Category:
Alcohol

Unlikely Reasons for Murder No. 15

Source: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) 17 Feb 1949, Thu Page 21


Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 13, 2023 - Comments (3)
Category: Death, Food, Scary Criminals, Stupid Criminals, 1940s, Alcohol

Auto Breathalyzer Disguise

Might a felon be embarrassed to be seen blowing into his automobile ignition interlock Breathalyzer? Yes! Then what you need is this camouflage unit!

The patent is here.








Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 11, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Disguises, Impersonations, Mimics and Forgeries, Inventions, Police and Other Law Enforcement, Alcohol, Cars

Bevo

Perhaps Anheuser-Busch could reintroduce this beverage to bolster their flagging sales.

"Bevo" was the name of a non-alcoholic "near beer" produced by the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Saint Louis. Introduced in 1916 as the national debate over Prohibition threatened the company's welfare, the drink was extremely popular through the 1920s. Over 50 million cases were sold annually in fifty countries. Anheuser-Busch named the new drink "Bevo" as a play on the term "pivo," the Bohemian word for beer.


The Wikipedia page.

An article about a Bevo incident in Texas.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 14, 2023 - Comments (6)
Category: Replacements, Substitutes, Alternatives and Knock-offs, Advertising, Twentieth Century, Alcohol

Trick Bass Viol

I would have enjoyed seeing the dogs emerge from the viol itself, but--as I interpret the patent--they are in the box at the base of the instrument. Still, a musical instrument filled with beer is also acceptable.

Original patent here.





Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 06, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Magic and Illusions and Sleight of Hand, Music, Patents, Dogs, 1900s, Alcohol

Unlikely Reasons for Murder No. 12

Source: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) 17 Feb 1949, Thu Page 21

Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 03, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Crime, Death, Feet, Alcohol

Thanksgiving Hair Tonic Cocktail

In 1909, Friedrich Wilhelm Emil Müller of Chicago received a patent for a hair tonic that, so he claimed, would cause hair "to grow on bald spots of the head." All you had to do was thoroughly rub it into the scalp with the tips of the fingers several times a day.

The tonic struck some at the patent office as sounding quite tasty. So it was served as an aperitif at the 1936 Thanksgiving-week banquet in Washington DC celebrating 100 years of the American patent system.



Tacoma News Tribune - Nov 24, 1936

Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 24, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Inebriation and Intoxicants, Patents, Thanksgiving, Hair and Hairstyling, Alcohol

Champagne-Flavored Chewing Tobacco

Would this be popular today? I'm amazed they got the cooperation of the famous champagne maker.

Source.



Posted By: Paul - Wed Oct 19, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Smoking and Tobacco, 1910s, Alcohol

Unlikely Reasons for Murder No. 10



Source: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) 17 Feb 1949, Thu Page 21

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 29, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Death, 1940s, Alcohol

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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