saw Frank Allison, son-in-law of the defendant, whom he asked to supply him with a half a pint of whiskey. On being supplied with it he handed Allison 1 s 2d (6p) and at the same time told that he was an inspector under the County Council, and that it was his intention to forward the sample to the public analyst for the purpose of analysis.

The report of the analyst was to the effect that the sample ad and alcoholic strengths of 30.35° under proof. The absolute alcoholic was 32.56, water 67.34 and extracted matter .10. That corresponded with a mixture whiskey of the minimum legal strength of 91 2/5 parts, and excess water 3.15 parts.

Defendant stated that his son-in-law had a misfortune with the hydrometer, and had got wrong in mixing the Scotch and the Irish whiskey. If the latter had been tested it would have been discovered that it was considerably above proof, and that the strength had inadvertently been erroneously taken from the Scotch whiskey, a sample which was supplied to the Inspector.

The Chairman: You have had a fair warning. You were some time ago fined for a similar offence.

Defendant: in that case it was very slightly under proof.

The Chairman: You will be fine £5, which will include the analyst fee, expenses and the costs.