Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Bootleggers

Prohibition and the Road South

Federal Prohibition began January 16, 1920, however the State of Georgia enacted prohibition legislation as early as 1908 (There is a great article about this in the New Georgia Encyclopedia: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-828) and lingered after Federal repeal in 1933.

The origin of the word "bootlegger" hails from Kansas during the early days of prohibition when the footcovering of choice was the Western boot, which could easily accommodate one or two quart bottles of whiskey. "Bootleggers" were those who literally sold the bottle or a drink out of their boot leg.

Remembering that Stewart Avenue was THE south road prior to the construction of I-75, it is only reasonable that the road played an interesting role as a bootlegger's alley. I found some stories in the Atlanta Constitution archives, which you might find interesting.

May 6, 1920 - Alligator and Booze Captured in Same Car
Bootlegger Glen Clayton carrying 10 gallons of whisky and a two-foot alligator in a car "judged by its contents" to hail from "a wet country (sic)" was captured by Fulton County policemen. Clayton was released on a $500 bond and the alligator went home with one of the officers where it became "a plaything for all the boys in that ward." I have two questions: What ward and what happened to the alligator after that? The article is silent on the disposition of the captured liquor.

March 26, 1922 - Machine, Loaded with Red Liquor Taken by Police
Reporting a capture of 108 quarts of "bonded rye and Scotch whiskey" on Stewart Avenue, the officers involved stated that this was the first raid involving bonded whiskey. According to InternetWines.com: "Bonded Whiskey is 100 proof Bourbon from a single distillery that was produced in a single "season" and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervised "bonded" warehouse. Distillers originally did this in order to avoid having to pay the excise tax until the whiskey was aged and ready for market." Doing the math, it stands to reason that having paid the tax previously, the owner of said distillery was at quite a disadvantage with prohibition and seeking to recoup his (or her?) losses.

July 4, 1923 - Alleged Whiskey Cars are Seized, Drivers Jailed
A police chase on Stewart Avenue forced Lloyd Rice to run his auto into a telephone pole. Mr. Rice, age 21 and whose address was noted on Pulliam Street, was apprehended and faced charges of violating prohibition law. Two passengers riding with Mr. Rice fled the scene and escaped arrest.

March 14, 1928 - Big Haul of Fine Liquor is Caught by County Men
(I am just going to quote this one verbatim, as to paraphrase it would do it an injustice.)
"More than 200 quarts of fine bonded whiskies, done up in 35 sacks wet with sea water and grimy with beach sand, were confiscated by county officers Tuesday afternoon when they overhauled a light touring car entering Atlanta on Stewart Avenue. The automobile first came to the attention of Officers Vernon Hornsby and Frank Donehoo when one of two men in the machine, sighting the official party, swung from the running board and climbed into a heavy touring car that came alongside. Following the machine, they overhauled it on the outskirts of the city, arresting A. B. Bryant, who was being held late Tuesday afternoon on a charge of transporting whiskey. Bryant, who furnished a Macon address, told officers the cargo came through from a Florida port, but that he had been hired by a stranger to drive the automobile into the city."

June 29, 1933 - 200 Gallons Seized in Stewart Avenue Raid
A raid at 1272 Stewart Avenue (which could be argued sits in the CVM community) and owned at that time by Billy Bryant, captured 127 gallon cans, 10 gallon jugs, 284 pint bottles, and 364 half-pint bottles of whisky that had been cured on premises in charred barrels.

Well, all of this just goes to show that our area has a long history of contraband, characters and curiosities.