[Hosea Stout Diary] Tuesd Jany 4th 1848. Today was a busy day for the police & Bishops.
Whiskey was at this time sold by a large number of brethren contrary to law which ordained that it should only be sold by the Bishops
The consequence was drunkenness was very prevalent and at some places they became very noisey. A complaint was made to the council by Bp. Whitney of the same whereupon the Council decided (Sund last) that the police & Bishops do their duty. Which was tantemount to saying put the law in force[.] Bishops Carns & Knight made a move at it this morning & called on the police to back them up. They first demanded Mc[.] Causlins whiskey. He gave it up without any difficulty, which the Bishops paid for â€" after that they demanded several others who gave it up manly in all such cases it was paid for out of the sales of the same. Alonzo Jones closed his doors against the Bishops who broke open his door & took his barrel of whiskey.also one Ferris refused to deliver up his which was taken. We then went to the redoubtable John Pack who also kept a barrel & the Bishops made known their Business telling him at the same time that they would pay him for it
He was very independent & saucy. He told them they had no right to it. He knew the law as well as they. He did not thank them to come to his Home to teach him the law &c.
Such is a specimen of his treatment to the Bishops who bore his slang a long while endeavoring to persuade him to yield to the demands of the law not resist them or he would most surley loose his whiskey. He remained obstinate and dared them to touch it
They at last called on me to "lay hand on it which I did & the Spirit came". for the barrel was nearly full.
We now all decamped while he was pouring out a tirade of abuse & slang. We took 5 barrels today. The 3 latter was forfeited as they would not yield neither in that case would the Bishops pay. We were busy untill ten oclock P. M.
[source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
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