“POTEEN” IN BELFAST

Belfast News-Letter, Friday 29th April 1932

MAGISTRATE’S WARNING ABOUT TRAFFIC IN ILLICIT SPIRITS

“A MOST NEFARIOUS BUSINESS”

“We regard traffic in illicit spirits as a most nefarious business, and are determined to inflict sufficient punishment to prevent a repetition of the offences,” said Mr. H. Toppin, R.M., at the Belfast Licencing Court, yesterday, when sentencing Robert S. Lyttle, who gave an address in Princes Street, Belfast, for six months’ imprisonment with hard labour for having removed and been in possession of a quantity of spirits which had been illegally distilled. Mr. H. H. Mussen, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted, and accused was not professionally represented.

Sergeant Bell gave evidence of arresting the accused at Musgrave Street barracks on the 19th April, and stated that when cautioned, Lyttle said: “I got it from John Benson, who used to be a bookmaker in Skipper Street. He told me whisky was in it, and I was to take it to a public-house in Church Lane. Benson told me a gallon and a half was in it.” Later, continued the witness, defendant stated: “He told me it was made by a man who was thirty-five years in a distillery and it came from the country, and he told me the man’s name.”

William Kearney, Surveyor of Customs and Excise for Belfast, stated that about seven o’clock on the 19th April he was in Church Lane, accompanied by William Hunter, another officer. They saw the defendant there and informed him of their business. Witness asked him what he had in a suitcase which was in his possession. He replied that he did not know, as he had got it from a man to deliver. When they took defendant to the police station and asked him to open the case he said he did not know how. Witness opened the case without any difficulty, and found it contained six ten-glass bottles and two aluminium hot-water bottles of spirits. Defendant gave his name and address, and said he got the suitcase from a man called John Benson at Victoria Square. He knew nothing about him.

Mr. Kearney said that on examining the liquor he found it to be “crude spirit,” commonly known as poteen.

Wm. Hunter, Excise Officer, gave corroborative evidence.

Defendant, in evidence, said that on 16th April he met Benson, whom he knew only slightly. Benson asked him if he was working and, on receiving a reply in the negative, remarked that witness could earn a few shillings by getting a merchant for him for three gallons of proof spirits. He acted on this suggestion, with the result that he was caught with the suitcase at the corner of Lower Church Lane and Ann Street. In view of the fact that he had not received any money for his services, and that he had had no previous dealings of the kind, he pleaded for leniency.

TOLD IT WAS “THE REAL STUFF”

Mr. Mussen – Did you ever see Benson before – I knew him slightly. He was a bookmaker in Skipper Street.

Where did he live then? – I have not the slightest idea.

Had you been out of work long before that date? – About a week.

What were you engaged in then? – I was doing a bit of canvassing, anything that turned up.

When you got the whiskey you knew what it was? – He told me it was “the real stuff.” (Laughter.)

You knew you were doing wrong? – I more than realise that now.

You knew you were breaking the law? – I am not an infant.

Mr. Mussen said he looked upon it as a very serious case.

Mr. Toppin, in sentencing Lyttle, said they regarded traffic in illicit spirits as nefarious. They wished to put a stop to it, and would inflict sufficient punishment to prevent a repetition of the offences.

FIRE THRILL FOR BELFAST: WOMAN AT HIGH WINDOW

Londonderry Sentinel, Tuesday 8th January 1929

BROUGHT DOWN BY FIREMEN

Fire thrilled in the heart of Belfast yesterday. A woman nearly overcome and hanging limply out of a four-storey window, with smoke swirling round her, provided intense excitement for upwards of one thousand spectators.

Hurrying along Royal Avenue after lunch, pedestrians were surprised to see smoke issuing out of a window in the block of offices which constitute 133, Royal Avenue.

The alarm sounded, and the fire brigade speedily dealt with a fire which had broken out in the coal hole. Hose which had been run out for use was not required, and then spectators were astonished to see a woman waving for help from an upper window at the end of the suite of offices. Dense volumes of smoke poured out of the window, and the woman waved frantically with her scarf to keep the acrid fumes away. Anxiously the spectators, including dozens of typists from offices in Royal Avenue, watched the woman, who, as the smoke increased, leaned further out and wondered why she was not being rescued.

Eventually, after a lapse of some minutes – which seemed an age to the strained eyes of the anxious spectators – the woman was rescued by firemen and was taken down into Royal Avenue. Her name is Miss Morrow, who carries on business as a ladies’ outfitter in the offices which were involved in the fire.

For a long time after her rescue Miss Morrow was unable to speak, and eventually related that on hearing the cry of “Fire” she rushed into the caretaker’s rooms. “I was unable to get out with the smoke and I wanted them to run up the fire escape for me,” she said. “I was not frightened, but I was gasping for breath and nearly overcome.”

Miss Morrow held on grimly to her parcel of dainty apparel, and finally proceeded about her work as if nothing had happened.

Fire thrilled in the heart of Belfast yesterday. A woman nearly overcome and hanging limply out of a four-storey window, with smoke swirling round her, provided intense excitement for upwards of one thousand spectators.

Hurrying along Royal Avenue after lunch, pedestrians were surprised to see smoke issuing out of a window in the block of offices which constitute 133, Royal Avenue.

The alarm sounded, and the fire brigade speedily dealt with a fire which had broken out in the coal hole. Hose which had been run out for use was not required, and then spectators were astonished to see a woman waving for help from an upper window at the end of the suite of offices. Dense volumes of smoke poured out of the window, and the woman waved frantically with her scarf to keep the acrid fumes away. Anxiously the spectators, including dozens of typists from offices in Royal Avenue, watched the woman, who, as the smoke increased, leaned further out and wondered why she was not being rescued.

Eventually, after a lapse of some minutes – which seemed an age to the strained eyes of the anxious spectators – the woman was rescued by firemen and was taken down into Royal Avenue. Her name is Miss Morrow, who carries on business as a ladies’ outfitter in the offices which were involved in the fire.

For a long time after her rescue Miss Morrow was unable to speak, and eventually related that on hearing the cry of “Fire” she rushed into the caretaker’s rooms. “I was unable to get out with the smoke and I wanted them to run up the fire escape for me,” she said. “I was not frightened, but I was gasping for breath and nearly overcome.”

Miss Morrow held on grimly to her parcel of dainty apparel, and finally proceeded about her work as if nothing had happened.

TIGER EASTER GIFT TO BELLEVUE: BELFAST MAN’S PET

Belfast Telegraph, Saturday 11th April 1936

HAD RUN ABOUT LIKE A CAT

AREA WHERE LIONS MAY ROAM

A surprise Easter gift has just reached Bellevue Zoological Gardens from the Federated Malay States. It is a tiger, presented by a Belfast engineer, Mr. J. C. O’Neill. This tiger is unique among tigers, as he has until recently been running about in the compound in complete liberty. Tim, as he is called, played and rolled about like a big, overgrown kitten, but the baby days, even of pet tigers, soon pass, and he was becoming so big and strong that he became a danger to his friends, even in play. Reluctantly Tim had to be put under restraint, and now he has been sent to Bellevue Zoo, where, rather travel-stained and tired, he will soon return to his former playful ways.

Visitors to Bellevue Zoological Gardens this Easter are in for a thrill. A big arena, planted with shrubs and trees, has been fenced with strong meshing, and lions have been liberated to roam, apparently at liberty, within it.

Forest-bred lions have been specially obtained for this purpose, as these animals, contrary to the general belief, are not nearly so dangerous as lions born in captivity. In a wild state they quickly learn to fear man, but in the zoo they have nothing to fear, and as a consequence, are extremely difficult to handle.

This is the ideal way of keeping lions in a zoo, and although they appear in complete liberty, they are perfectly secure, as the fencing is 16 feet in height, and lions can only leap upward for a distance of 12 feet. The fencing, too, has been sunk three feet below the ground level to prevent any possibility of the lions digging their way to freedom.

Find out more about the history of Belfast Zoo here.