You could say it all began in 1673 when Increase Mather wrote “wine is from God, but the Drunkard is from the Devil.”[1] Little would he know that 247 years later the United States would embark on an “experiment noble in purpose” with the passing of the 18th Amendment: prohibition.[2] Early 20th century reformers had gained in political power and support so that by 1919, the amendment was passed. (The MN Legislature passed the amendment on January 17, 1919.) As of January 1920, anything over .5% alcohol became illegal, far stricter than any previous prohibitory laws. The new law went so far as to regulate the use of medicinal liquor and sacramental wines, but not outlaw it.[3]
Prohibition, while ultimately failing, did work in some respects. The national consumption of alcohol was reduced from 2.6 gallons per capita in the 1910’s to less than one gallon in the early 1930’s. There were fewer arrests for drunkenness and fewer deaths from alcoholism.[4] But “Congress grossly underestimated the enforcement needs required by the outlawing of alcohol.” A mere $5 million was set aside for the newly formed Prohibition Bureau and a force of only 1,526 federal agents was assembled. With the U.S. population at approximately 110 million people in 1920, that was one agent for every 71,000 people.[5]
Lack of ability to enforce the law allowed liquor to still be easily available to anyone who knew the right people and had enough money. Others made their own “bathtub gin.” Prescriptions for alcohol were issued freely and the consumption of sacramental wine increased by 800,000 gallons during 1920 and 1921.[6]
No where was alcohol consumption more prevalent than in cities, and Minnesota cities were no exception. “There were literally thousands of bootleggers in Minnesota.”[7] Due to the extreme corruption of the St. Paul (and most likely other) police, enforcement fell to the federal agents, who were vastly understaffed.
But the excitement wasn’t limited to the big city; Scott County had its share of fun. The Belle Plaine Herald pointed out that “…though the moon went dry long ago it still manages to get full once a month.”[8] The Shakopee Argus expressed similar sentiments, “…there are a few more moonshine nights nowadays than the old almanac calls for.”[9] Martin Doherty, of Shakopee, caused “quite a sensation” by having his establishment raided twice in July 1920.[10]
In March of 1921 illegal activity was again thriving in Scott County, as reported by the Jordan Independent:
Ten Arrests Claimed
Four Towns Hit in Rum Raids—Federal Agents Swoop Down in Scott and Carver Counties. – Moonshining [sic] and bootlegging were found operating in full sway…when Federal prohibition agents made raids on four towns …[11]
The article goes on to detail that 100 gallons were seized at Jordan and four arrests made. Belle Plaine saw three arrests and Chaska two. And that…
Shakopee Got A Tip
An advance ‘tip’ on the raid at Shakopee, through some unknown leak in government organization, gave seven or eight persons on whom warrants were to be served and opportunity to hide evidence. [12]
During the week of September 1, 1921, a “mammoth still” was found in Eagle Creek township, along with “50 gallons of double distilled moonshine…and considerable liquor mash.”[13]
In 1924 Mike Abdo and Harry Simon were arrested for transporting liquor. The trial transcript of the questioning of Simon reveals the process of getting bootleg. They took the car to Michaels Auto Laundry in St. Paul and Simon paid a man named Belle $450 for 50 gallons of alcohol, $9 per gallon. Then Belle takes the car and it comes back loaded with alcohol. But Abdo and Simon were not to make a clean getaway. They were followed back from St. Paul and confronted 3 miles west of Shakopee “On Number 5,” but not by federal agents. Simon said “We were riding along and a seven passenger Packard car containing two men drove up along side and commanded me to put up my hands and I did not put them up apparently as quick as they wanted me to and they shot when they came even with the car.” They took 45 of the 50 gallons of alcohol, and left Abdo and Simon to their fates. The two were discovered with the remaining alcohol when Abdo took Simon to hospital.[14]
Such excitement continued through the ‘20’s and into the early 1930’s. The passing of Prohibition ended up creating more crime then before and in 1933, the “great experiment” came to and end. Shakopee residents voted 10-1 in favor of it’s repeal.[15]
[1] Quote from “It’s the Booze Talkin’: Prohibition and the Gangster Film.” Chuck Holmgren. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA03 /holmgren/prohib/prohib.html
[2] Quote from The American Nation: A History of the United States. John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes. (New York: Longman, 200) 102.
[3] Holmgren, “It’s the Booze Talkin’.”
[4] Garraty, 702.
[5] Holmgren.
[6] Garraty, 702.
[7] For the Record: 150 Years of Law & Lawyers in Minnesota. (Minnesota State Bar Association, 1999) 231.
[8] Belle Plaine Herald, April 1, 1920.
[9] Shakopee Argus, January 30, 1920.
[10] Shakopee Argus, July 9 and July 30, 1920.
[11] Jordan Independent, March 24, 1921.
[12] Jordan Independent, March 24, 1921.
[13] Jordan Independent, September 1, 1921.
[14] State of Minnesota Vs. Mike Abdo and Harry Simon, 1924.
[15] Shakopee Argus-Tribune, September 14, 1933.