Spurious Champagne in Paris Restaurants.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4292, 23 February 1884, Page 9 (Supplement)

Spurious Champagne in Paris Restaurants.

Messrs Moet and Chandon have (Paris, Nov. 29) obtained judgment against the proprietor of a Paris restaurant, M. Gamier, for palming off upon his customers an inferior wine, for that of the famous Epinay merchants. M. Garnior has been sentenced to fifteen days' imprisonment, a fine of LBO, payment to the plaintiffs of L4OO damages, and the obligation to insert a statement of the judgment in ten newspapers. The devioa employed to take in the consumer was very clever. The spurious liquid was served in bottles closely resembling Messrs Moet's, and bearing i their labels. This, however, was not all. In order to deceive the sharpest customer, the waiter, when he drew a cork, substituted, by a dexterous movement a Mdet's cork for the one in the bottle, which, of course, he abstracted.: According to the evidence of a waiter who has turned approver this was called making champagne a la ale, and an indispensable qualification of waiters employed at this establishment was the ability to " deboitcher Ie Moet."

The real value of the liquor sold as the genuine wine was notjnore. than 15 pence a bottle. "'■■"lK; "Gamier,? the 'defendant, pleaded1 '' line inhuvaise inspiration," which he regretted. The practice was detected, by some young men sent by Messrs Moet to sup at the restaurant. They took with them a genuine bottle of champagne, i and when the: waiter's back was turned substituted it for. the one served, which they i| brought away as a piece d& e&tivivlion.—, I " London Standard.