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 Prohibition See also the pages on Saloons and South Front Street.
 Sheriff Charles Terrell and Deputy L. D. Forncrook behind the county jail in Jacksonville, circa 1922. IN EARLIER DAYS
We of today are apt to think the wet and dry question a modern
issue. Therefore it may be interesting to look up some of the earliest
documents in our state archives. Among the first acts of the
provisional government was the passage, in 1844, of a prohibitory
liquor law. Under this law a fine of $50 was imposed for importing
liquor, $20 for each sale and $100 for manufacturing any form of
intoxicating liquor in the Oregon country.By Fred Lockley At the next meeting of the provisional legislature the law was amended so that a penalty of $50 was attached to giving liquor away as well as selling or bartering it. The same law made it the particular duty of every officer who learned of the distillation of any kind of spirituous liquor to seize the distilling apparatus and turn it over the nearest justice of the peace or judge. The justice of the peace or judge was required to arrest the offender. The punishment was forfeiture of property and a fine of $100. The legislature which met in December 1846, after a spirited debate, in which the advocates of liquor said that as the Hudson Bay Company sold liquor it was only fair to let American citizens sell it and secure the profit, finally passed an act allowing the manufacture and sale of liquor under stringent restrictions. Oregon's first governor, like Oregon's present governor, disapproved of the liquor business and also, like our present governor, favored law enforcement. On December 17, 1846, Governor George Abernethy returned the "wet" bill, with his veto, accompanied by the following message: "Oregon City, Dec. 17, 1846--Gentlemen: I return to your honorable body the act entitled 'An act to regulate the manufacture and sale of wine and distilled spiritous liquors' with my objection to the same. "Previous to our organization as a provisional government, public sentiment kept liquor from being manufactured or sold in this territory. Heretofore every act of the legislature has been, as far as ardent spirits are concerned, prohibitory in character. The act before me is the first act that has in any manner attempted to legalize the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits. At the session of the legislature in June 1844, an act was passed to prevent the introduction, sale and distillation of ardent spirits in Oregon; and, as far as my knowledge extends, the passage of that act gave satisfaction to the great majority of the people throughout the territory.… "It is said by many that the legislature has no right to prohibit the introduction or sale of liquor, and this is probably the strongest argument in defense of your bill. But do you not as effectually prohibit every person who has not the sum of one, two or three hundred dollars to pay for his license, as does the law now on the statute books? Are not your proposed fines and penalties as great or greater than those of the old law?" "Where, then, is the benefit to the people? There is no doubt in my mind but that the law will be evaded as easily and as often under the new law as it was under the old, and, in addition to this, there will be legal manufacturers, importers and sellers who will be able, under the sanction of the law, to scatter all the evils attendant upon the use of alcoholic drinks. We are in an Indian country; men will be found who will supply them with liquor as long as they have beaver, blankets and horses to pay for it. "It has been proved before the house of commons that one-half of the insanity, two-thirds of the pauperism and three-fourths of the crimes of Great Britain may be directly traced to the use of alcoholic drink. The testimony of our most eminent judges in the United States shows that the same proportion of crime is attributable to ardent spirits in this country. Statistics might be produced showing the enormous evil and expense of the indiscriminate use of liquor. As to revenue, the small amount received for license, instead of being revenue, would be swallowed up in the expenses attending trials for crimes caused by the crime of these licenses. "But leaving all other countries out of view, let us consider our own state. Surrounded by Indians, no military force to aid the executive and other officers in the discharge of their duties, not a solitary prison in the land in which to confine offenders against the laws, there is consequently no way of enforcing the penalties of the law. I think these things should call for calm and serious reflection before passing your final vote on this bill. "My opinion is, the people are opposed to legalizing the introduction and sale of liquor in this land. I may be mistaken and therefore should be in favor of the old law of referring the whole matter to the polls at the next general election. If the people say 'no liquor,' continue to prohibit; it they say, through the ballot box, 'We wish liquor,' then let it come in free, the same as dry goods or any other article imported or manufactured. But until the people say they want it, I hope you will use your influence to keep it out of the territory. "It is with regret I return any bill unsigned, but I feel we both have duties to perform and when we think duty points out the way, I trust we may always be found willing to follow it. "GEORGE ABERNETHY." Oregon Journal, Portland, October 26, 1914, page 8 IN EARLIER DAYS
After a most exciting contest between the "wets" and the "drys,"
the "drys" have won out, carrying not only the state by a large
majority, but winning in every county in the state. As a matter of
fact, it is no new thing for Oregon to be dry, for Oregon started
its history as a dry state. It was a live issue, however, even from
the very first, when Oregon was a provisional government, and later
in its territorial days.By Fred Lockley On December 7, 1847, the governor, in his message to the legislative assembly of Oregon Territory, said: "The act entitled 'An act to regulate the manufacture and sale of wine and distilled spirituous liquors,' passed at the last session of the legislature, I would recommend for revision. An act to prevent the introduction, manufacture and sale of ardent spirits in Oregon would be far preferable to a majority of the people in this territory. In our early history, ardent spirits were unknown among us. Every effort was made to keep it out of the territory, and to a great extent successfully, until 1846 when, owing to the defect in the law passed at the session of 1845, some persons violated the statutes, and liquor was made and sold in the territory. It was not done openly nor carried on to any great extent. "The last legislature licensed the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits. I hope the present legislature will repeal the license law. Would it not be better to have the law opposed to ardent spirits than to have the manufacture and sale of it legalized by statute? "It is argued by some persons that you have not the right to put it down, and by others that it is interfering in the liberties of the people and deriving them of their rights. I think you have the right to prevent its introduction. No one can dispute your right to regulate it down to the medical profession. "With regard to taking away the liberties of the people, prohibitory laws are passed by all legislatures. I will simply give one instance: In a law of Massachusetts, passed March 23, 1833, it is declared that any person who shall, in violation of the law, sell a lottery ticket, or knowingly offer one to be sold, in any building owned or rented by him, shall forfeit and pay a sum not less than $100 nor more than $200; and that if any person, after conviction, shall repeat the offense, he shall be sentenced for every subsequent offense to labor in the house of correction or in the common jail for a term of not less than three months, not more than 12 months. This was not considered by the people as taking away their liberties. They do deprive some of the liberty of ruling themselves and others from making money out of their ruin. And is not this statute founded in the true principles of legislation--not to license evil, but to defend the community from it? "When a crime is committed by any person under the influence of liquor, where does the responsibility rest? The individual, when sober, informs us he did not know what he was doing. The seller says 'I have a license to sell liquor, and sold it to him according to law.' Would it not be for the interest of the territory to take away this plea from the seller? The license system throws a bulwark around the dealer in ardent spirits, behind which he entrenches himself. Remove this bulwark, place the law against him, and public sentiment will put him down. "The temperance cause is an onward one. We hear of state after state deciding through the ballot box that no license to sell liquor shall be granted within its bounds, and the supreme court at Washington, to which several cases have been carried from the circuit courts, arising from the liquor question, decided at the last term that the states have a right to regulate the trade in, the licensing of, and the selling of ardent spirits. "The question, 'Shall a license system be continued, or shall the introduction, manufacture and sale of ardent spirits be prohibited,' is in your hands. I hope, in deciding upon it, you will take the happiness and future prosperity of Oregon Territory into consideration. I leave the question with you, sincerely hoping that should we come under the jurisdiction of the United States the coming year, we may be found with a law on our statute books prohibiting the sale of ardent spirits in this territory." This sounds as if it were written last week in place of nearly 70 years ago. It is very evident that if the question of wet or dry had been left to Oregon's first governor, Oregon would have remained throughout all its history what it soon will be--a dry state. Oregon Journal, Portland, November 8, 1914, page B4 TEMPERANCE ADDRESS.--There will be a temperance address at the M.E. church, on Tuesday evening next, at early candle lighting, by Rev. G. W. Roork. All are invited to attend. After the address, business of importance to those interested in the temperance cause will be transacted. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, October 12, 1867, page 2 The still of Claiborne Neil was seized by Dep. Collector Sutton for alleged violation of revenue laws. "Jackson County," Salem Daily Record, February 14, 1868, page 2 I.O. of G.T.--The lodge of his order in Jacksonville appears to be in a flourishing condition. It numbers 36 members, and the organization is sustained with much interest. Temperance is a good thing, and the order throughout the state have raised many a weak and erring brother to usefulness. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville,
January 2, 1869, page
2
POSSESSED BY A DEVIL.--Last week a poor miserable man, whose appetite is stronger than his reason, started on a spree. He sold his furniture, bedding, clock, clothing--everything--literally stripping his family, who took refuge with some friends, and drank up the proceeds. On Tuesday night he was verging on delirium tremens--a homeless wanderer, with no place to lay his head, and as wretched a looking wreck of decency as eye ever saw. He was furnished some food and given temporary lodging in the station house. Certainly a demon must possess the breast of any man who will thus act, and we can only say, God pity him! Jackson County Prohibition
Convention.
MEDFORD,
April 30.--Prohibition speaking throughout Jackson County last week
resulted in a county convention here today. A full ticket was
nominated. For representatives--D. H. Hawkins, of Ashland, E. F.
Walker, of Medford, and W. W. Miller, of Eagle Point; county
judge--Fred T. Downing, of Central Point; sheriff--W. W. Willits, of
Flounce Rock; county clerk--David C. Herrin, of Medford; treasurer--C.
B. Kingsbury, of Ashland; assessor--C. H. Gillette, of Ashland; school
superintendent--Lake France, Sams Valley; commissioners--Charles
Carney, of Eagle Point, and L. A. Rose, of Phoenix; surveyor--W. H.
Newton, Gold Hill; coroner--Dr. George Kahler, Phoenix. There was a
ratification meeting tonight.
Oregonian, Portland, May 1, 1888, page 2 Prohibition Outburst.
Prof. A. B. Wolfenbarger, the talker, and Prof. A. B. Huckins, the
singer, held forth Tuesday evening to a crowded house at Granite Hall,
in behalf of the national prohibition party. Their work made a fine
subscription in money and a long list of names who pledged themselves
to vote the prohibition ticket provided that this list gets the names
of 1,000,000 voters by next August. Wolfenbarger is from Nebraska and
goes after the liquor issue like a big burly blacksmith handles a
sledge hammer. He mauls everything in sight. He said the Democrats made
no bones about being a whiskey party. This received applause from the
crowd, but when he said Harrison and Wanamaker were touring around the
country drinking wine to the health of college boys; scored Wanamaker
for that $400,000 campaign boodle; tore up Levi P. Morton, our vice
president, for running a saloon at the nation's capital and said he was
elected an honorary member of a liquor league, the crowd did not
applaud his utterances. The prohibitionists as a body have great
respect for established things and for capital and in Ashland never
applaud such disrespectful (but truthful) indictments of our national
administrators. They would sooner believe the little tin god idea
inculcated in the Geo. Washington and his hatchet story. Mr.
Wolfenbarger must have felt the tone of his audience on this point and
was evidently somewhat surprised, for he defended his remarks by
deprecating the notion that a high office should shield men from having
the truth told about them.Wolfenbarger and Huckins are an able team in their work. Huckins does some little talking too, being the funny man. Wolfenbarger does some singing. Together they talk prohibition into the audience, sing it into them, hammer it into them, work it into them and drive it into them, any way to get it into them. A new feature is dialogue singing. They have a comic song about Levi P. Morton and his Shoreham Hotel and saloon which they give in variety theater song-and-dance style that takes the house down. This was the most successful meeting held in Ashland in many a year, and beats anything ever undertaken by the two old political parties. Valley Record, Ashland, March 3, 1892, page 3 The "passing of the drunkard" is noted in the industrial world. Complicated machinery, requiring steady hands and clear brains to work it; electricity, demanding in its handling that men shall have their wits about them; steam, to which railway coaches and cars transporting hundreds of thousands of sleeping passengers and millions of tons of valuable merchandise from place to place are attached, require strong nerves and a clear brain for their control, while the accounts of the transactions of business and commerce cannot be accurately rendered by men whose working forces of mind and body are strained and shattered by alcohol. The business world does not declare openly, perhaps, that it has no use for men who drink to excess, even periodically; but the fact that such men are seldom in these later years found in responsible vocations tells the story of the passing of the drunkard from business life in terms that cannot be mistaken. "Brief Mention," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, June 1, 1899, page 1 Ashland's council last week adopted three ordinances relating to the liquor traffic. One provides for a "restrictive list" of chronic drunks or indigents with their families, and after the council has declared them such there is a penalty of $10 to $50 for any licensed saloon selling liquors to these parties. The others relate to the issuance of liquor licenses and the regulating of saloons. Minors and women are prohibited from entering a saloon. The method of securing a license is radically changed. It provides that the applicant must first secure a majority of the real estate owning taxpayers and residents of Ashland. All licenses expire January 14 of each year. The saloon interests were not consulted in regard to the ordinance.--[Record. "Local Notes," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, June 22, 1899, page 3 Anti-Saloon League Organized.
At a meeting of temperance people called for at the Christian
church Monday evening there was started an organized effort to grapple
with the saloon question in Ashland. Henry C. Galey was elected
chairman and D. H. Hawkins secretary of the meeting. The question "what
opportunities of a practical nature are now open to the people of
Ashland looking to the suppression of the saloons" was discussed. A
spirit of enthusiasm for the cause was manifested by all present, and
the necessary committees were appointed to draft a constitution and
by-laws for an "Anti-Saloon League." Over 30 signified a willingness to
become members, and on Tuesday evening's meeting it was swelled to 50.The special issue to be met will quite likely be the city election in December, and the concentrating of the anti-saloon forces upon the new method of voting on the license question, which allows only resident male real estate taxpayers to sign saloon license petitions and remonstrances and will make the saloon petitions all come up at one time for license applications. Valley Record, Ashland, November 2, 1899, page 3 An Editor Takes It Hard.
On Monday the mixologists of Ashland were granted an unlimited
holiday, and the town council with the "Antis" standing at its back
took charge of the "100 fights to a barrel" dispensaries, by serving
notices of "Thou Shalt Not" on the various proprietors.Klamath Falls Express.]
Eastern Oregonians will now avoid Ashland as a plague-ridden, Easternized god-fearing town of "Antis" and no-swizzle. To our good Klamath County friends who have moved to Peachblow Paradise we extend the hand of sympathy, for now you have got to be good, willy nilly and we know how hard it will go with you. Look at--and--and--and all the others! How they will pine away and suck the cholera morbus out of peaches and take a nightcap of prune juice and catnip tea, while they look at the sluggish Bear Creek and long for the rocks and rills and rock and rye of Klamath County, where the templed hills put a man in a more proper spirit than can the entire Keeley cure of Peachblow Paradise, where they can now drink slough water and gamble for stewed prunes and Sunday school cards by spitting at a crack. Go to, with your pennies in the contribution box, your pink teas and your "bean, bean, who's got the bean" games, for we are too raw and untrammeled out here to analyze the essential joys of such jejune and microscopic pleasantries. Valley Record, Ashland, January 25, 1900, page 1 SALOON LICENSES REJECTED.
The city council of Ashland met Jan. 15th, all in attendance. The
session lasted from 8 p. m. until 12:30 the next morning when the
petitions for applications for liquor licenses were thoroughly
canvassed and were found to be short of the number of names required.
This was painful news to the majority of the city councilmen who had
secretly hoped there would be a majority of legal petitioners and that
they would be relieved of the awkward situation confronting them by the
expectations of both factions to a well-organized campaign covering
many months including the finish for the last 30 days. The figures
showed plainly that the saloons were defeated according to Ordinance
194 and the council would have declared it so if that would have put an
end to their trials and tribulations. They temporarily relieved
themselves of their embarrassment by adjourning one whole week,
alleging a desire to further investigate, but which in reality was a Micawber
move, expecting "something to turn up." Monday evening of this week was
the time set but Councilman Reader sent word he could not be present,
having an urgent case--presumably a confinement. The councilmen met and
promptly adjourned to Tuesday evening. Reader was again absent. The
council had received no new light that could turn the minority into a
majority, but immediately entered into a general talk and all kinds of
reasons and explanations were indulged in as to each councilman's
"position" on the subject, past, present and prospective. Councilman
Beswick had little to say but he was square-toed in favor of the
councilmen doing their duty as laid down in the charter, and for
himself he was in favor of no monkey business but for issuing licenses.
Whitney was full of conversation and traversed the whole realm of his
thought on the subject. He wanted to kick over all the present
ordinance and issue licenses to whom the councilmen saw fit. Hunt
wished his job belonged to somebody else and he desired to give them
all licenses until the June election and then submit the question to
the voters. Holmes was in favor of rejecting petitions and standing by
present ordinance and letting the saloons try it again or do as they
pleased. Trefren stood by the ordinance as the best possible expression
of the substantial citizens of Ashland on the subject and made a
very plausible explanation of the council's purpose in adopting the
method and showing that less than a dozen solid taxpayers were thus
deprived of a voice in the matter. He was in favor of only one
compromise--the raising of the license to $600 or $800 and granting of
licenses under reasonable safeguards upon the simple petition of the
applicant. Reader may have had views but he was not present. Mayor
Colton was in favor of present ordinance or submitting to special
election. Whitney moved and Hunt seconded a motion to grant licenses to
the applicants.The City Dads, Wearied of the License Question, Kick the Old Cat Out of the City Hall--Will the Cat Come Back? Roll call showed Whitney, Hunt and Beswick in favor, Trefren and Holmes against and Reader absent. The motion was declared lost by the mayor. The council adjourned to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to give Reader another chance to be present. All being present, the question was reopened and discussed. Trefren demanded that the present petitioners be relieved of the suspense and injustice being done them by rejecting their applications, and then having the council compromise and settle their differences afterward, his resolution reading: As it does not appear that any of the petitioners for saloon licenses have complied with the ordinance providing the manner of obtaining the same, I move that all the applications be rejected and no licenses issued while said ordinance is in force unless its provisions are fully complied with. The resolution carried, Trefren, Whitney, Reader, Holmes, and Hunt voting yes and Beswick no. Whitney, seconded by Hunt, offered the following resolution: Be it hereby resolved that owing to imperfections of list of taxpayers furnished by the recorder and in consequence causing it to be impossible for petitions for license to obtain sufficient names to constitute a majority, that ordinance No. 194 be hereby repealed and that licenses be issued to the petitioners as follows: Houck & Dame, I. W. Burriss, N. Bourgeois and High & Taylor for the period of one year dating from January 15, 1900. Here Councilman Reader, who had seemingly taken no hand in any of the councilmen's contentions, packed his things together, coolly put on his hat, walked out, never uttered a word, not even saying "excuse me," "goodbye" or "go to h--1." The councilmen and spectators were somewhat dumbfounded for a few seconds and the discussions were interrupted by numerous propositions--mostly facetious ones--as to the cause of their brother councilman's sudden and strange disappearances. None of the motions encumber the records however. The Mayor declared the Whitney-Hunt motion an illegal one. The absence of Reader--who was expected by the license people to stand fire and vote with Hunt, Whitney and Beswick--thus making a majority--and issuing licenses anyhow, again upset the situation. The defeated petitioners had been relieved of their suspense but the councilmen had not gotten rid of the question. Like Banquo's ghost it would not down. Here a general compromise took place, all of the councilmen and the mayor being apparently glad of the opportunity to shirk the duties imposed upon them by the charter and hug the delusion that turning the liquor question loose on the town would settle it--providing the saloons won the election, of course. Otherwise, the cat would come back. The special election was set for Monday, Feb. 5th, 1900. Valley Record, Ashland, January 25, 1900, page 3 Ashland is having an interesting time with the saloon question. A remonstrance against granting any saloon licenses, signed by 214 legal voters and 241 women, was presented at the council meeting Monday evening. The highest number of votes polled at any city election was 407. Four applications for renewal of license were before the council, but each lacked the requisite number of legal signatures, according to an ordinance previously passed, and the licenses were not granted. The matter was held open for further examination, however. Two of the saloons which failed to obtain license have closed and the others keep open, but, it is said, do not sell liquor. If all saloon licenses shall be refused, an extra tax levy of 5½ mills on property will be necessary. There is a disposition to raise the license fee from $400 to $600 or $800. Gold Hill News, January 27, 1900, page 4 Prohibition Party to Organize.
The Jackson County Prohibition Party is to be resurrected and
reorganized after having been dormant for many years. E. V. Miller of
Portland, field secretary of the state executive committee, has been in
Ashland during the past week and witnessed the anti-saloon fight Monday
leaving for Medford on the evening train. Mr. Miller has called a mass
county convention to meet at Medford Saturday, Feb. 10th, at 1 o'clock
p.m. for the purpose of effecting an organization of the party in
Jackson County and to place a full county ticket in the field.
Experience has taught these people that the old political parties are
incompetent or unwilling to enforce the present laws against the saloon
evil, much less to check it. They have had some recent experience with
the elephant in Ashland that has demonstrated to their entire
satisfaction that the Republican Party at least is operated by past
masters in the art of duplicity and that people expecting temperance
out of that party will get nothing but deceit to reward their hope and
expectations.Valley Record, Ashland, February 8, 1900, page 3 Jackson County Prohibitionists.
MEDFORD, Or., Feb. 12.--The county prohibition convention held here
Saturday afternoon declared for the single issue of the prohibition of
the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor as a beverage. The
following county ticket was nominated: Representatives, C. H. Hoxie,
Medford, and William Wydow, Central Point; county judge, A. S. Jacobs,
Central Point; county commissioner, W. A. Cordell, Ashland; clerk, S.
J. Day, Jacksonville; sheriff, J. W. Marksburg, Gold Hill; treasurer,
Rev. E. Russ, Medford; recorder, J. S. Downy, Ashland; assessor, W. W.
Estes, Talent; school superintendent, J. M. Horton, Jacksonville;
surveyor, A. Andrews, Medford; coroner, J. W. Odgers, Medford. S. J.
Day, Rev. E. Russ and J. M. Horton were elected as the county central
committee. Active work will begin at once, and the assistance of J. G.
Woolley, the noted temperance orator, is expected in May.
Prohibition Ticket in Jackson.
Morning Oregonian, Portland, February 13, 1900, page 4 REGULATING ASHLAND SALOONS
City ordinance No. 198. An ordinance regulating saloons.The Ordinance Concerning Removal of Painted Windows and Screen Doors, Closing at 11 O'Clock, etc. The people of the city of Ashland do ordain as follows: Section 1. No owner, keeper or attendant in any house or room where intoxicating liquor is kept for sale at retail shall maintain or allow to be kept, placed or maintained any screen, ground, painted or waved glass, or any glass except clear plate, nor any other device by which the plain view of the bar in such place shall be in any wise obstructed from the plain view of persons passing by on the sidewalks. Section 2. Every owner, keeper or attendant of any house or room where intoxicating liquors are kept for sale at retail shall close said house or room at 11 p.m. of each and every day of the week and not open or allow the same to be opened until 6 a.m. the following morning, and during the time such places are closed under this section no person shall be allowed in such premises except the proprietor or the usual employees at such place of business. Section 3. Every proprietor of any house or room where intoxicating liquor is kept for sale at retail shall keep a book in which he or his barkeeper or attendant shall register the name and residence of any and all persons who shall purchase any spirituous, malt or intoxicating liquors by the bottle, pint, quart or in any other manner than by the glass or drink over the bar, and it shall be unlawful for any such keeper or attendant to sell or give away any spirituous, malt or intoxicating liquors by the pint, quart, bottle or in any other manner than by the drink over the bar and drunk while in the room where bought, to any person who refuses to give his name and place of residence and if required, his age, for the purpose of such registration, which register shall be subject to the inspection of the mayor or any police officer of said city at any and all times. Section 4. Any person violating the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction therefor shall be fined not to exceed fifty ($50) dollars or be imprisoned in the city prison not to exceed twenty (20) days. Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its adoption and its approval by the mayor. Approved February 9, 1900. Valley Record, Ashland, February 15, 1900, page 1 ASHLAND'S LICENSE LAW.
Ashland's new council is reported to have passed an interesting license
ordinance. It provides, first, that the bar shall be in plain view of
every passerby. All saloons are required to be closed at 11 p.m. and
are not to be opened till 5 a.m. Every proprietor of a saloon, or any
place where liquor is sold, is required to keep a register, and anyone
buying liquor in any way except by the drink is required to register
his name and place of residence, and, if required, his age, and the
register shall be subjected to the inspection of the mayor or any
police officer of the city. The penalty for violation of this ordinance
is a fine not to exceed $50, no minimum penalty provided, or
imprisonment in the city prison not to exceed 20 days.Gold Hill News, March 10, 1900, page 4 The anti-saloon league of Ashland won out in the city election held there last Monday. There were 426 votes cast in all, of which the anti's polled 216 votes against issuing license to saloons, while the saloon element only polled 197 votes. The new council just elected is composed of six members, of which four will oppose issuing licenses to saloons and two for, hence there will be no more licenses issued to saloons in Ashland after January 15. Gold Hill News, December 22, 1900, page 5 REAPING ASHLAND'S BENEFIT.
From the Fruit World, Medford, Or.]A Medford Paper Gives its Opinion on What Ashland Will Lose by Refusing to License Saloons. The anti-saloon people of Ashland won a signal victory over the saloons at their city election on the 18th inst. The contest was a hard one, but the good citizens' ticket won by 19 votes. This speaks well for the moral standing of the city. If the people of Ashland can suppress the greatest evil for which the human family is heir to, they ought to be able to handle smaller ones, and no doubt will in a creditable manner. A citizen of this town remarked the other day that "Ashland had gone dry and Medford would reap the benefit." We hope not. Medford has too many of such "benefits" now. Medford has no desire to be the dumping ground for the toughs of Ashland. Rather than increase our police force and jail capacity we had better emulate the example of Ashland and "go dry." And now, while we are on this subject, we wish to call attention of the citizens of Medford if they are to "reap the benefit" of Ashland's drought, we had better look close to our city election and place affairs of the city in hands able and willing to pass the toughs of Ashland on to Grants Pass, where they may be able to find congenial fellowship--judging from what we saw of a few from that locality at our ball game last summer. Valley
Record, Ashland, January 10, 1901, page 1
The licenses of the six saloons of Ashland expired at midnight on Tuesday, and the council which met Tuesday evening, following out the course which was expected of it in view of the advisory vote on the question at the recent city election against the further licensing of the sale of intoxicants, refused to even receive or consider the petitions presented by several saloon keepers for renewal of their licenses, one of which it is reported contained the names of more than a majority of the legal voters of the city, and ordered the license fees tendered, amounting to $1200, returned. No liquors are now being sold at the saloons, and the bars are all reported "dry," as far as intoxicants are concerned. "Brevities," Ashland Tidings, January 17, 1901, page 3 Saloons Closed.
The new city administration has met the saloon question, as the people
voted for it and adopted a stringent law prohibiting the liquor traffic
in Ashland. The ordinance was carefully drawn by attorney H. L.
McWilliams, and the authorities are willing to go into the courts upon
the issues involved.The licenses expired Tuesday at midnight and there has been no serious fracture of the law up to the present. The saloons are quite generally open, and as long as they do not sell liquor will be at liberty to remain so. There were several calls at drug stores for liquors, but all new demands were refused. Undoubtedly most people who have a taste for liquors had provided themselves in advance. As six saloons had existed here for years there is undoubtedly a large demand for liquors, and it is an interesting problem to see what will develop in their efforts to secure the same. There is hardly any doubt in the minds of anybody but that Mayor Neil will rigidly enforce the law so far as in his power. Valley
Record, Ashland, January 17, 1901, page 2
Ashland will not be a dry town, according to reports received from there this week. The city council has granted a liquor license to the proprietors of the Hotel Oregon, and will undoubtedly grant similar licenses to the other saloons. The city voted to abolish the saloons at their last municipal election. The report is also circulated to the effect that over $4000 has been contributed by wholesale liquor dealers in San Francisco and Portland to contest the matter in the courts, should the city decline to issue the license when the applications were made. "Additional Local," Medford Mail, January 18, 1901, page 6 SALOONS AND POPULATION.
Medford Fruit World, Jan. 19.]A Medford Paper Predicts a Great Growth in Ashland's Population on Account of Temperance. In the last issue of the World attention was called to the difference in the growth and prosperity of the towns in California where prohibition was in operation and those where saloons exist. For instance, in Riverside the growth in ten years was 70 percent; in Pasadena, 86¾ percent; Redlands, 152 percent; and in Berkeley, 156½ percent. Of the saloon cities and towns, outside of San Francisco, Sacramento made the greatest gain, and that amounted to only 10 percent. San Francisco only gained 14½ percent in ten years. Notwithstanding these figures, however, there are plenty of people who actually believe that the prosperity of a town depends upon the existence of the saloons. With such people actual facts cut no figure. But never mind now, just stand off and watch Ashland grow. If she doesn't beat Medford in the next decade then we miss our guess. It is simply an oft-exploded humbug that saloons ever did or ever will add to the prosperity of a town. Valley
Record, Ashland, January 24, 1901, page 2
EIGHT DAYS OF PROHIBITION.
The Anti-Saloon League meeting at Christian church Tuesday evening
after the religious service adopted resolutions congratulating the
council and the people on the result of the recent city election and
the new ordinance and expressing confidence in and extending the
League's support of the city administration in the matter of closing
the saloons.The Town Moves On in the Even Tenor of Its Ways-- Liquor Owners Engage Lawyers. Wm. M. Colvig was up from Jacksonville Tuesday consulting with the liquor dealers of Ashland in regard to the new prohibition ordinance and the possibilities of their interests in the fighting the same. It is generally understood that Mr.Colvig and C. B. Watson have been retained to protect their interests in the courts in whatever proceedings may arise and that the law and authorities are now being examined with a view of tackling the new ordinance upon the ground that the charter delegates to the council the power to regulate and control the liquor traffic and that the council goes beyond its authority in attempting to prohibit it. In case this feature of the law is presented, the fight will be made upon the applications of W. E. Conner and Houck & Dame for licenses. Whether the liquor dealers will be able to agree among themselves and their attorneys as to a line of procedure and court a fight in the courts on legal grounds is not yet developed. While the owners of the late licensed saloons are not retailing liquor over their bars and to all intents and purposes on the face of the matter are obeying the law, there has not as yet been any general howl among reliable persons who use intoxicants as to their inability to get what they want and the presumption that some is coming from outside towns and some from the stocks in this city. The consumption of liquor, at any rate, has been greatly reduced without doubt, and if the law suffers no more serious infraction in the future than in the past eight days of prohibition it may be regarded as quite successful. But there is no assurance of permanency in this regard as far as voluntary action of the owners of liquors and the consumers of the article are concerned. As they become accustomed to the new order of things and gradually work into each other's confidence their mutual interests and desires may blend sufficiently to develop quite a business. Should this state of affairs come into existence Mayor Neil and the city administration will without doubt enforce the ordinance, which will bring on a contest before the courts and juries. Valley
Record, Ashland, January 24, 1901, page 3
The Valley Record says that Ashland has had fifteen days of prohibition law, and though retail liquor-selling has been abolished, no one is suffering for the want of it. Several ex-saloon keepers have informed chief of police Brunk that they will sell liquors to him, the mayor or councilmen by the gallon. The authorities have not yet moved in the matter, presumably taking their time. Ashland, according to the Portland Mercury, will not be a dry town, according to reports received from there this week. The city council has granted a liquor license to the proprietors of Hotel Oregon, and will probably grant similar licenses to the other saloons. The report is also circulated to the effect that over $4,000 has been contributed by wholesale liquor dealers in San Francisco and Portland to contest the matter in the courts, should the city decline to issue licenses. "Local Notes," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, February 7, 1901, page 3 SALOON MEN ARRESTED.
The saloon question, which has been brewing in Ashland for some months
past, came to a head Tuesday by the serving upon Deston High and W. C.
Sonnichsen, and Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame, and Hermann Salomon,
warrants of arrests for the illegal sale of whiskey in the city of
Ashland. The warrants were served by Chief of Police H. J. Mattoon and
all parties appeared before City Recorder Milton Berry and asked for
bail and time in which to secure attorneys. They were given until
Wednesday morning to plead, and no bonds were exacted for their
appearance, being out on their recognizance. Later in the afternoon C.
B. Watson appeared and informed the recorder that himself and W. M.
Colvig were the attorneys for the defendants. Mr. Watson and Attorneys
H. L. McWilliams and W. C. Hale, representing the mayor of the city of
Ashland, agreed upon next Monday, May 20th, as the time for defendants
to plead and a trial of the case. The city recorder so fixed the same.The City Administration Begins Its Operations on the Illegal Selling of Liquor in Ashland. Mayor Neil Has His Fighting Habits On and Will Bend Every Nerve to Crush the Outlawed Traffic in This City. The complaints are all subscribed and sworn to by Chief of Police H. J. Mattoon and the several parties are all charged with selling liquor to one K. J. Johnson, by the drink and in half-pint bottles. Houck & Dame and High & Sonnichsen are charged with the offense on the 29th day of April and Hermann Salomon on the 7th day of May. The complaints are alike in general form and have the appearance of being carefully prepared and will likely be used right along in the complaints against the illegal sale of intoxicating liquors. In order to give the reader the wording of the complaints we herewith append one of the same: ----
Recorder's Court, City of Ashland, Oregon.The City of Ashland, Plaintiff, vs. Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame, Defendants. I, H. J. Mattoon, do by this complaint, accuse Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame of a violation of an ordinance of the City of Ashland, said city being an existing city, duly incorporated and organized under the laws of the State of Oregon, which said ordinance is entitled "an ordinance declaring the illegality of keeping or maintaining a bar-room, drinking shop, drinking saloon, tippling-house, club house or club room, or other place in which spirituous, vinous, malt or intoxicating liquors are kept, sold, disposed of, or given away, and the selling, disposing of, furnishing or giving away spirituous, vinous, malt or intoxicating liquors, without first having duly procured a license therefor from the City Council of the City of Ashland, Oregon," which ordinance was passed by the City Council of the City of Ashland and approved by the Mayor of the City of Ashland, March 12, 1901, committed as follows: The said Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame on the 29th day of April, 1901, within the limits of the City of Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon, did then and there unlawfully sell and deliver to one K. J. Johnson, one drink of spirituous liquor, to wit, whiskey, without having first obtained a license so to do from the City Council of the said City of Ashland, contrary to the ordinances and laws in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the City of Ashland. H. J. MATTOON.
State of Oregon, County of Jackson, City of Ashland, ss.I, H. J. Mattoon, being first duly sworn on oath, depose and say that I am Chief of Police of the City of Ashland, Oregon, and the complainant named in the foregoing complaint, and that the said complaint is true as I verily believe. H. J. MATTOON.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of April, 1901.MILTON BERRY,
Recorder, City of Ashland. ----
At a special meeting of the city council Monday evening Mayor Neil was
formally and officially authorized to employ attorneys for the
prosecution of the liquor cases. The motion was made by Councilman
Simpson and seconded by Councilman Hunt. All were present except
Councilmen Holmes and Powell.As is already known, attorney H. L. McWilliams has been advising with and acting as the attorney for Mayor Neil in all the proceedings, having drawn the ordinances and amendments to the charter on the subject that are now in the laws of the city of Ashland. Some weeks ago Mayor Neil also engaged the services of ex-Circuit Judge W. C. Hale of this district, now practicing law at Grants Pass, who has also gone over the entire network of the law and the practice in the liquor cases. Both Attorneys McWilliams and Hale and Mayor Neil are thoroughly satisfied as to the impossibility of being tripped up on any details or technicalities of the law and the practice. If the saloons go to the circuit court on a writ of review the matter can come before the supreme court in a prompt and direct manner without waiting for the slow process of the customary appeals from the circuit court. This will give an early decision as to the validity of the charter and ordinances from the highest court that they can get into on any pretext whatever. They are certain that there will be but one result and that a prompt one. Valley Record, Ashland, May 16, 1901, page 2 Fleming Bros., who are traveling overland through the country with the Edison Waragraph machine, gave an entertainment at the Medford opera house Monday evening. Owing to the fact that the entertainment was not well advertised they did not have a large house, but the exhibition was good throughout and thoroughly enjoyed. A feature in itself well worth the price of admission was the scenic production of Mrs. Carrie Nation on one of her celebrated joint-smashing crusades. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, May 24, 1901, page 7 The state president of the W.C.T.U. will deliver a lecture at the Presbyterian Church Saturday evening, June 1st, on the subject of "Mrs. Nation and Her Hatchet." You can't afford to miss this opportunity to hear this gifted lady. "Additional Local," Medford Mail, May 31, 1901, page 6 HOT AIR BUBBLE BURSTED.
The cases of the city against the saloon keepers of this city, H.
Salomon, V. S. Lewis, Houck & Dame and Wm. Sonnichsen, was decided
by Circuit Judge Hanna Monday.The Circuit Court Decides the Saloon Cases in Favor of the City of Ashland. Salomon and Lewis Do Not Meet the Mayor the Second Time and Are Supposed to Be in California. These parties were convicted of selling liquor without a license in City Recorder Berry's court and after giving bonds appealed to the circuit court on a writ of review. This action made the city the defendant in the case. The case was tried on the points of law involved and decided in favor of the City of Ashland. C. B. Watson and W. M. Colvig were the attorneys for the saloons and H. L. McWilliams, W. C. Hale and J. R. Neil for the city. The order of the court is as follows: ----
Now, on this 15th day of July, 1901, after careful consideration of
said cause the Court finds that there was no error of law in the trial
of said cause in said Recorder's court, in said city of Ashland; or in
the rendition of the decision thereto. It is therefore ordered that the
petition of plaintiffs be denied and that the Recorder's Court of the
City of Ashland be and it is hereby directed to proceed in the matter
reviewed in accordance with its decision.It is further ordered that the defendant have judgment for costs and that the clerk of this court spread on its records the proceedings herein as proceedings had in vacation. ----
This
is simply another chapter in the same old case of attempts to regulate
the liquor business in Ashland and while temporarily compelling the
saloons to hunt their hole it will not be long before they gradually
come out again in some different form. Nothing but a continuous sitting
in the city jail would keep the business down permanently.Today the three saloons are not selling any liquor, and V. S. Lewis near the depot has boxed up his stock and shipped it away--his clerk says back to the wholesale houses from whence it came. But it is likely that it will return when the storm blows over. Houck & Dame have a sign out "This place for rent" and have quit selling liquor. Wm. Sonnichsen quit the business soon after his conviction and is not now engaged. H. Salomon, a gentleman with pronounced Hebrew accent and the gait and swagger of a typical "Sheeney," is a recent importation from Redding, Cal., and being possessed of means and a disposition to "show these lop-eared Oregonians" a few pointers has set himself up as a new Moses who was to lead the hosts of Mammon and John Barleycorn out of the wilderness of Higher Ideals and into the commercialism of a wide-open town, is now very much disgusted with the refusal of the powers that be to become instantly converted at the shrug of the shoulder and the alle-ke-san high sign of the New Moses. He promptly issued circulars offering to sell out the McConnell Grocery (which he also owns) and threatened to leave Ashland and let the entire bottom drop out of the town. Mayor Neil had a conference with the new master yesterday in which Salomon showed a very prayerful spirit and indicated that he was willing to pay the fine and costs and sin no more. But Mayor Neil spoke to him in parable saying unto New Moses: "He that stealeth horses daily and then offers to repent by paying for one horse doesn't go in Ashland as in Redding." As Mayor Neil has a string of offenses against the saloons of Ashland which by pressing means several thousand dollars in fines, the confiscation of the liquors, and some considerable time in the city jail, the New Moses did not need an interpreter. Mayor Neil went to see Salomon this morning to see if he was any wiser but the new leader had taken the midnight train for California--it was explained on mining business. Mayor Neil has a string of complaints ready to be served and unless a settlement is made today attorneys Hale and Neil will be here and with Attorney McWilliams will be ordered to begin the work of crushing out the illegal liquor dealers through the processes of the law. In the conferences between the saloon men and the mayor the basis of settlement has not been agreed upon yet. The mayor expects to compel them to pay the city an amount that will cover all the costs and expenses that the city has been to and sufficient more to prepare the city to fight them in the future should they again get the mistaken idea in their head that the emblem of authority of Ashland is "a sucker." They can either settle at a nominal cost or get a larger penalty. As the saloon men did considerable fretting about the city of Ashland losing so much license money and wasting the taxpayers' money prosecuting them they can do a little sacrificing themselves by putting up about double the amount of this expense. Mayor Neil was preparing to continue yesterday's conference with the saloon men and inform them that a settlement must be made today. V. S. Lewis and H. Salomon could not be found, having left town. These two bought into the saloon fight after it began. Houck & Dame were at Jacksonville yesterday and had informed Mayor Neil that they would not appeal. Valley Record, Ashland, July 18, 1901, page 2
WHISKEY REBELLION CRUSHED.
All of the Ashland saloon men under conviction of selling liquor in
Ashland against the city ordinances left town hastily between two days,
taking the midnight train on Wednesday night of last week for the
California state line. In last week's paper we only noted the
disappearance of Messrs. Salomon and Lewis, not being positively aware
of the departure of Houck & Dame on the same train. Wm. Sonnichsen
missed the night train and got aboard of Thursday noon's California
express.Mayor Neil Makes His Words More Than Good and Drives the Liquor Dealers Out of the State. Judge Hanna's Decision in Full to the Writ of Review-- An Appeal to Supreme Court Taken. Mayor Neil was somewhat surprised at the scattering of his friends, expecting to hold another conference with them in the matter of settling up the accumulated charges that the city has against them for the same offense. The saloon men had put up a bold front since they acquired Salomon to their ranks, and the claim was generally put forward that the wholesale liquor merchants were also standing in. As Messrs. Houck & Dame were old residents and substantial citizens of the community and as Mr. Salomon had during his brief career become identified with the town as proprietor of a hotel and a grocery store it was not generally suspected that they ever intended to leave the town where they could always have personal friends go their bonds and in themselves were financially able to furnish themselves with all their legal rights and privileges. Their attorney, C. B. Watson, says they left the state because Mayor Neil threatened to arrest them and force a trial on a multiplication of offenses if they did not settle with the city by paving a large sum of money. By leaving the state these actions could not be commenced on them and as the state does not extradite persons charged with misdemeanors, and the saloon men did not expect to continue in business here they reasoned it out that they were paving themselves good wages by leaving their happy homes in Oregon and the jurisdiction of the chief of police of Ashland. Mayor Neil has dealt the saloon business in Ashland a solar plexus blow and one that he did not wish to be compelled to deliver to them. He tried diplomatic means to get the saloon men to retire without a fight and had more or less encouragement from all of them and success with others when H. Salomon appeared on the scene. His inordinate conceit and Mr. Houck's stubbornness again complicated matters when Mayor Neil called their bluff and informed them that the fight was to a finish and that he would camp on their trail until he had either ruined them or placed them behind the bars. As mayor of a civilized American city he proposed to uphold the dignity of the will of the majority as directly expressed in the ballot box. The parties kept up their anarchy and violations of law, and Mr. Salomon as their new leader was heralded as the man who would "show them," and he did "spread it on" like a prince until the circuit court handed down its decision when he immediately crawled down from his throne of glory and beat an inglorious retreat for the California state line, accompanied by his associates. Mayor Neil had the support of the citizens in the enforcement of the law. Ashland people as a rule realize that under our civil and political institutions the majority must prevail, and when laws are enacted and defied the offenders must be compelled to observe them. The question as to the best method of the city of Ashland handling the liquor traffic is one which honest men can differ upon and be entitled to that splendid inheritance of this free republic--the privilege of expressing and voting his convictions. While the conduct of the saloon men and their failure has seemingly for the present only left one party in Ashland, yet the question of what is best to do with the liquor trade in Ashland is an open one. The late crisis means that hereafter whatever regulation is adopted by the legal authorities will be obeyed until changed or modified. Ashland citizens will insist upon the forms of order being maintained. They do not want any whiskey rebellion or Carrie Nation "joint smashing" exercises. The majority must rule. SALOON MEN APPEAL.
The saloon men scattered very hastily when Mayor Neil informed them
that they were expected to reimburse the city for their violation of
its laws. After a few days attorney Watson got in communication with
his clients in California and on Saturday filed notice of appeal and
secured from Judge Hanna a writ of probable cause in the cases pending
in the circuit court. He will have five days in which to file the
appeal with the supreme court and 20 days additional to prepare a
brief. Stay of execution was issued.----
In the Circuit Court of Oregon, in and for Jackson County,Judge Hanna's Decision. Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame, plaintiffs, vs. the City of Ashland, defendant. Findings of Law and Judgment on Writ of Review. The above-named plaintiffs and Herman Salomon, V. S. Lewis, Deston High, W. C. Sonnichsen sought to review and set aside a judgment rendered against them severally in the Recorder's court at Ashland, Or. On a hearing before this court the action of the Recorder's court was sustained, and the following reasons offered for so doing: On a hearing of a return to a writ of review in this court nothing can be considered except what appears in the transcript brought from the lower court. The transcript in these cases shows that defendants were convicted of selling intoxicating liquors without first obtaining a license for the sale thereof. On the trial the defendants severally filed a demurrer to the complaint filed against them. The errors relied upon on the hearing in this court are the overruling of the demurrers in the Recorder's court. The demurrer alleges six separate grounds for setting aside the complaint. The first is that said complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a crime. Second, that the court has no jurisdiction under its ordinances of the crime attempted to be charged. Fourth, the plaintiff had no authority for the passage of the said ordinance under which this action is brought, and in the sixth assignment of the demurrer it is alleged that the legislature exceeded its constitutional power in attempting to grant the city council the right to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors. These actions are brought under the provisions of section 2 of ordinance 208 which is as follows: "It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or dispose of any spirituous, vinous, malt or intoxicating liquors within the city of Ashland, without having first duly procured from the city council of the city of Ashland, Or., a license therefor." The wording of this ordinance is in effect identical with the provisions of the state law. The complaint clearly shows a violation of said ordinance, and demurrer was properly overruled as to the first cause assigned. The second and fourth grounds of demurrer can only be determined by an examination of the city charter, as it is only through the powers derived from that instrument that the council can lawfully act in these matters. The plaintiffs very earnestly contend that the city charter does not authorize the enactment of the ordinance under which they stand convicted, and further that the legislature cannot delegate to the city council the power to prohibit the sale of spirituous liquors, as it contravenes the state law. If either of these contentions be true, the plaintiffs were wrongfully convicted, for no man can be convicted of crime or misdemeanor unless there has been a violation of a valid existing law. Section 3 of an act amending said city charter approved February 15th, 1901, provides that the city council shall at the times designated vote upon the question as to whether or not spirituous vinous, malt or intoxicating liquors shall be sold within the corporate limits of the said city, and that if a majority, or one-half of the said council together with the Mayor vote against the issuance of license for the sale thereof, then no license shall be granted therefor. This in effect gives the city council power to prohibit the sale of liquor within the city limits. It must be conceded that this is a delegation of legislative powers, and seemingly unwarranted. But the courts now almost universally hold that legislatures may delegate such powers to municipal corporations, as a part of the necessary police regulations. Black on intoxicating liquors Secs. 217 and 226. I "Dillon on municipal corporations" Sec. 363. The language of one author is "It is entirely in accordance with the principle of local self-government so thoroughly recognized in our political systems, that the power to enact police regulations, on a matter so closely connected with the good order and prosperity of the city, should be lodged with those best qualified to judge of the measures adapted to meet the exigencies of their particular situation." I know of no other theory upon which these decisions can be sustained. Lower courts are not warranted in declaring void an act of our legislature except upon clear and unmistakable grounds. In the absence of a decision of our supreme court, the holding of this court must be in accordance with the authorities cited. There are other grounds embraced in the demurrer upon which the court is asked to declare the charter and amendments illegal and void, but I have not found sufficient reasons to warrant me in so holding. Jacksonville, July 15, 1901.
Valley
Record, Ashland, July 25, 1901, page 1H. K. HANNA, Judge. The supreme court on Monday handed down a decision sustaining the action of the circuit court, in what is known as the Ashland liquor cases. The defendants, Jesse Houck and Joseph Dame, were convicted before Justice Berry, of Ashland, for violating the ordinance against selling liquor in that city. They appealed to the circuit court and Judge Hanna sustained the justice. Appeal was then taken to the supreme court which has just decided as above. The effect of this decision will be to establish a precedent whereby municipal incorporations may vote the town "wet or dry" at will. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, November 29, 1901, page 7 Ashland had a city election on Tuesday, the issue being the same as it was last year, to wit: Whether saloons should or should not be licensed. The litigation resulting from the success last year of the anti-saloon party and the consequent refusal of the city council to grant license to saloons was finally disposed of a few weeks ago by the decision of the supreme court, upholding the action of the lower courts in finding for the city in the contention. Tuesday's election resulted in electing two prohibition and two license councilmen, together with a license mayor. The two councilmen which hold over are prohibitionists--hence the town will be "dry" for another year. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, December 20, 1901, page 7
MEDFORD, March.
6.--The Prohibition ticket for Jackson County was held here yesterday,
and the following ticket put in the field. Senator, H. D. Hawkins,
Ashland; Representatives, Rev. E. B. Lockhart, Central Point, and C. E.
Hoskins, Gold Hill; Joint Representative, Rev. C. H. Hoxie, Medford
County Clerk, E. C. Wolfer, Medford; Recorder, G. T. Richards, Medford;
Sheriff, L. F. Lozier, Medford; Treasurer, H. J. Boosey, Jacksonville;
Assessor, H. S. Brumble, Medford; Coroner, A. W. Jacobs, Ashland.
Morning Oregonian, Portland, March 7, 1902, page 4 The prohibition alliance of Medford will meet at Academy Hall next Monday evening at 8 o'clock. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, August 1, 1902, page 7 Mayor Grant, of Ashland, has appointed A. L. Kitchen, president of the Ashland Anti-Saloon League, a special officer to enforce the city ordinances against the selling of liquor, and gambling. It is a notorious fact that the granite city's prohibition laws do not prohibit, and strong effort will now be made to enforce them. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, November 21, 1902, page 7 It is the will of our people that we license no saloons, and the necessary resultant is, there are none; as for Ashland--well, I've heard that even the hydrants send forth a stream of "booze," if you turn the faucet with the right pressure. "Talent News Items," Medford Mail, December 5, 1902, page 5 Ashland Will Have Saloons.
Ashland's
council, in accordance with the result of the late municipal election,
has decided to allow the opening of saloons in that city. The vote was
a tie; but Mayor Provost cast the deciding vote in favor of license.
The minimum rate is $800 a year, which is high enough to restrict the
number of saloons to three or four. This is a sensible solution of the
problem which has rent Ashland during the past two years. Nearly if not
quite as much liquor was privately consumed there as when saloons were
allowed to run wide open, and the city lost the revenue that would
otherwise have been obtained by license, only to be raised by taxation.
Prohibition has not prohibited any more in Ashland than elsewhere.
Democratic Times, Jacksonville, January 14, 1903, page 2 A majority of 24 voters declared for a "dry town" [in Ashland] at the annual city election held today, the vote being 282 for license and 306 against. "Ashland Goes Dry," Morning Oregonian, Portland, December 16, 1903, page 4 "WHEN THE TOWN GOES DRY"
The saloon licenses all expire January 15th.An Exodus of Saloon Keepers After Jan. 15th--Practically All of the Holders of Licenses Will Go Out of Business and Leave Town. The council at its first meeting in January, which will be next Tuesday, will formally and officially declare "no license" as the policy of the city for the ensuing year in accordance with the wish of the majority, as cast in the recent municipal election. The saloon licenses that will expire on the 15th are as follows: Ed. Zeiss, corner A and 4th streets. E. W. Riddle, corner A and 4th streets. Nollop & Norris, A Street. H. S. Sanford, Hotel Oregon. Schultz & McManus, Plaza corner. E. M. Selby & Co., Ashland House. Peter Murray, Main Street, over the bridge. All these are new men in the liquor business in Ashland--that is, none of them held licenses previous to the prohibition reign of 1901 and 1902--and all are either new hands in the liquor business or are newcomers in the city. What they intend to do under the new order of things is of local interest. Mr. Zeiss announces that he will go out of business and move to Portland. He is a stepson of Wm. Faber, the wealthy brewer of Portland, who owns the Albany brewery. Just after the successful breaking down of the prohibition reign a year ago Mr. Faber came to Ashland and purchased the three lots and frame buildings at corner of A and 4th streets for $6000, and besides establishing a saloon he also secured storage rooms at the Ashland Ice Co.'s plant which was a depot for the sale of his beer to other saloons and in adjoining towns. In case matters went right, Mr. Faber intended erecting a large modern brick or stone structure at the corner of A and 4th streets this year. He was in Ashland Tuesday and said the result of the election was no surprise, as the liquor people here were divided among themselves and could not be gotten together to make a united fight. As to his future course in Ashland, he said the bar would of course be discontinued and that he would sell his business corner if he could get his price. The next corner just across the street from Mr. Faber's property was purchased at the same time for $6000 from J. W. Haun by Max Weiss, the Roseburg brewer. It consisted of a two-story brick and the lower story was remodeled and E. W. Riddle succeeded Haun's grocery with a saloon which was the agency of the Roseburg brewery. Mr. Riddle will close out promptly and move back to his old home at Riddle, Douglas County, and engage in the saloon business there. His clerk, Joe DeGuire, who is an experienced restaurateur, will open a chop house in the place of the saloon. The third place at the depot was that of Nollop & Norris, who hung out the banner of Weinhard's Brewery of Portland. They were discouraged and announced before the election that they would not seek another license. Coming uptown the first place is the Hotel Oregon bar, which is concealed in the large building in such a way that a stranger would not know it was a saloon. The party who sees that this place is kept orderly quietly gave the inquiring reporter a tip that it would be different than in former periods--that this time the town would be closed up tight. Schultz & McManus, who bought the old Houck & Dame stand a few months ago, have no intention to place themselves at war with the community. Mr. Schultz, as soon as the election returns were announced, packed up his family and returned to their former home at Dallas, Polk County. Mr. McManus is only remaining until the license expires, when he will close up the place and return to the Willamette Valley. E. M. Selby, who came here only a few short months ago from Tacoma, Wash., and opened a new saloon in the Ashland House, took the excursion for San Francisco to seek a new location. Peter Murray is a miner by occupation and does not conduct the saloon, which has of late been operated by a nephew who is a newcomer here. Valley
Record, Ashland, December 31, 1903, page 3
The present prohibition campaign in Jackson County is not a recent growth, but dates from pioneer days when the first settlers in this valley took up the cause of temperance with quite as much vigor as characterizes the advocates of today. The first temperance society in Southern Oregon was organized in Jacksonville in the spring of 1856, and was a lodge of the Sons of Temperance, an order that at that time was quite extensive in the United States. "Oregon Sidelights," Oregon Journal, Portland, November 4, 1904, page 4 Anti-Saloon Workers Organize.
At a meeting of anti-saloon workers held at Ashland Monday, Rev. H. C.
Brown was elected chairman and Rev. F. W. Carstens secretary. The
executives committee offered the following recommendation, which was
adopted:That this committee organize a permanent committee to be known as "The Jackson County Anti-Saloon Committee," that it shall have as a nucleus an executive committee of fifteen members at large, and that these shall be empowered to select and appoint from one to three members from each precinct in the county, the first one named to be chairman, etc. The chair then appointed the following committee on nominations for the central committee: Rev. R. C. Blackwell, of Medford; J. Merley, of Central Point, and Mr. Judy, of Butte Creek. Medford Mail, November 18, 1904, page 1 Medford Is Half and Half.
MEDFORD,
Or., Dec. 2.--J. C. Hall, a saloon man of this city, whose place of
business is in the "wet" precinct, is applying for license to sell
liquor for one year, and the Prohibitionists are working with
a
remonstrance trying to prohibit his obtaining it. When the
Prohibitionists, who lost out in North Medford, and the saloon men, who
lost out in South Medford, both went before County Judge Dunn,
trying to have the recent election contested, the Judge decided that
according to the statutes of Oregon he could make no decision,
therefore would take no action. The election thus stands as the returns
show, leaving one-half of the city "wet" and the other half "dry."Morning Oregonian, Portland, December 3, 1904, page 4 Medford Saloon Men Win.
MEDFORD,
Or., Dec. 7.--(Special.)--At the Medford City Council meeting last
night Young & Hall, proprietors of the Medford saloon, won a
decisive victory over the prohibition forces of this district, the
occasion being a hearing on their application for a renewal of their
license. It was a significant fact that their petition contained 327
names as against 134 names on the remonstrance, the majority of the
business men and larger property owners of the community appearing on
the petition for the license.
Although the prohibitionist leaders attended and addressed the meeting, the sentiment of the Council was clearly in favor of granting the license, and this was done by unanimous vote. Morning Oregonian, Portland, December 8, 1904, page 6 No Reading Room.
MEDFORD, Ore., August 6, 1906.--Medford has no place where the laboring
man can spend a few hours profitably and pleasantly. The pool rooms,
saloon and the gambling dens are the only places that solicit their
presence and offer accommodations and attractions. If the professed
Christian people would work as diligently for their cause as the saloon
man does for his these conditions would not exist. It is not expected
of merchants to arrange seats for the people and entertain them, but it
does appear to me that a town the size of Medford, with its thrift,
growth and enthusiasm, with its various churches and large membership,
should have a reading room, where we could spend a few hours
intelligently, though not necessarily an expensive one. I believe the
citizens and business men of city and country, when they seriously
consider the subject, will favor the same. I am not a pool player or a
saloon patron, but on the other side vigorously opposed to both. I do
not censure the saloon keeper as severely as some do. I believe some of
them will contribute liberally and cheerfully to the much-needed
enterprise. I have never known a saloon keeper that was a Christian or
even professed to be, but have known scores of men who do profess to be
Christians who will on election day vote for men who make the laws that
legalizes the saloon to make the drunkard, and then criticize the
saloon. It isn't the saloon man who is the most to
censure. The church
people hold the balance of power, and if they would vote to suppress
the cursed traffic instead of making it lawful our cities would be in
much better condition and the criminal records would be greatly
reduced. I have no vote for the saloon, but have five dollars for a
reading room. LABORER.
Medford
Mail, August 10, 1906, page 1Liquor Issue in Jackson.
ASHLAND,
Or., Feb. 2.--(Special.)--One of the most potent political
organizations in the forthcoming campaign in Jackson County promises to
be the anti-saloon movement, the leaders of which are girding on their
armor. They announce their intention of carrying the war against the
saloon into every precinct of Jackson County. Ashland's "dry" vote at
the recent city election has unquestionably given an impetus to the
movement to put the whole county "dry," and many believe that the
prohibitionists have a good chance of carrying the day. Medford,
heretofore a strong saloon and license town, it is said, has seen a
great change in sentiment, and the vote there under the local option
law in June promises to be pretty evenly divided.
Morning Oregonian, Portland, February 3, 1908, page 14 Temperance Rally
Sunday morning at the Presbyterian church Rev. J. R. Knodell, organizer
of the Anti-Saloon League movement for the state of Oregon and whose
headquarters are at Portland, preached on the subject: "The Man with a
Vision." He showed from numerous biblical and historical facts that
those who have wrought reforms revolutionized labor by successful
inventions, and rendered other invaluable services to their age, are
those who, holding an ideal steadily in mind, have amidst
discouragement and seeming defeat established the ideal as the real.A main meeting at the opera house Sunday afternoon filled the main audience room to overflowing and was largely representative of the business interests of the city. Selecting as his topic "The Saloon and Business," Rev. Knodell demonstrated that the saloon was a detriment to business by developing the points: 1--The saloon increases crime, and hence taxation must be higher. 1--The union increases the number of insane, and hence there are more helpless women and children. 3--The saloon destroys men, hence it destroys business. 4--On comparison of cities having saloons with those having none, it is a fact that where the saloon is driven out civic improvements are better, educational influences are higher and business is equally good. By most stringent measures the saloons have been driven out of McMinnville, Albany, Eugene, Ashland and other cities of our state, while in the southern and eastern states row after row of counties have gone dry, these affording the careful observer abundant opportunity to formulate for himself opinions as to the success of Local Option where it is in force. Prominent citizens were given an opportunity to voice their sentiments from the platform. H. C. Garnett, hardware merchant, "The time has come to line up on this proposition no matter what the personal sacrifice." C. H. Pierce, real estate dealer, "I receive many letters inquiring about the moral and religious advantages of this city." Mr. Pierce spoke quite at length upon the subject and voiced his sentiments plainly as to his opinion of what constituted moral and religious advantages. J. G. Gore, farmer: "It is most important that we provide the best environment for our growing families--the saloon affords the worst." J. S. Howard, "The evils of the saloon were forced upon me during my tenure of office as mayor. Then many women came to me begging me to do something to save their husbands from drink." H. H. Tuttle compared conditions in North Dakota before and after the saloon was driven out and gave it as his opinion that the absence of the saloon made better municipal and business conditions. J. K. Howard said that in Garfield, Washington, a town of fifteen hundred inhabitants, there were no saloons, the high school advantages are excellent, the main streets are paved, the water and sewerage systems are of the best and the taxation less than in Medford. Our city council has appropriated $60,000 for a water system and better high school privileges are sought, which will raise our taxation, a burden cheerfully born if we can drive out the saloons and better the conditions of our young people. W. P. Dodge said, "I've been burned out, flooded out, and passed through every calamity visited upon man, but the worst has been the almost destruction of my boy by the saloons. Ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors, I call on you to help me drive out the saloons and save my boy [John M. Dodge]." W. M. French made the statement that young girls from good families frequented the back rooms of saloons. "For the sake of the virtue of our young women and the manhood of our young men let us put out the saloon." J. F. Hutchason, merchant, sent his word, "I cannot be there, but tell them I'm opposed to the saloon." Sunday evening the opera house was filled upstairs as well as down and Mr. Knodell spoke on the subject, "The Retail Liquor Business a Crime." He quoted from Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Roosevelt and David Starr Jordan, the Bible, history and the supreme court, to show that the liquor traffic is under the ban of our best and brightest men. Monday evening, February 3rd, at the M.E. church delegates from Ashland, Central Point, Gold Hill, Woodville, Eagle Point met for organization for the county campaign. A central committee was appointed and the efforts of Sunday and Monday resulted in an addition of $175 to the Anti-Saloon League Campaign Fund. XXX.
Medford Mail, February
7, 1908, page 4ASSAILS MEDFORD MAYOR
The liquor
question and the fight
for local option on the East Side was taken up by Dr. J. Whitcomb
Brougher last night at the White Temple in his sermon on "Home Rule:
Fighting for Home, Honor and Happiness." He said in part:Dr. Brougher Says Official Is Tool of Liquor Interests. The liquor men oppose with all their power the making of any laws regulating their business. If they cannot defeat the enactment of such laws then they defiantly or surreptitiously break them. This insolent disregard for all law has been one of the potent agencies for arousing public opinion against the saloon and the liquor business. The liquor men have no regard either for the laws of God or of man. In harmony with this principle of action, the liquor forces of the state are once again endeavoring to destroy our local option law. The Mayor of Medford, a tool of the liquor dealers, has presented an amendment to the Constitution of our state whereby it is proposed that incorporated towns and cities may have what he terms "home rule." The real purpose of this amendment is to nullify all the criminal laws of the state as far at cities and towns are concerned. Now here are several reasons why I am opposed to this amendment. A little town of 200 people could incorporate and run saloons and dens of vice in the midst of a county where the overwhelming majority of the people were opposed to the liquor business. A county might vote "dry" but 125 voters in a town of 200 citizens could vote to have the saloons in that town and thus force upon the people of the entire county to accept the presence of saloons and also make the people of that county, bear the entire expense of the poverty, crime and misery produced by the damnable business. In the second place, this proposed amendment would permit the lawless element to control the whole question of regulating the saloon, the gambling den and all other places of vice. The people who are willing to make a living by debauching and destroying the boys and girls of our cities and towns would virtually be beyond the power of the state to control. They could run wide-open towns by colonizing enough votes to carry the town "wet" and by electing their own officers, absolutely ignore all public sentiment for moral decency and once again be in a place where they could defiantly ask the people, "What are you going to do about it?" To pass this amendment would mean the nullification of our local option law and place the whole state in the hands of the gamblers, the dive keepers, liquor dealers and the entire horde of corrupt politicians who in the past have lived by graft and the exploitation of city vices. 1 am opposed to this amendment because it is proposed by those who have no regard for the moral welfare of the community. There is not a solitary moral argument in favor of this amendment. The whole purpose is to once again put the government of our towns and cities into the bands of the immoral forces. The people who believe in the progress of our state, commercially, morally, intellectually and politically will work and vote against this amendment. The friends of local option need to be aroused. The people need to understand that this proposed amendment is simply a deception both in its wording and in its purpose. In the wide sweep of temperance reform across the country, Oregon will have a foremost place. The people now have an opportunity to defeat this amendment with such an overwhelming majority that the liquor dealers will learn that it is a waste of time and money for them to attempt to destroy our local option law or dodge the enforcement of it when once the people in a district or county have decided that the saloon must go. There is not a solitary moral argument in favor of the saloon. It is a lawless business and the center of lawlessness and crime. It pauperizes labor and destroys its efficiency. It injures business, for there are hundreds of towns that can testify to the large increase of business where the saloons have been abolished. It is the most deadly foe ever conceived of the American home. Shame, disgrace and degradation follow in its wake. No government can afford to take revenue from a traffic that causes ten times as much expense to take care of its results as it brings revenue to the government. What shall it profit a town, a county or a state to gain revenue and debauch its citizenship? I trust the people will vote "No" to the Reddy amendment and at the same time wipe out the saloons on the East Side by an overwhelming majority. Morning Oregonian, Portland, May 4, 1908, page 2 Sunday School Pupils Parade.
MEDFORD,
Or., May 30.--(Special.)--Headed by the band and carrying banners with
inscriptions "Save Our Boys; Protect Our Girls," "A Dry Town Is a Live
Town," etc., and wearing placards "Vote Out the Saloon," 250 Sunday
school pupils, accompanied by their teachers, made demonstrations for
prohibition this afternoon. The body was assembled at the park and
marched down Seventh Street, halting at three of the business corners
where they formed the letter "S" and sang songs in the cause.
Sunday Oregonian, Portland, May 31, 1908, page 7 JACKSON VOTES OUT SALOONS
The Count Indicates 300 Lead for Chamberlain.
MEDFORD, Or., June 2.--(Special.)--Official count from
21 of
Jackson County's 33 precincts, Medford not included, gives Cake 874,
Chamberlain 1008, Hammersley 943, Kubli 879, Miller 889, Purdin 782.
The two latter are Statement No. 1 men and the final count in Medford
may place Purdin in the lead of Hammersley, in which case both
Statement No. 1 men will be elected. Little local interest has centered
in Hawley, and for that reason there are no figures to be had on his
vote here.
Prohibition has 1154 and anti-prohibition 881. The Medford count cannot possibly change the result, though there will be a majority in favor of the saloons. Anti-prohibitionists gave up the fight at noon today. The election of county officers is conceded to Dunn, as County Judge; Jones, Sheriff, Democrat; Coleman, Clerk; Percy Wells, School Superintendent; James Cronemiller, Treasurer, and Burnett, Recorder. Medford and Ashland have not yet completed the counting. Medford Oregon, Portland, June 3, 1908, page 5
SALOON KEEPERS WIN IN COURT.
Jacksonville, Ore.--Although Jackson County went dry at the recent
election, the incorporated towns of Ashland, Medford and Gold Hill may
still have saloons. This important decision was made by Judge Hanna in
the Circuit Court in a test case. Oregon Judge Decides Incorporated Towns Can Control Liquor Traffic. This opinion will have a far-reaching effect in Oregon outside of Jackson County. Klamath Falls voted in favor of saloons, but Klamath County as a whole went dry. As a result of Judge Hanna's decision Klamath Falls may retain its saloons. Judge Hanna held that incorporated towns could control the saloon question to suit themselves, irrespective of how the county at large voted. Several saloon keepers of Klamath Falls, who had understood that they must go out of business on July 1st, were prepared to move over into Siskiyou County, California, and begin business in Butte Creek valley. Lompoc Journal, Lompoc, California, June 27, 1908, page 1 TAKE CUE FROM MEDFORD
Other Jackson County Towns Try to Nullify Local Option Election.
JACKSONVILLE,
Or., July 2.--(Special.)--J. M. Whipple and Ole Olson, of Woodville and
Gold Hill, respectively, have begun injunction proceedings to restrain
the County Court of Jackson County from declaring prohibition in force
in those towns. Other injunctions will follow preventing the court from
extending the order to any precinct in the county.
The temperance people carried the county for prohibition by an overwhelming majority, after a spirited campaign, only to find the condition of the county now worse than before the election. If these injunctions are sustained there will be no dry precincts in Jackson County. These complications all grow out of the fact that the Medford city charter contains a clause giving the city power to regulate saloons within the incorporation, irrespective of any state law that may exist on that subject. Morning Oregonian, Portland, July 3, 1908, page 6 ANTI-SALOON CASE.
Attorney W. M. Colvig, who returned Sunday from Salem, where he went in
the interests of the advancement of the anti-saloon appeal case,
reports that he was unsuccessful in having the case advanced to a
hearing in the supreme court before the usual summer vacation of the
court, but he was successful, however, in having the case placed for
the very first one on the docket of the opening of that court on
October 7.
ANTI-SALOON PEOPLE PARADEThis means that Jackson County will still be "wet," at least until the appeal has been heard. This is not just what Mr. Colvig had hoped for, but when Judge Bean gave him an idea of the amount of work that court had ahead of it, he considered himself fortunate in getting the date fixed as early as he did. Medford Mail, August 7, 1908, page 5 Oregon Town Wins Fight
SALEM,
Ore., Oct. 27.--The supreme court of Oregon decided in effect today
that a city may elect to remain "wet" after the county in which it is
located, or the whole state for that matter, had voted in favor of
prohibition. The local option statute provides that the question of
prohibition shall be submitted to a vote of the people. There is also
an act which provides that amendments to the charter of a city may be
made by popular vote. Jackson County, as a whole, elected to become a
"dry" county. Medford, a city in that county, conferred upon its
council subsequently the power to regulate the liquor traffic inside
the municipal boundary.
Los Angeles Herald, October 27, 1908 CITY CONTROLS SALE OF LIQUOR
SALEM, Or., Oct.
27.--(Special.)--That the charter of the city of Medford, enacted by
the Legislature in 1905, permits the city to license the sale of liquor
notwithstanding the county of Jackson voted dry at the election of
1908, was declared by the Supreme Court today in the case of J. C. Hall
against the County Court of Jackson County. Justice F. A. Moore wrote
the opinion of the court, affirming the decision by Circuit Judge H. K.
Hanna.Medford Exempt From Local Option Law, So Supreme Court Decides. SPECIAL CHARTER CLAUSE Estacada and Condon Only Other Oregon Towns Enjoying Special Privilege Granted by Legislature in Session of 1905. Special Charter for Medford
Briefly stated, the
facts are that the local option law was adopted in 1904 permitting the
people to vote by precincts or by counties on the liquor question. In
1905 the legislature amended the Medford charter authorizing that city,
among other things, to license the sale of liquor irrespective of any
general law of the state on this subject enacted by the Legislature or
by the people at large. In 1908 the liquor question was submitted in
Jackson County as a whole and the county went "dry" by a vote of 2138
to 1881. At that time J. C. Hall held a saloon license in Medford, and
when the County Court was about to enter an order prohibiting the sale
of liquor in Jackson County he brought an injunction suit to enjoin the
County Court from so doing so far as the mandate might affect the City
of Medford. A demurrer interposed by the defendants was overruled and
the injunction made permanent; whereupon the County Court appealed.
After stating the facts at some length, the opinion of the Court holds
that this is a proper case for the exercise of jurisdiction by an
equity court, and then says:Exempt from Local Option Law.
The Legislative
Assembly, when not interdicted by amendments to the organic law of the
state is a law-making body of co-ordinate authority with the people
when the latter exercise the initiative power which they have reserved.
The Legislature, evidently reaching this conclusion, at the next
session after the enactment of the local option law, granted to several
municipalities charters, in some of which it was provided that the
power conferred to license the sale of intoxicating liquors should be
subject to the provisions of the local option liquor law. A clause to
that effect appears in the charter of Brownsville, of Halsey and of
Junction City. Other charters were granted at the same time containing
clauses which were evidently intended to exempt certain municipalities
from the operation of the provisions of the local option enactment.
Thus the charter of Condon stipulates:Specific in Condon's Charter.
No provisions of the
law concerning the sale of . . . liquor in Gilliam County or any law of
the state of Oregon now or hereafter enacted, shall apply to the sale
of the same in the City of Condon.The charters of Estacada and Medford contain similar provisions. It is quite probable that the attempt thus to exempt the cities of Condon, Estacada and Medford from the provisions of the local option law, and to prevent any further encroachments thereon, impelled the amendment (in 1906) of section 2 of article 11 of the organic law of the state, so as to prohibit the Legislative Assembly from enacting, amending or repealing any municipal charter, and also induced the granting of such power to the legal voters of every city and town, but limiting their authority; in such enactments as might contravene the constitution or subvert the criminal laws of the state. The local option liquor enactment has been held to be a criminal law, the provisions of which cannot be violated by the electors of a municipality in legislating in respect to a city charter. The opinion also holds that the amended Medford charter expressly repeals the local option law so far as it applies to Medford and that it would have such effect by implication if it did not expressly. Decision Not of Wide Effect.
The decision of the
Supreme Court, in the Medford liquor case is not of very wide effect,
since the decision can apply only to Medford, Condon and Estacada.
These were the only cities that had charter bills passed in 1905 giving
them control of the liquor traffic, and since that time it has been
impossible for any other city to secure a charter of that kind. In 1906
the amendment was adopted giving cities exclusive power to
adopt
their charters, "subject to the Constitution and criminal laws of the
state."The Supreme Court had held that the local option law is a criminal law, and no city charter adopted since 1906 can evade the local option law. Even these three cities can be voted "dry" by an amendment to their charters. The Anti-Saloon people have taken great interest in the Medford case, assuming that the decision that would be rendered by the Supreme Court would be of sweeping effect. It is said that the Anti-Saloon people spent considerable money fighting the case and that they are considerably wrought up over the decision. As a matter of fact, the decision is of consequence and can be of consequence in only the three cities mentioned. To illustrate the situation under the law and the decisions that have been rendered: Special Privilege Limited.
Albany is a city in a
"dry" county. If the city should attempt to amend its charter so as to
authorize the sale of liquor, the charter would be invalid in that
respect, because in contravention of that section of the Constitution
which provides that city charters must be "subject to the constitution
and criminal laws of the state." In the case of Fouts vs. Hood River,
the Supreme Court held that the local option law is a criminal law. If
a large number of cities had obtained charters in 1905 granting them
the power to license the sale of liquor, regardless of the local option
law, the decision would have had a wide effect, but a search of the
records shows that only these three cities, whose charters were enacted
in that year, contained the clause granting this power. There were
several cities whose charters of that year authorized the licensing of
saloons, but they did not expressly annul the effect of the local
option law, and the Supreme Court holds in the case of Renshaw vs. the
City of Eugene that these charters were merely reenactments of existing
charters and did not take the cities out from under the limitations of
the local option law.All charters enacted prior to 1905 were superseded by the local option law, so far as control of the liquor trade is concerned in a town in "dry" territory. All charters enacted since 1905 are controlled by the provision that all charters must be "subject to the criminal laws of the state." Only those charters enacted in 1905 which expressly exempted the cities from the provisions of the state liquor laws had the effect of evading the local option law [and], as shown above, there were three of these, Medford, Condon and Estacada. The people of these three cities can make them dry by amending their charters, so as to make them subject to the criminal laws of the state. Oregonian, Portland, October 28, 1908, page 7 MEDFORD STILL WET.
The Supreme Court Handed Down Decision Tuesday.
Word
was received in Medford yesterday to the effect that the [state]
supreme court had upheld the decision of circuit judge Hanna enjoining
the county court of Jackson County from declaring the result of the
majority of votes at the last June election in the county in favor of
prohibition, insofar as it affected the city of Medford.
The injunction case was brought by J. C. Hall, a saloonkeeper in this city. His attorneys were Robert G. Smith, E. E. Kelly and Snow & McCamant of Portland, while attorney W. M. Colvig represented the prohibitionists. The decision was based on the fact that the city charter was passed by the legislature since the referendum law, and where two laws conflict, as the court claims, the last one passed is the one to be taken. There are now two courses open to those who are determined to continue the fight for a dry town. One is to get a bill through the legislature at the next session reaffirming the referendum law and the other is to elect the majority of the councilmen in the city at the next election. The latter course will probably be the one taken. The next city election will be held in January. Medford Mail, October 29, 1908, page 1 MEDFORD CHARTER.
Made Basis of Decision in Liquor Case.
SALEM,
Or., Oct. 28.--That the charter of the city of Medford, enacted by the
legislature in 1905, permits the city to license the sale of liquor
notwithstanding the county of Jackson voted "dry" at the election of
1908, was declared by the Supreme Court yesterday in the case of J. C.
Hall against the county court of Jackson County. Justice F. A. Moore
wrote the opinion of the court, affirming the decision by Circuit Judge
H. K. Hanna.
Special Charter for Medford. Briefly stated, the facts are that the local option law was adopted in 1904 permitting the people to vote by precincts or by counties on the liquor question. In 1905 the legislature amended the Medford charter authorizing that city, among other things, to license the sale of liquor "irrespective of any general law of the state on this subject enacted by the legislature or by the people at large." In 1908 the liquor question was submitted in Jackson County as a whole, and the county went "dry" by a vote of 2138 to 1881. At that time J. C. Hall held a saloon license in Medford, and when the county court was about to enter an order prohibiting the sale of liquor in Jackson County he brought an injunction suit to enjoin the county court from so doing so far as the mandate might affect the city of Medford. A demurrer interposed by the defendants was overruled and the injunction made permanent, whereupon the county court appealed. After stating the facts at some length, the opinion of the court holds that this is a proper case for the exercise of jurisdiction by an equity court and then says: Exempt from Local Option Law. "The legislative assembly, when not interdicted by amendments to the organic law of the state, is a lawmaking body of coordinate authority with the people when the latter exercise the initiative power which they have reserved. The legislature, evidently reaching this conclusion at the next session after the enactment of the local option law, granted to several municipalities charters, in some of which it was provided that the power conferred, to license the sale of intoxicating liquors, should be subject to the provisions of the local option liquor law. A clause to that effect appears in the charter of Brownsville, of Halsey and of Junction City. Other charters were granted at the same time, containing clauses which were evidently intended to exempt certain municipalities from the operation of the provisions of the local option enactment. Thus the charter of Condon stipulates: Specific in Condon's Charter. "'No provisions of the law concerning the sale of . . . liquor in Gilliam County or any law of the state of Oregon now or hereafter enacted shall apply to the sale of the same in the city of Condon.' "The charters of Estacada and Medford contain similar provisions. "It is quite probable that the attempt thus to exempt the cities of Condon, Estacada and Medford from the provisions of the local option law, and to prevent any further encroachments thereon impelled the amendment (in 1906) of section 2 of article 11 of the organic law of the state, so as to prohibit the legislative assembly from enacting, amending or repealing any municipal charter, and also induced the granting of such power to the legal voters of every city and town, but limiting their authority in such enactments as might contravene the constitution or subvert the criminal laws of the state. The local option liquor enactment has been held to be a criminal law, the provisions of which cannot be violated by the electors of a municipality in legislating in respect to a city charter." The opinion also holds that the amended Medford charter expressly repeals the local option law so far as it applies to Medford, and that it would have such effect by implication if it did not expressly. Decision Not of Wide Effect. The decision of the Supreme Court in the Medford liquor case is not of a very wide effect, since the decision can apply only to Medford, Condon and Estacada. These were the only cities that had charter bills passed in 1905 giving them control of the liquor traffic, and since that time it has been impossible for any other city to secure a charter of that kind. In 1906 the amendment was adopted giving cities exclusive power to adopt their charters, "subject to the constitution and criminal laws of the state." The Supreme Court had held that the local option law is a criminal law, and no city charter adopted since 1906 can evade the local option law. Even these three cities can be voted "dry" by an amendment to their charters. The anti-saloon people have taken great interest in the Medford case, assuming that the decision that would be rendered by the Supreme Court would be of sweeping effect. It is said that the anti-saloon people spent considerable money fighting the case and that they are considerably wrought up over the decision. As a matter of fact, the decision is of consequence and can be of consequence in only the three cities mentioned. To illustrate the situation under the law and the decisions that have been rendered: Special Privilege Limited. Albany is a city in a "dry" county. If the city should attempt to amend its charter so as to authorize the sale of liquor, the charter would be invalid in that respect, because [it would be] in contravention of that section of the constitution which provides that city charters must be "subject to the constitution and criminal laws of the state." In the case of Fouts vs. Hood River, the Supreme Court held that the local option law is a criminal law. If a large number of cities had obtained charters in 1905 granting them the power to license the sale of liquor, regardless of the local option law, the decision would have had a wide effect, but a search of the records shows that only these three cities whose charters were enacted in that year contained the clause granting this power. There were several cities whose charters of that year authorized the licensing of saloons, but they did not expressly annul the effect of the local option law, and the Supreme Court holds in the case of Renshaw vs. the City of Eugene that these charters were merely reenactments of existing charters and did not take the cities out from under the limitations of the local option law. All charters enacted prior to 1905 were superseded by the local option law, so far as control of the liquor traffic is concerned in a town in "dry" territory. All charters enacted since 1905 are controlled by the provision that all charters must be "subject to the criminal laws of the state." Only those charters enacted in 1905 which expressly exempted the cities from the provisions of the state liquor laws had the effect of evading the local option law; as shown above, there were three of these, Medford, Condon and Estacada. The people of these three cities can make them dry by amending their charters, so as to make them subject to the criminal laws of the state. Medford Mail, November 5, 1908, page 4 MEDFORD PROHIS ACTIVE
Propose to Amend City Charter So as to Make Town "Dry."
MEDFORD,
Or., Dec. 14.--(Special.)--On account of the decision of the Supreme
Court, in which it was decided that because of a clause in the Medford
city charter, territory within its corporate limits was exempt from any
law that might be passed by the people at large regarding the sale of
liquor, prohibitionists have made efforts toward having the city
charter changed at the coming session of the Legislature. They are
circulating a petition among the legal voters of the city, and already
200 names have been secured.
Morning Oregonian,
Portland, December 15, 1908, page 20
MEDFORD STILL AN OASIS
MEDFORD, Or., Jan.
12.--(Special.)--In the liveliest election ever held in this city
prohibition was defeated. Both sides have worked hard during the
campaign, but so quietly was the matter carried on that neither side
would venture this morning to make a guess as to the outcome.Prohibition Defeated in Southern Oregon Town by Decisive Vote. Medford, by its remarkable charter giving it the right to govern its political affairs, which charter was sustained by the Supreme Court of the state, had remained the only "oasis" in the south part of the state. The prohibitionists firmly believed that a vote of the people would decide the matter for some time, and fully confident of the outcome in their favor, they entered the campaign. The vote was the largest in the history of the city on a city question, 925 votes being cast. W. H. Canon was elected Mayor, John Demmer, V. J. Emerick and E. A. Welch were elected Councilmen. Prohibition was defeated by 127 majority, and the attempt to amend the charter to make it comply with the local option law was defeated by a majority of 170. Morning Oregonian, Portland, January 13, 1909, page 1 MEDFORD STAYS WET
127 Majority for Saloons--Ballot
Box Stuffing Alleged--Canon Wins
Medford
will be "wet" territory for
awhile yet. The question was the sole issue in the annual municipal
election Tuesday, which resulted in the people giving 127 majority for
licensing saloons during the coming year and electing the license
ticket, including W. H. Canon for mayor, by a margin of 8 votes, and
Messrs. Welch, Emerick and Demmer for councilmen. The proposed
amendment to the charter to make it conform to the state local option
law was defeated by a majority of 167 votes. The total vote cast was
the largest ever shown in a city election in Medford, viz: 924.Election Laws Outraged.
The Medford Mail of
yesterday says:Charging that scores of illegal votes were cast and that wagonloads of men from points outside the city were brought into Medford to vote at yesterday's election, the prohibition leaders will conduct a searching investigation during the next few days, and if the evidence can be secured to justify taking the matter into the court, a contest of the result of the election will be instituted. That the miners from the Blue Ledge Mine--who have no actual residence, nor ever have had, in Medford--were brought in and voted is the claim put forth by the leaders on the dry side. They further claim that miners from the coal mine were brought in to participate in the election and that they cast their votes, some of them even after they were challenged by the prohibition leaders. More than that, it is alleged that people from other towns in the county were voted by the liquor interests. The men in charge of the "dry" campaign assert that they were able to prove that citizens of Ashland voted at the polls. In fact, several Ashland people were challenged, and some of them did not have the temerity to swear their votes in. However, a considerable number did, according to the statements of the dry people. Beside these, there were a large number of floaters, whose residence nobody knows and who had never been seen in Medford before, who cast votes at the election. These are not all the instances of illegal voting set forth by the prohibitionists, and they claim that a sufficient number of such votes can be shown to have been cast to more that overbalance the majority of 127 against the prohibition. Ashland Tidings, January 14, 1909, page 1
Medford stays wet, the charter amendment is beaten by a decisive
majority, W. H. Canon is elected mayor by a small majority, all three
candidates on the business men's and taxpayers' ticket for councilmen
are elected and the library tax carries by a good majority. Such is the
result of the city election held yesterday after one of the most
strenuous and bitter campaigns waged in the city of Medford.
The majority against prohibition was a surprise to everyone, the "wets" having the best of the balloting by a majority of 127. Contrary to all expectations the wets carried every ward, the result being the closest in the second ward, where the vote stood 163 for and 179 against. On the amendment to the charter to make the local option law of the state apply to Medford a hot fight was waged, and the result shows that some of the believers in prohibition were affected by the argument of "home rule," urged by those who opposed the amendment. The amendment was defeated by a majority of 167. In the third [ward] the vote was almost two to one against the amendment, standing 356 for and 523 against. Excerpt, "Prohibition and Charter Amendment Are Defeated," Medford Mail, January 15, 1909, page 1 The complete article is here.  March 23, 1909 Oregonian Ashland and Medford A Dry Town and a Wet Town Compared.
The Medford Tribune
made a hasty conclusion that the 14-mill tax levied by the city council
of Ashland for the ensuing year was due to the no license policy for
which Ashland is noted and immediately announced in big, black
headlines that "Prohibition comes high."
The liquor money has very little to do with the big levy made for city purposes for the ensuing year, unless it would be that the increased majority against the liquor business in Ashland at the city election on the 15th inst. may have inspired the city administration to inaugurate a forward movement and introduce municipal advantages on a broader scale and secure to the inhabitants of the city a more rapid introduction of public benefits than it had ever thought of undertaking under a liquor license administration. There is no particular necessity of getting an intoxicated idea of how much revenue the saloon license regime will bring to a city, and Ashland voters take a cool and collected estimate of its value and not a bloated one. It means about 1½ mills. On a valuation of $2,594,265, one and one-half mills will bring $3,891.40. One and two-thirds mills will yield $4,323.77. Ashland is not a heavy drinking community, and from the experience of past years by those engaged in the liquor business here, it is known that the business cannot stand any more than five saloons at the minimum license fee named in the charter, which is $800 per annum. As a practical demonstrated illustration that was the number of saloons and $4000 the amount of revenue raised the last saloon license year in Ashland and is the most reliable estimate for a basis of figuring. For a number of years it has been estimated that the saloon license revenue was equivalent to about 1½ mills or $1.50 on every $1000. Of course this leaves out of the question the respective benefits to be derived by the inhabitants of towns under an administration that gets its money from the taxable property of its people or levies on a certain institution for a specific amount in the nature of an annual bribe in return for its existence as a public institution. The prevailing idea at Medford has been that this institution has been its mainstay and not only the inspiration of its prosperity, but prosperity itself. The prevailing idea in Ashland has been that as an institution it is baneful, is destructive of the most substantial elements of a true and permanent prosperity, has forfeited its right to exist as a public institution, and therefore its money offering has no better standing than the $200,000 that Pat Calhoun gave Abe Ruef to scatter among the San Francisco supervisors to secure the overhead trolley franchise. An examination of the respective tax levies of the cities of Ashland and Medford and the purposes for which the taxpayers' money goes in the respective towns docs not disclose anything to the disadvantage of the judgment shown by the city of Ashland. An examination of the general finances of the two towns shows a history of bad management and bad blunders for Medford that has simply amazed its own thoughtful citizens, while the achievements of municipal enterprise in Ashland has been a history of unusual and extraordinary successes and its blunders have been few, scattered along in several years and amounting to such small sums that nobody but those who take a conservative interest in the history and records could recall them. We do not wish to seem to be out with a "hammer" after our neighboring town, because the prevailing judgment there seems to be an anxiety to get something for nothing--for that seems to be the license money motive, from the Ashland point of view, yet it is a known matter of record that our down the valley neighborhood was paying interest the first of this year on a bonded indebtedness of $100,000, and for the sum of $80,000 thereof it had not a thing to show, and that sum at least is rated as its monument to experiment and failure. The city tax levy (17½ mills) for the city of Medford for the coming year is distributed as follows: General fund for city purposes, 4 mills; interest fund 7½ mills; park fund, ½ mill; general sewer fund, 1 mill; street and road fund, 4½ mills; the total assessed valuation of property within the corporation is $2,481,135. An idea of the amount of Medford's 7½ mills for interest can be had from the fact that Ashland's total levy last year was six mills.--Ashland Valley Record. *
* *
The city records show 192 arrests from
the first of
January last, to the present time, December 30. Of these 117 were for
drunkenness and 62 were for fighting and using obscene and profane
language in the places of business and on the streets of our city.
Nine-tenths, at least, of these 62 arrests were due to the drunken
conditions of the men. This makes, therefore, 173 arrests in Medford
directly chargeable to the saloon from the first of January last to the
present time. There were only 19 other arrests during the year and
these for comparatively minor offenses, such as jumping on or off cars
in motion, riding fast on the streets, begging, etc. Here, then, we
have 90 percent of Medford's crime produced by the saloons. And, still
more, 173 of our fellow-citizens made so drunk and so criminal by our
11 saloons that the police authorities of our city arrested them,
dragged them through our streets and threw them into the city jail to
sober up and appear before the city court. This is dishonoring to the
manhood of our citizens, and no amount of money can compensate for the
evil done to society. The number of arrests is only a small percentage
of all the drunkenness during the year. If one was arrested for every
ten drunk, then on that basis we have had 1730 drunken men in Medford
during the year. To verify these facts go to the recorder's office and
see the records; they are open to the public.--Medford Mail.Oregon Teachers Monthly, March 1909, page 382 PROHIBITION IN JOSEPHINE.
How the System "Works Wet" in a "Dry" County. Grants
Pass Observer.
It is a little over a
year since Josephine became "dry," and in that time there has been more
whiskey drinking in the county than ever before. The prohibition
leaders
here know that, because they obtained a list of all shipments from the
station agent, who was afterwards brought to task by his superior
officers for giving the information. Anybody, man or boy, can send $3
to Portland and receive by express prepaid four quarts of whiskey. This
is very much cheaper than whiskey could be bought in Grants Pass when
the saloons were in operation, and it is probably safe to say that
thousands of packages of intoxicants have been shipped to this city
from other counties and states. That is not prohibition. Apart from the
obtaining of liquors lawfully, there has never been a time during the
"dry" period when intoxicants could not be bought in Grants Pass by
those who knew the ropes. New "blind pigs" were opened to share in the
traffic, and for a time liquor was sold practically openly. The large
profits induced the risk. The seller has no license to pay of
consequence, and he gets double the price for drinks. Beer at 10 cents
for a reduced glass pans out money quickly when trade is good, and it
pretty regularly is in Grants Pass. There are, too, blind pigs doing
business in the rural districts at the same profitable rates, and no
licenses to pay.Prohibition in Josephine County has failed dismally. The sum of it is that drinking goes on just the same and the city loses $6000 license fees and the county $3000. In the saloon days minors had difficulty in getting liquor, and few succeeded. Under prohibition many minors obtain intoxicants with out any difficulty. Half the people of the county hold the prohibition law in contempt, and it tends to breed contempt for all law. Men of average good character have engaged in the illegal traffic and criminalized themselves. A few have been punished, but the sale of liquor goes on and cannot be stopped. Prohibition makes criminals, and does no good, for those who want stimulants can easily get them, and those who do not want stimulants have no need of prohibition. Many people voted last year to bar other people from drinking while they fully intended to keep supplies for themselves. That is contemptible and hypocritical. There is nothing good in prohibition, and very many people who favored it last year do not favor it now. The road from here to Woodville, in Jackson County, is hedged with empty bottles. Thousands of dollars go to Medford for liquors. Gold Hill gets a share. People in the southern part of Josephine County now trade in Medford who never traded there before. The sawmills are closing down and the workmen scattering with full purses. Many of them will go to Medford for a good time. Grants Pass loses revenue, loses trade and gains nothing but new evils. The Observer's forecast has been abundantly verified. Prohibition could not be enforced in Canada, where laws are strict, and it cannot be enforced in this country where laws are loose. Under it the old evil continues in worse form and other evils are induced. Morning Oregonian, Portland, August 28, 1909, page 8 TRY TO MAKE MEDFORD DRY Plan to Place the Orchard City in the Prohibitory Precincts To avoid the legal complications that would ensue were Medford included and the vote taken on county prohibition, that town will be left out and the election will be had by a district made up of all the precincts of the county except the two in which Medford is located. If these precincts are made dry, then prohibition for Medford will be voted on at the municipal election the following January. The temperance workers claim that by this procedure they can make the election legal and thus force Jackson County into the list of dry counties of Oregon. The managers of the dry forces claim that they can easily carry these elections, as they have made a poll of the settlers within the last two or three years, and that two out of three of them are in favor of prohibition. Jackson County is now partially dry, the towns without saloons being Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Central Point and Eagle Point. Medford leads the wet towns with 11 saloons, and Jacksonville has four, Gold Hill three and Woodville one. There are in the county two gallon-houses, as they are called. These are country saloons that operate under a United States license to sell liquor only by wholesale, and in quantities not less than a gallon. One of these gallon-houses is located on Poorman Creek, back of Jacksonville, and the other is on Rogue River adjoining the Josephine County line. This latter saloon is but six miles from Grants Pass, which, with Josephine County, has been dry since the election a year ago, and it is doing a land office business, supplying the thirsty from that town and other parts of Josephine County. Ashland Tidings, September 6, 1909, page 8 The platform adopted by the Prohibition Party at its recent state convention, held in Portland, contends that the better the saloon the more pernicious it becomes. Such an argument is wholly unsound and can only result in disfavor among thinking men who are doing all in their power to promote the cause of temperance. One may believe that all saloons are bad, but it is hard to conceive that the orderly, well-kept places can, by any process of reasoning, be deemed of greater detriment to the community than the dive. Medford Saturday Review, June 25, 1910, page 2 A little girl who attended the temperance lecture at the tabernacle Monday evening was much interested in the song: "Oregon's going dry, Pass along the watchword Oregon's going dry." However she didn't catch the exact sentiment and was heard the next day lustily singing: "Pass along the washrag Oregon's going dry." A case of "wash and be made clean," possibly. "The Inner Side," The Saturday Review, Medford, August 6, 1910, page 1  September 24, 1910 Medford Saturday Review
ANTI-PROHIBITION
Senator Ruth Delivers Lecture in U.S. Hall Wednesday Evening
A. S. Ruth of Olympia, Wash. delivered an address in the U.S. Hall
Wednesday evening under the auspices of the Oregon Home Rule
Association. Mr. Ruth is a forcible speaker, and his presentation of
the prohibition question was along somewhat different lines from those
usually followed by platform orators.
The speaker aimed to show by statistics that prohibition does not prohibit, and that in states where it had been tried it had proved a failure, causing deceit, hypocrisy, etc. The address was interspersed with numerous quotations from eminent preachers, statesmen, etc. The speaker claimed to be a believer in temperance, but held that prohibition would never help the temperance cause, merely changing the manner of drinking and quality of liquor used. Jacksonville Post, October 8, 1910, page 1 "PROHIBITION"
IN A SMALL TOWN
Let us
review the prohibition of
intoxicants in Josephine County since that system was inaugurated by
popular vote in 1908. The law was put in force on July 1 of that year,
and the licensed saloons were thence out of business. But there were a
great many people, nearly half the population, who indulged more or
less in alcoholic beverages, and these people were not willing to
accept the prohibition order of their fellow citizens. The near beer
saloons immediately following the licensed saloons were well
patronized, but many persons preferred to obtain their supplies
reputably. For some of these Portland and San Francisco were the main
sources of supply. Numerous others preferred the social glass over the
saloon bar, and found the conditions favorable at Woodville, in "wet"
Jackson County, just across the county line from "dry" Josephine, eight
miles from Grants Pass.At Grants Pass, Or., More Liquor and Taxes, and "Stuff" Bought Elsewhere. Oregon (Grants Pass) Observer. Woodville did not count much on the map two years ago. It was little known, and yet there was a fine fruit and agricultural district surrounding it waiting to be discovered. Grants Pass visitors did the business. They inaugurated a steady flow of money from Grants Pass to Woodville, and a steady flow of empty bottles back to Grants Pass. Incidentally, the valuable resources of Woodville became known. Grants Pass money, however, had prompt influence. The little Woodville hamlet of two years ago is now an incorporated city. The little burg needed only a start, and the "dry" conditions of Josephine County supplied it. *
* *
Without
going into the unfailing
experience of all communities that have endeavored to prohibit the use
of intoxicants by law, let us have a look at Grants Pass since it
became "dry." The year 1909 was the deadest year ever known in this
city. There was a well-intentioned "dry" administration, but nothing
could balance the collapse of trade. There was 100 percent increase in
city taxes, and at the end of that "dry" year an increased debt of
$7000, with absolutely nothing to show for the large expenditure. The
taxpayers revolted at the end of 1909, and elected a progressive
administration. The retiring city council left to the new council an
additional 50 percent of city taxation. Two years of prohibition
increased the direct city taxes of Grants Pass exactly 150 percent and
other taxes were pushed.*
* *
The 1910
city council constitutes
a business administration, backed by the leading business men of Grants
Pass not passively, but actively. Much has been done. Grants Pass has
assumed city airs with pavement and generous lights. There have been
large payrolls but dull business. Too much money goes to Woodville and
Medford. There is no prohibition that can prevent a class of working
people in a "dry" town from spending their savings in a "wet" town. Not
all for "wet" goods, but with the freedom to purchase "wet" goods a
first consideration. So it was with a bunch of Josephine miners who
came to Grants Pass a while ago for supplies. They didn't buy them
here. Medford got the trade. Medford has grown big and fat by reason of
the mistaken policies of Grants Pass and Ashland.*
* *
What about the moral
effect of prohibition on .the youth of the community? There is no need
to philosophize on this question, but facts are always valuable. Under
the city ordinances of Grants Pass, a heavy penalty was imposed for the
selling of liquor to minors. It was a righteous law, and a few
convictions under it speedily ended that abuse up to the passing of
county option, which overruled the city ordinances. Under the county
option law, any boy or girl, or woman or man, has a legal right to
purchase intoxicants. Otherwise the informers who were here last year
dare not report. It is the sellers who are liable to penalty. The youth
of Grants Pass perfectly understand this. There was a little company of
them about a year ago who indulged in spiritous liquors on Saturday
nights, all minors. The same thing is reported from all the dry
counties of the state. The liquor of Grants Pass boys was obtained
presumably from Portland dealers, and required only a signed order and
$3 enclosed for a gallon of whiskey. Under the saloon system this
traffic in gallon was not previously known here, probably because of
wholesale and retail restraints. Anyhow, boys of Grants Pass, as in
other dry towns, obtained liquor supplies, and there was a little
Saturday night jollification inaugurated. It developed, and presently
the night policeman took a hand. He sought to capture one of the boys,
but failed, probably willingly. There were in this bunch of boys the
sons of some of the best families in Grants Pass. The city ordinances,
enforced by the police, put a bar on this wrong. County option lifted
the ban and the boys continue to pass under. But, after all, when a
Grants Pass youth hits the train for the Oregon University or any other
higher training school, and is piled up on his own resources, is it
better that he should know something about the evils that threaten him,
or be perfectly ignorant of his danger?Regarding the rural districts of Josephine County, the gallon parcel has been in open evidence these past two years. People who formerly drank 3 or 4 percent beers are now drinking 40 to 50 percent whiskeys, and it isn't good for them. Morning Oregonian, Portland, October 29, 1910, page 10
A
great parade Monday, at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 7. The parade forms on 3rd and
N. Oakdale and W. Main, and will start at 7 p.m. The parade will
terminate at the Natatorium for a great mass meeting. The greatest
parade ever pulled off in Medford. One cornet band, two martial bands
of music. Automobiles, bicycles, floats, horseback riders and a great
multitude marching in line. Everybody come, whole county is invited.
Oregon dry in 1910. --(Paid advertisement)
Medford Mail Tribune, November 6, 1910, page 4 HAVE PARADE IN SPITE OF HEAVY RAIN
The anti-saloon
parade Monday night was of considerable length, in spite of the rain,
which caused it to become one of the wettest dry demonstrations ever
made in Southern Oregon.
A program was held in the auditorium at the "Nat," consisting of short addresses by local and foreign prohibition orators. The Central Point band furnished music for the occasion. Medford Sun, November
8, 1910, page 4
"DRYS" THANK BREWERY
Medford Temperance Union Expresses Gratitude for Donation.
MEDFORD,
Or., Aug. 17.--(Special.)--The singular situation of members of the
Women's Christian Temperance Union officially giving thanks to a
brewery was brought about today when the Medford branch of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union thanked local concerns for donations to an
ice cream social recently given in the city park, and among them was
Weinhard's Brewery.
This brewery not only deals in beer and spirituous liquors, but manufactures ice, of which it donated a quantity for the ice cream social. Whether the members of the organization were not aware of the character of a brewery or believed it proper to encourage any concern of whatever character in helping along the temperance cause, has not as yet been learned, but the notice appeared giving thanks to the electric company, newspapers and the local brewery. Sunday Oregonian, Portland, August 18, 1912, page 10 BLIND PIGS ARE RAIDED
Women of Butte Falls Win Victory by Complaint Filed.
MEDFORD,
Or., Sept. 21.--(Special.)--In answer to a petition of complaint from
the women of Butte Falls, prosecuting attorney Mulkey and Sheriff Jones
raided the blind pigs in that place today, arresting J. F. Brooks and
seizing several bottles and one barrel of beer. Armed with a search
warrant the officers descended upon the Pacific & Eastern
depot,
where they appropriated the barrel of beer, which was billed to Brooks.
Several weeks ago the women of that place complained to Governor West of the non-enforcement of the laws regarding liquor sales, and it was at his request that the raid was made. According to current report the Governor is contemplating asking the resignation of the town officials for their delinquency in office. It is also said that the wet forces of the city put through the incorporation of the town about a year ago for the purpose of evading the liquor laws governing the county, but according to Mr. Mulkey there is no escape on the grounds of incorporation. Sunday Oregonian, Portland, September 22, 1912, page 5 "BLIND PIG" KEEPER FINED
On Friday night of last week Sheriff Jones and Prosecuting Attorney
Mulkey raided the establishment of Joseph F. Brooks at Butte Falls and
discovered a considerable quantity of liquor, which they confiscated.
Brooks was placed under arrest and lodged in the county jail in this
city.Petition of Butte Falls Women Leads to Raid and Arrest. An additional supply of liquor consigned to Brooks was found by Sheriff Jones at the P.&E. depot in Medford. At a hearing held before Justice Dox Monday morning, Brooks, who at first was defiant, saying the officers would have to prove him guilty, entered a plea of guilty to the charge of illicit sale of liquor in prohibition territory and was fined $150 and costs. The liquor confiscated was destroyed. This arrest and conviction was the result of a petition addressed to Governor West by the women of Butte Falls, requesting him to put a stop to the illicit sale of liquor in their city. This petition was forwarded to Sheriff Jones and Attorney Mulkey with instructions from the governor to act at once. Jacksonville Post, September 28, 1912, page 1
EAGLE POINT WILL VOTE WET OR DRY QUESTION
Eagle Point will tangle on the local liquor question within the
very near future. Overruling a demurrer filed on Saturday last,
Judge Calkins, of the circuit court, instructed County Judge
TouVelle to issue the order for a special election under the local
option law. Judge Calkins held that the power of the county court is
merely administrative in questions of local option elections, and
decreed that the prohibitionists of Eagle Point should have the
opportunity of determining whether that city shall henceforth be wet
or dry. The question will be put to the voters of that city November
4th.Judge Calkins Instructs County Court to Order Election Gold Hill News, October 25, 1913, page 8
THE EAGLE POINT ELECTION
An Eagle Point correspondent of the Ashland Tidings hotly denies
the currently reported lack of interest in the recent local election
which slated that hamlet for another season of licensed saloons, and
the blessings that flow abundantly therefrom. "White Ribbon," for
such is the nom de plume beneath the communication, asserts that
every legal voter in Eagle Point, excepting two, participated in the
election; and further states that the judges were saloon men, that
eight unregistered voters were permitted to cast ballots, and that
the "whiskey judges" cleared the room while the votes were being
counted. The worst possible interpretation of every election day
incident is brought to prove the invalidity of the victory for
booze. The curse of the prohibition cause lies in its foolishly
fanatical recruits--and in a disposition to attack the issue
anonymously. With the exception of the unregistered voters, who were
doubtless sworn in as provided, the charges of fraud are deserving
of a champion whose identity is assured, and whose courage is
sufficient to start the proper investigation. Viewed as presented
they are unworthy of credence, and in their anonymous reflections
against presumably honest judges of election constitute an
exposition of the fact that unfairness may masquerade as well in
righteousness as in rye.Gold Hill News, November 22, 1913, page 2 George E. Boos, now vice-president of the Jackson County branch of the Taxpayers and Wage Earners League, was in Gold Hill for the fair, having the "best of good times" and preaching the propaganda against statewide prohibition. "Local News Notes," Gold Hill News, September 26, 1914, page 3  October 10, 1914 Medford Mail Tribune Tavern Hotel
J. M. VOGELI, Prop. MODERN WITH HOT AND COLD WATER BAR AND BARBER SHOP IN CONNECTION ACROSS THE STREET FROM DEPOT Eagle
Point, Oregon, Oct. 28, 1914
My
dear JohnYours of the 26th was forwarded to me here, where I have been doing a little campaigning. It is very hard to size up the situation here this year. The Democrats have the best organization, and Putnam of the Tribune exerts a greater influence than he is generally credited with. The estimates on results vary widely. Prohis claim Jackson by 2000--antis concede drys about 500. The conservative estimate is about 1000 dry majority. Chamberlain appears to be a strong favorite in Jackson--his majority being estimated at from 250 to 1000. The situation may be altered by Booth's visit here today and tomorrow and also by the final spurt of the Ladies' Hanley Club, led by Mrs. Ed Hanley & Mrs. Reddy, but it seems certain that George will get a substantial majority. The general idea seems also to be that Smith will carry the county, but by a smaller majority. They rely on a sweeping majority in Ashland on account of the strong prohibition feeling there. In Josephine they figure on a dry majority of about 250--about the same for Chamberlain, and a tossup for the governorship. These predictions are widely at variance with the registration figures, but represent the consensus of opinion so far as anything reliable can be ascertained. The Republican organization is really a joke, while the Demos have been working like H--l. With
best regards
Correspondence 1914, Mss 1500
6/10, Oregon Historical Society Research LibraryHolbrook Withington Brewery Depot to Be Creamery.
MEDFORD,
Or., May 22.--(Special.)--Butter will replace beer in Medford when the
state goes dry. Announcement was made today that the Jackson County
Creamery has leased the Weinhard beer and ice depot and will install a
modern creamery. L. P. Holgerson, an expert butter maker, has been
employed to take charge of the creamery and an effort will be made to
develop the dairy industry throughout the Rogue River Valley. Medford
has one dairy now, there is a large one on the Applegate but, according
to well-informed agriculturists, the valley has developed but a small
percentage of its resources in this line.
Sunday Morning Oregonian, Portland, May 23, 1915, page 9 Druggists Told How To Get Liquor
for Use
Salem,
Or., Dec. 16--Attorney General Brown has rendered an opinion to the
effect that the one means by which druggists can obtain rum, whiskey,
gin or wine for medicinal preparations under the prohibition law is
under the section making it permissible for any person or head of a
family to receive from a common carrier two quarts of liquor or 24
quarts of beer every four successive weeks. The law makes no other
provision for them to obtain any of these liquors, he held.
Jacksonville Post, December 18, 1915, page 2 One Medford saloon man who, with all the others, is retiring from that business in this state, said yesterday, "I'm mighty glad it's at an end. There is not a redeeming feature to the business. As long as there's competition in the matter of making fools and paupers of men and women who have the liquor disease, those in it made the business appear as attractive as possible. The little children who have suffered on account of having dissipated parents in this generation ought to set this prohibition palace on a foundation as solid as that of Gibraltar." Ed. Brown, who beat the New Year to it by a day or so when he closed his saloon permanently on Wednesday evening, is now at work in the reconstruction of the interior of the building, on the corner of Main and Front streets, for the proposed cigar and confectionery business and soft drink parlor. "Local and Personal," Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1915, page 2 SALOONS CLOSE DOORS FOREVER AT
MIDNIGHT HOUR
Medford Mail Tribune, December
31, 1915, page 8
The remaining stocks of alcoholic liquors in Medford were being
disposed of rapidly today in anticipation of the statewide prohibition
law becoming effective at midnight. In many places, however, the rush
to lay in stocks of liquor was not as heavy as expected, the slogan "do
your New Year's shopping early" having been heeded by most of those who
believe in preparedness.
Many saloons opened their doors today more out of habit than for any other reason, as their stocks were practically exhausted. One saloon had already sold out and closed its doors Wednesday evening. The district attorney's office has made arrangements to see that the sale of alcoholic drinks stops with the end of 1915. After midnight, proprietors of saloons selling liquor will be liable to arrest under the common nuisance clause of the prohibition act. State and city authorities planned to see to the strict enforcement of the law throughout Jackson County, and the proprietors of all places where intoxicants are sold have made ready to see that the last drop has disappeared before the law takes effect. The druggists of this city, being permitted to carry only grain alcohol (brandy, whiskeys, etc., not being permitted, even for prescription purposes), may conclude to denature the alcohol. It may be, however, that, in deference to the wish of those who would occasionally prepare some of their old-fashioned medicines at home in which alcohol is used, they will carry it in both forms. The final farewell to the old year will be celebrated at the Hotel Medford tonight. The Rogue River Canal Company is pushing its work on the Willow Springs extension as rapidly as possible, but is short of men. There is no excuse for the presence of an idler in this valley at this time. There is work for every man who desires it. Even the farmers are heard to complain of the scarcity of help this year. Usually the reverse is true. No one has offered a generally satisfactory reason for the existence of that condition at this time, unless it be that the prohibition law has driven the loafers out of the state, as well as workmen of good repute who prefer larger privilege socially and, being footloose, have gone where they can enjoy it. "Local and Personal," Medford Mail Tribune, March 20, 1916, page 2 WOEFUL WASTE OF GOOD WINE IN CITY
GUTTERS
With Chief of
Police Hittson as master of ceremonies and Judge Kelly as toastmaster,
sixty gallons of wine, representing many days of painstaking labor and
patience on the part of Paul Demmer, were today ruthlessly turned into
the plebeian gutter that carries the dregs of everyday accumulations
past the municipal bastille.
ESTES ARRESTED; EIGHTY GALLONSFive barrels were rolled out of the metropolis prison. With a huge hammer Chief Hittson became a knocker for a few minutes, while he cleared the bungholes of the oaken casks and turned the crimson liquor into the street. A crowd had gathered to witness this drastic application of a provision of the prohibition law. Paul Demmer wasn't there. He had been fined $25 and costs for having sold claret from those barrels. All he asked was that the officials save for him the casks. They will do for vinegar, hereafter. So he spared himself the grief of witnessing the confiscation and destruction of his property in liquid form. The odor was rich, racy and rare. It soon suffused the atmosphere of bastille alley. Men bemoaned the pity of the waste. Others fervently thanked the officials who thus grimly enforced a righteous law. Flies and bees soon began to sip the wine from the gutter and to flutter about in their gleeful intoxication as if it were better than honey. Slowly the crimson flood rippled away until only the odor was left to suggest the utter waste of myriad headaches and the commonest cause of nervous disorder. Medford Sun, March 29, 1916, page 6 Sixty gallons of wine belonging to Paul Demmer were poured into the sewers at Medford Wednesday by Chief Hittson. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, April 1, 1916, page 3 BARREL A DAY OF BOOZE SLIPPED
OVER SISKIYOUS
Prohibition and the
consequent aridity, which, like the German warships, is of a "low
visibility," has brought to Medford and Jackson County an
unincorporated organization, working as silently as the engine of $9000
auto, and with the deadly accuracy of a machine gun. The organization
constitutes the main line of communication between Hornbrook and the
hip pocket, and is three times as fast in delivery as the ordinary
common carrier. They are the boys who bring across the deadline tabooed
liquids to friends, thus throwing out a lifeline.It is becoming quite a custom in Medford among those who have not the time or the gasoline to go to Northern California, to have some of those who are on the jump most of the time between the desert and the oasis to bring back a bottle of this or that or the other thing. No friend would deny a friend so small a favor. Thus the stay-at-home gets his potations without the task of writing and waiting and calling at the express office, and also evolutes with considerable grace around that portion of the dry law restricting him to a stated number of quarts of snakebite per month. The gadder receives the exhilaration of his own imbibing and the satisfaction of helping out a thirsty native. It is estimated that in the neighborhood of a barrel of booze oozes into Jackson County between every sunup and sunset upon the wheels of friendship. There is no way to stop the practice which is assuming heft daily, except to declare a state of war and invoke "the right of search" along the border. Prohibition has sent the bartender back to the plow and the forge and counter, and in his place flourishes the life-saver. Medford Mail Tribune, June 6, 1916, page 6 The Law We Have Is Good.
The
dry law, now operative in Oregon, is a good and logical law. Despite
urging to the contrary, the thing to do is to stand pat upon the
enforcement and efficacy of the law we have. On the one hand it is
unthinkable and would be unwise and distinctly retrogressive to restore
the breweries to legal status in this state, and on the other hand
public sentiment does not demand nor will it approve a measure that
proposes air-tight prohibition.
The present dry law is not sumptuary in the offensive sense. It was not aimed at the personal right or liberty of any citizen, nor does it deny them. Its purpose was to be rid of the liquor trade as an economic evil, to banish the saloon and forbid the manufacture of intoxicants in Oregon, which mean the maintenance of the saloon in one form or another. This purpose it has achieved effectually. We are not going to undo the work, and we should not attempt to overdo it. Under the operation of the law we have, drinking is not one-tenth of what it was before that law went into effect, and the evil effects of the drink traffic, as they might be summarized, are not one-hundredth part of what they were. The law has served its purpose better than even its friends expected it would. It is in appreciable measure responsible for depressed commerce or other business conditions. If it were to be resubmitted to a vote today it would command thousands of votes that were cast against it when it was made part of Oregon's constitution. All this is simple statement of fact that attests to the logic, the service and the general approval of the law. If we are wise, we will not embarrass the operation of the law we have by re-establishing the breweries. That would be backtracking--and an about face toward the conditions we have abandoned. Neither do we need to seek the passage of a stricter law, in the mistaken assumption that it would be better. Either course would be a serious if not a disastrous blunder. The safe course and the wise course is to stand pat, keep the law we have and see that it is well enforced.--Portland Telegram. Jacksonville Post, August 12, 1916, page 3 It is said that a line of jitneys, four in number, are making regular trips from Hornbrook, Cal., to Portland, carrying booze for the thirsty at the Oregon metropolis. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, December 16, 1916, page 3 Medford druggists have decided not to renew their government license to sell alcohol. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, June 30, 1917, page 3 OF BOOZE CONFISCATED
The
most important bootlegging arrests of the summer were made by three
special liquor officers of the county on the Pacific Highway up in the
Siskiyous late Wednesday night. In the car of Rankin Estes, well-known
Medford man and proprietor of the Oaks pool and card hall on Front
Street, was found 14 cases of whiskey, and in another car driven by a
Portland man, who refuses to give his name, was found 13½
cases
of whiskey. Altogether about 80 gallons of whiskey.
80 GALLONS OF LOCAL MOONSHINE ARE
DUMPED OUTThe arrests were followed by a raid this morning on Estes' pool hall by Sheriff Jennings and deputies, who arrested two men connected with the place and after a thorough search carried away as evidence a small quantity of liquor. There is a mystery about the so-called Portland prisoner. He refuses to give his name or other information about himself. The car he was driving is a Chalmers Six, and bears the state license number 29118. The owner of this number is registered to Z. L. Dimmick of Grants Pass. County Prosecutor Roberts and the officers are still investigating the alleged bootlegging operations this afternoon. Mr. Roberts says that other arrests will probably follow. It is claimed by the county authorities and police that Estes has been in the bootlegging business ever since the prohibition law went into effect, but that they were never able to find sufficient evidence heretofore to cause his arrest. It is further claimed that Estes has made numerous bootlegging trips to Hornbrook, one of which was last Monday night. Made by Special Officers.
The
arrests of Estes and the
Portland man were made about midnight last night by Special Officers
John B. Wimer, W. J. Carpenter and R. C. Porter, all of Ashland, and
who formerly constituted the police force of that city. Sheriff
Jennings and Paul Anderson, his deputy, were also on the mountain, but
were some distance away watching for another suspected case.Estes and the Portland man came along in their cars together, but claim that they were not working in partnership. The Portland man is said to be a stranger here. The prisoners and confiscated liquor were brought to this city. The charge against each was that of illegally bringing liquor into the state. The Portland man said that he would be unable to furnish bail in any amount, and when the bail for Estes was set at $2,500 the latter declared that he would rather be imprisoned than furnish it. Objects to City Jail.
The
officers were about to lock
the men in the city prison, but Estes objected so strenuously to being
locked in such a filthy place and demanded that he and the other
prisoner be taken to the county jail, that the officers, especially as
the men were state prisoners, had to accommodate them.They were locked up in the county jail and will be arraigned, by order of County Prosecutor Roberts, before Justice of the Peace Taylor this afternoon. The prisoners for reasons best known to themselves did not want to be arraigned today, although each claims he does not want to be represented by an attorney. After County Prosecutor Roberts had conferred this morning with Sheriff Jennings and the arresting officers the sheriff went before Justice Taylor and swore out a search warrant for Estes' pool hall. Then he and deputies Anderson and Leslie Stansell searched the place and found a small quantity of whiskey. "Guess they were just about out of stock," remarked Sheriff Jennings later, "and lots of the boys had to go thirsty this forenoon." Employee Arrested.
Following
the raid Prosecutor
Roberts swore out warrants for the arrest of Estes, W. J. George, a
clerk in the pool hall, and Harvey E. Wilcox, who runs a barber shop in
the hall. Later the prosecutor and sheriff became convinced that Wilcox
had nothing to do with the alleged bootlegging operations, and he was
released. George, when arraigned before Justice Taylor, pleaded not
guilty, and his bond was set at $500 and his hearing for 2 o'clock
Friday afternoon. The arresting warrant charged Estes and George with
maintaining on August 30 a common nuisance known as the Oaks pool hall
and in violation of the law by keeping whiskey for sale therein. Estes
will also be arraigned on this charge this afternoon.Efforts will be made by the county to have the place suppressed. Mayor Gates several weeks ago at a council meeting also threatened to have the place suppressed on account of gambling complaints, but nothing ever came of his declaration. Medford Mail Tribune, August 30, 1917, page 6 SHERIFF DESTROYS 112 GALLONS OF
SEIZED WHISKEY
There was excitement in Jacksonville Friday, when Sheriff Jennings and
Deputy Sheriffs Anderson and Stansell destroyed 112 gallons of whiskey,
by pouring it into Jackson Creek.
The ordeal of witnessing such a wanton waste of (to them) precious fluid was almost too much for a number of the old-timers of the town, and those who were not running around aimlessly with their tongues hanging out of parched throats were in a dazed, tear-bedimmed condition The destroyed whiskey was that taken in the bootlegging captures of Rankin Estes and C. H. Smith of Portland on the Siskiyous Wednesday night, and the raids on Estes' pool hall and home in this city yesterday. The whiskey was destroyed in accordance with the law, by order of County Prosecutor Roberts. Last week, by Prosecutor Roberts' orders, another large quantity of whiskey taken from captured bootleggers was destroyed by being poured into Bear Creek. On these occasions of destroying confiscated liquors the officers always have competent witnesses present. Medford Mail Tribune, August 31, 1917, page 2 Rankin Estes of Medford and C. H. Smith of Portland pleaded guilty to the charge of illegally importing liquor into the state and were fined $500, and given a sentence of six months in the county jail by Justice Taylor at Medford Thursday afternoon. The men were brought back and placed in the county jail in this city. Thursday night Sheriff Jennings went to Estes' residence and secured about 35 gallons of whiskey which had been cached away. Friday morning the sheriff and deputies emptied about 112 gallons of booze into the creek, it being the whiskey found in the cars when Smith and Estes were arrested plus the 35 gallons secured in the raid on Estes' house Thursday evening. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, September 1, 1917, page 3 CROSSING THE DEAD LINE.
The Ashland Tidings
gives the painful details of a humiliating episode near the state line
the other night, when four young Medford men who had been making a
foraging sortie into California drove into a net stretched by the
officers of the law. The car in which the Medford men were speeding north was intercepted about three miles south of Ashland. A search revealed no liquor, and the deputies were greatly nonplussed, for they have a strong sense of smell. Then the idea seized one officer to search an automobilist for concealed contraband, and the victim, aware of his rights, demanded a warrant. The deputy, who was also City Recorder of Ashland, calmly reached in his pocket, brought forth several blank documents, filled them out and handed them to another official, who served them. Then, alas! there was a fearful exposure. Bottles were everywhere. "They had filled their pockets," avers the Tidings, "with quarts and pints. In the tops of their shoes and cuffs of their pants half-pint and tenth-pint bottles were found. In their hats, vest pockets, shirt fronts and every conceivable part of their clothing could be found small bottles of the wet stuff. About three gallons of liquor were taken from the men." The bootlegging industry, it would appear, will languish under the persistent investigations of obtrusive officials. Not even the insides of tires or extra gasoline tanks are now safe. Ingenuity will have to tax its resources and find some new scheme; and that, too, will in turn be discovered, provided the vigilance of the law equals the determination of the importers. Some day, perhaps, our thirsty citizens may reach the belated conclusion that the game is not worth the candle. Morning Oregonian, Portland, September 20, 1917, page 10 Rankin Estes, serving a six months sentence in the county jail for bootlegging, paid his $500 fine and costs and was released, the balance of his jail sentence being suspended. He had been in jail about two months. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, October 27, 1917, page 3 Dr. F. G. Swedenburg of Ashland, who was arrested Saturday night in the Siskiyous for illegally transporting liquor into dry territory, pled guilty to the charge, claiming that the liquor was for use at his hospital. He was fined $25, and the sentence suspended. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, November 24, 1917, page 3 SPECIAL COPS FOR DRUNKS ON TRAIN
The
Southern Pacific has found it necessary to keep a special policeman on
No. 13, southbound passenger train between Ashland and Redding, to keep
order among the drunks. Men coming south from the dry states of
Washington and Oregon strike an oasis of booze at Hornbrook, the first
town in California where the train makes any considerable stop. The
train always stops at Hornbrook for ten minutes to take water on the
locomotive and for car inspection.This gives the thirsty traveler ample time to load up with bottles and flasks at the Hornbrook saloons. A similar stop of ten minutes is always made at Dunsmuir, the end of the division, and there it is easy to purchase more liquor. By the time the train is in Shasta County the full effect of the booze is apparent, and there is plenty of work for a railroad policeman to do to preserve order. Railroad officials say traveling in the smoker on No. 13 would be unbearable if it were not for the robust policeman who has authority to preserve order at all hazards. Medford Mail Tribune, December 29, 1917, page 2 EX-BEAVER MAKES BUTTER
MEDFORD,
Or., Jan. 10.--(Special.)--S. A. Kroschel, manager of the Jackson
County Creamery, will build a new establishment at a cost of $25,000,
with a capacity of 2000 pounds of butter a day.S. A. Kroschel Has Largest Creamery Plant in Jackson County. Mr. Kroschel was formerly the Weinhard Brewery agent in Medford, and when the state went dry he transformed his plant into a creamery. He now has the largest establishment of the kind in Jackson County. The old brewery building will be continued as an ice manufacturing plant. In addition to the new building, Mr. Kroschel has taken over the Medford Poultry and Egg Company and will conduct this business in connection with the creamery. Morning Oregonian, Portland, January 11, 1918, page 7 BOOTLEGGING RAID CATCHES OLD
OFFENDERS
MEDFORD,
Or., Jan. 28.--(Special.)--A year's banishment from Medford was the
punishment meted out to Collins Reed, a middle-aged bootlegger, when he
pleaded guilty to his second offense before Justice Glenn Taylor
Saturday. Reed was arrested Friday night with Rankin Estes, a former
Jackson County constable, and J. D. Buckley, of Applegate, while the
trio were enjoying a party at the Reed home in this city.
Rankin Estes and Carl Reed, of local bootlegging fame, each of whom has
a suspended jail sentence hanging over him, are again in serious
bootlegging trouble. They, with J. D. Buckley, well-known resident of
the Applegate district, were arrested at Reed's home at 11 o'clock last
night by Deputy Sheriff Paul Anderson and night policeman Timothy.
BOOTLEGGER IS BANISHEDThis forenoon County Prosecutor Roberts caused a charge of illegally selling liquor to be placed against Estes, and two charges against Reed--that of possessing liquor and another of receiving liquor, and a charge of vagrancy against Buckley. When arraigned before Police Judge Taylor each of the prisoners pleaded and guilty. The date of trial and amount of bail of each was set as follows: Estes, Monday at 3 p.m., bail $500; Reed, Saturday at 2 p.m., bail $200, and Buckley at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, bail $100. Up to a late hour this afternoon the men were unable to raise bail. The authorities had been keeping a watch on Reed's home, at the corner of Fourth and Ivy streets, for several nights in hopes of catching him and Estes in the act of illegally trafficking in booze. It is understood that attention was first attracted through the alleged fact that Buckley has been drinking hard for a week or so and was a frequent visitor to the Reed house. Then, it is said, suspicion was further enhanced by the alleged fact that a number of Buckley's bank checks appeared in the city with Reed's endorsement on them. Late last night the officers were in hiding near the Reed house when Estes was seen to approach it. Estes and Reed then conferred on the porch, and it is claimed Estes was seen to hand over a quart bottle of whiskey to Reed. At this juncture the officers closed in quickly. One of them seized Reed and the bottle, who, when he saw them, did not wait to hand the other bottle to Reed, but ran away with it. After a short pursuit he was captured, but not before he had broken the bottle and spilled its contents. Estes last August was captured on his way home from Hornbrook with a large quantity of liquor in his auto. He was found guilty and fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail. After he had served two months, on recommendation of County Prosecutor Roberts, the remainder of his sentence was suspended. For some time Estes has been working at the Gold Hill cement plant. For a long time prior to his first arrest it was common talk around town that Estes was selling whiskey at his pool room on Front Street. Reed is also an old offender. Last March he was arrested for bootlegging and was sentenced to ninety days in jail. His sentence was suspended after he had served two months. About two months ago night policeman Gerking suspected him of selling liquor to a man on the street one night and went to arrest him. On the approach of the officer Reed broke the bottle of whiskey he had with him on the street. In police court he was fined $12.35 for throwing broken glass on the street. Medford Mail Tribune, January 25, 1918, page 6 ESTES SENTENCED TO
YEAR IN JAIL AND $100 FINE
Rankin Estes, arrested last Thursday night for bootlegging,
upset the
dope in justice court yesterday afternoon by pleading not guilty,
instead of guilty, and a lively little trial resulted.Mr. Estes was represented by Attorney P. J. Neff, but did not take the stand, and no defense was offered after the state completed its case. Justice Taylor pronounced a verdict of guilty, and as this is his second offense Estes was fined $100 and given a year in jail. On motion of District Attorney Roberts, and in consideration of Mr. Estes' wife and seven children who depend upon him for support, the sentence was suspended for six weeks to allow Estes time to undergo an operation which will fit him to leave town and secure employment. Estes Will Appeal
Attorney Neff also gave notice of appeal which automatically suspended
the sentence, but it is doubtful if the case will ever be brought
before the circuit court.Estes did not appear saddened by his second appearance in court, nor particularly grateful for the lenience granted him, but adopted a rather belligerent and surly attitude, criticizing both the court and the state and taking on the air of one who had been unjustly treated. The evidence offered by the state was sufficiently convincing. "Coll" Reed, arrested with Estes, and ordered out of town, testified that he had frequently secured booze from the defendant, and that on the night in question he had a small supply at his home which, the evidence indicated, Estes had been called upon to replenish. "Did you get it"? Prosecuting Attorney Roberts asked. "No," was the reply, "the cops beat me to it." Buckley Put on Stand
The party at the Reed home was also described by J. D. Buckley
of
Applegate, another of the defendants convicted Saturday, and the
testimony was completed by night officer Timothy, who assisted in
making the arrests.Medford Mail Tribune, January 29, 1918, page 2 Medford Judge Sends Offender from City for One Year. Buckley pleaded guilty, and as he was guilty of consuming liquor rather than selling it, was fined $25 and costs, which he paid. The trial of Estes comes up Monday, and as this is his second offense, it is probable that he will be severely dealt with. Morning Oregonian, Portland, January 29, 1918, page 17 Rankin Estes of Medford, arrested last week for bootlegging, was given a hearing at Medford Monday afternoon. He pled not guilty, but upon trial was convicted, fined $100, and sentenced to one year in jail. In consideration of his wife and children, who are dependent upon him for support, the fine was suspended for six weeks. His attorney, Porter J. Neff, gave notice that an appeal would be taken, but it is doubtful whether the appeal will be perfected. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, February 2, 1918, page 3 Mystery Veils Local Air Fleet Movement
Somewhere About Roxy Ann, Feb. 10.--The chief trouble on this front is
that we have neither binoculars nor anti-aircraft guns. Hence, the
enemy moves about with perfect freedom from harm, except that which may
come from the eye-shot, and out here, where there are so few people to
look, that doesn't hurt much. The air fleet that has been seen to
operate in this sector has recently concealed itself in a crater-hole
or gone to Eugene--our outposts don't know which. The fact that it was
seen near Albany a few days ago suggests that it may have escaped by
wing. This is the report which the Portland papers received by wire
from Albany:(Medford American.) "Albany, Or., Feb. 7.--Declaring that there can be no mistake about their observations, the crew of the Oregon Electric owl train, reaching here at 3 o'clock Thursday morning, reported having seen an airplane traveling south. When first seen the airship was west of East Independence, just as the train was leaving that station, and was flying high. It was flashing varicolored lights which Motorman Stevens declares he recognized as the international code. "After traveling at the higher altitude the machine descended to a level with the top of the Coast Range mountains and continued south, still flashing the signals. It finally passed out of sight. No noise was heard and the outline of the airplane could not be seen, but Conductor Ryan, Motorman Stevens and the brakeman, as well as several passengers on the train, are certain that the object was a flying machine. An effort was made to report the matter to Portland from Sidney, but connections could not be made at that point." Lew Tenant filed the following report at the Roxy Ann headquarters yesterday: "A booze bomb was dropped about the center of the Big Sticky terrain recently, the airship descending to a low altitude for that purpose. Rapidly ascending, it flew toward what is believed to be the station at the second airdrome, which is located in the Umpqua region. From there, after depositing a portion of its booze ballast, it flops over to the Willamette and delivers the remainder of its precious cargo in the vicinity of Eugene. "The above message from Albany probably describes this lone air bandit on its return to Hornbrook for another cargo of liquid fire. "You see, there is less danger, either from below or above, in handling that well-known revolution producer by airplane. It doesn't have to stop to permit the bone-dry inspector to meddle with it; it can carry more than an ordinary suitcase package; there's not so much risk of being overtaken in transit: the supply base may be located in the foothills anywhere in dry territory, and the signals may be given in code from on high as the machine passes to and from station to station. That is what the Albany plane was probably doing. "In addition to that, this monoplane outlaw may find it profitable to carry messages from the various wireless stations in the Cascade foothills to German spies in the various communities along the way. The communities of which Roxy Ann is the knob and center contain several hotbeds of seditious talk and enemy preparation. This is known locally and has been reported frequently to the proper headquarters; but the charge d'affaires at the proper headquarters evidently believes that we can take care of ourselves. And I wire this to say that it is about time we began to do so. It wouldn't do to disappoint the government in this matter of confidence in our ability to take proper care of our end of the fight. "Let's cut out the camouflage and buy a little hemp, a tank of hot tar, paint brushes and a supply of blacksnake whips. If we handle properly the mundane enemy, the heavenly host may fly its darned wings off without result. Do you get me? "LEW TENANT, Com."
Ashland Tidings, February 14, 1918, page 8 The Medford American was a short-lived newspaper, only publishing January-February 1918. No issues are known to survive.Huston Cox, the colored porter of the Hotel Medford, recently convicted in the justice court on a bootlegging charge and who appealed the case to the circuit court, was found guilty by a jury in the circuit court Friday afternoon. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, March 9, 1918, page 3 Huston Cox, the colored porter at the Hotel Medford, recently convicted on a bootlegging charge, was sentenced Tuesday to pay a fine of $100 and undergo imprisonment in the county jail for thirty days. It is reported that an appeal has been taken.. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, March 16, 1918, page 3 JURY REFUSES TO CINCH HENDRICKSON AS BOOTLEGGER
Medford Mail Tribune, March 10, 1919, page 6
Considerable surprise was manifested in Justice Taylor's court Saturday
afternoon when after Prosecuting Attorney Roberts and those who heard
the evidence against Roy Hendrickson, charged with selling a pint of
whiskey to Acy Martin, thought that the state had made a sure case, the
jury brought in a verdict of not guilty.
Night policeman Adams and speed cop McDonald testified that while they were in the police headquarters office Saturday night a week ago, Acy Martin entered and declared that he knew where he could buy a half pint of booze for $5. The offers thereupon furnished Martin with a marked $5 bill and he at once left to make the purchase. Fifteen minutes later Martin returned with the whiskey, and the officers hurried to a cigar store and placed Hendrickson under arrest and found the marked bill upon him. Martin told the officers that he was driven in a taxicab by Hendrickson to the Jackson Street bridge, where he paid over the money and was given the whiskey. The testimony was corroborated in every particular by Martin on the witness stand, and H. R. Turpin, a taxicab driver, who was subpoenaed by the state and testified that he had taken the two men in his auto out to the bridge and back. Adams and McDonald also testified that after his arrest Hendrickson admitted to them that he was representing another man in selling the whiskey, but refused to divulge his name. On the witness stand Hendrickson made a complete denial of having sold the whiskey to Martin, and also denied the other allegations made. The attorney, Rawles Moore, placed H. C. Garnett and "Toggery Bill" on the witness stand, and these two business men declared that Acy Martin's reputation for veracity was worthless. The attorney also brought out the fact that Martin had been sentenced to jail for non-support of his family. Ben and J. L. Gentry, cousins of Hendrickson, testified that they had been with him a large part of Saturday night and saw nor heard nothing of the alleged booze transaction. L. O. Coggins also testified that he had taken a walk with Hendrickson that night and neither saw or heard of the booze affair. The jury which returned the verdict was composed of Harry Lofland, C. J. Haas, J. W. Hockersmith, James Bolling, L. D. Bingham and Ernest White. Harrison Riggs, an orchard foreman, was shot in the right shoulder by speed cop McDonald Monday evening, and is now in a hospital in a dangerous condition. The story, as published in the Mail Tribune, is to the effect that McDonald, who suspected Riggs of bootlegging, had boarded the car in which he was riding and demanded that it be stopped: failing in this, he jumped to the ground, pulled his revolver and fired six shots at the car, claiming that he aimed to puncture the rear tires. Four of the bullets fired entered the tonneau of the car, and one lodged in Riggs' shoulder. The wounded man is 30 years old, has a wife and four children, and it is said that he bears an excellent reputation among the orchard men of the valley. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, March 15, 1919, page 3 In a recent article I spoke of the growth of the bootlegging
industry since Oregon has become bone dry. I am writing this article
from Medford. The issue here is a very live one. I sat down last
evening in the lobby of the hotel next to a pleasant-looking chap who
opened his heart to me on the matter.
"Never again," he said. "If you want to sweat blood, just slip a few bottles of booze into your bag and bring them across the border." "If there is any type of man I despise," he said bitterly, "it is the practical joker. A few days ago one of the passengers, just after we had crossed the state line and entered Oregon, opened the door of the car I was in and whispered hoarsely, 'An inspector is in the next car. He will be here within five minutes. Any of you fellows that are smuggling booze into the state had better hide it. It means a jail sentence and a fine if you are caught.' Two minutes later that car was absolutely bone dry. One ministerial-looking man opened the car window and threw out his expensive-looking leather suitcase so as not to be caught with the goods. The practical joker was stunned by the results of his practical joke. He left the train at Ashland so the men who had thrown their booze overboard wouldn't do him physical violence. "For quite a while a bootlegger boarded every train at Ashland and rode to Medford. He would go through the train, pick up a suitcase, shake it, hear a gurgle and say fiercely, 'Whose suitcase is this?' The owner, of course, would be afraid to claim it, for he thought the bootlegger was an officer. The bootlegger would say, 'I have reason to believe this contains liquor, illegally brought into the state. I will have to hold it as evidence. If the owner wants to make any explanation he can take the matter up with me at my office in Medford.' Naturally, no one wanted to take the matter up, and he got all the stock for his bootlegging industry without cost, to say nothing of a choice assortment of suitcases. "You know that old Bible saying about a guilty conscience--something about 'the wicked flee when no man pursueth.' Well, sir, whoever wrote that knew what he was talking about. A friend of mine, a drummer, lives in Portland. He says a person can never tell when a snake might bite him, so he likes to have a quart of snakebite remedy handy. I guess he must have seen that inscription on a gravestone in Kansas: Here in this grave
Lies poor Andy, Bit by a snake And no booze handy.
A friend of his put him wise to one of the porters on the run between
San Francisco and Portland who, if he knows a man is all right, will
bring a quart or so from California for him. It is pretty expensive. He
charges from $10 to $12 a quart to cover the risk he takes. My friend
ordered a quart and arranged to meet the train this porter came in on.
He was on hand when the train pulled in from the south. Presently he
saw the porter get off the train and start across the platform carrying
a suitcase. My friend spoke to the porter but he didn't respond except
by quickening his pace. My friend followed him. The darkey again
quickened his gait. So did my friend. When they had got a block away
from the depot my friend called out, 'Hold on a minute. I'm interested
in what you have in that suitcase.' The porter dropped the suitcase,
dodged around the first corner, made the first block in nothing flat
and only hit the high spots in the second block. My friend expected to
pay $12 for one quart but he got eight quarts for nothing. My friend
had a gray tweed suit and a tweed cap on when he went to the train to
meet the porter, and the porter didn't recognize him, for when he had
ordered the wet goods he was wearing a dark suit and a hard hat."
Judge George Rossman, municipal judge at Portland, recently made a most interesting analysis of the booze situation in Portland. He said: "The bulk of the whiskey drunks are men that come in from the logging camps where they have remained for a matter of several months without an opportunity of spending their money. When they get a few days' vacation in the city and away from the woods, the first idea they have is to get a bottle of whiskey. They do not mind paying $12 or $14 for it, and the result is that the police soon pick them up. The men drunk on bay rum, medicinal preparations and alcoholic concoctions are generally a hard-looking set who became confirmed drunkards in the days of the saloons. They are ordinarily a set of men that have but little money but a strong appetite. "It is seldom that we have in court any young men on a charge of being drunk. Most of our defendants are men of 35 to 60 years of age. When the present generation that acquired its thirst for liquor in the days of the saloons has passed on, it seems reasonable to believe that the enforcement of the prohibition law will become a much easier problem." Fred Lockley, "Journal Man at Home," Oregon Journal, Portland, March 16, 1919, page 8 Speed cop McDonald has resigned his position as deputy sheriff and has gone to Portland, where he expects to locate. "Local News," Jacksonville Post, March 29, 1919, page 3 CHINESE LAUNDRY MAN FINED $200
FOR BOOTLEGGING
Lou Jew, whose nationality does not accord with the sound of his name,
an elderly Chinese laundry worker of the city, was fined $200 and costs
and given a sentence of 30 days in jail in Justice Taylor's court this
noon on the charge of having in his handbag enough whiskey to
intoxicate a large part of Medford. Lou Jew was a jim dandy law
violator, hence his heavy sentence.
His frequent trips from the city to Ashland recently always with the same heavily loaded handbag aroused the curiosity of Charles Adams, night policeman, and when the officer saw the old Chinaman again get aboard the Ashland jitney last Saturday night he tipped a deputy sheriff to follow and watch him. When the jitney arrived at Ashland the deputy forced Lou Jew to open the bag, disclosing three gallons of booze. The prisoner was brought to Medford by the same jitney and locked up. Medford
Mail Tribune, April 7, 1919, page 6
MEDFORD POLICEMAN DRANK UP
EVIDENCE IN CASE
By
United Press
MEDFORD, Ore., April 10.--Mayor Gates has compelled Sam Garrett, night policeman, to resign because it is alleged by the mayor and other city officials that Garrett drank up the evidence against a Chinaman who was charged with bootlegging. Evening News, San Jose, April 10, 1919, page 1 HARD CIDER STIRS EAGLE PT. YOUTH
TO GO OVER TOP
There is a hard cider scandal brewing at
Eagle Point which is being looked after by Sheriff Terrill and
Prosecuting Attorney Roberts, but at present the details are lacking.Word reached the prosecutor the other day that there was considerable drunkenness in that vicinity, especially among the youth, and as a result of too much cider imbibing a boy went over the top with a shotgun and nearly ended the life of another boy. The prosecutor sent the sheriff out to investigate the cider. The sheriff had no difficulty in locating the fluid, two barrels and a half, but the owner was absent and so no arrest has yet been made. He brought in the half barrel Friday afternoon and cached it in the police station. Samples of the cider were taken to one of the teachers of the Medford High School for a chemical analysis to determine whether it contained explosives other than fermented apple juice. Medford Mail Tribune, April 19, 1919, page 3 MEDFORD A MODEL CITY SINCE THE
BOOZE EMBARGO
Since
the wartime prohibition act went into force, which shut off the keeping
and sale of booze in California, Medford has become a model city as far
as sobriety is concerned. Things have been very quiet with the police
and sheriff's office, and only two or three booze arrests have been
made, and those were made only a week after the act went into effect.
The city is also very quiet late at night, the police having little to do, whereas formerly many drunks and half-drunks used to come back from Hornbrook and Hilt and raise more or less disturbance. Then the police and sheriff's force used to spend most of the time night and day looking for bootleggers and watching for drunks. Last Saturday night several well-known orchard employees who had gotten hold of whiskey someplace--probably had it in store for an exceptionally dry day--were in the city late and created more or less disturbance for a short time but left town before the night police heard of their presence. This was the first semblance of disorder for weeks. Medford Mail Tribune, June 6, 1919, page 6
Chink Is Fined $100 for Selling 3 Pints Booze.
As the result of a raid made last night on Fong Chong's Chinese laundry
on South Riverside by Night Policeman Chas. Adams and Deputy Sheriff J.
Wimer, the proprietor and two other Chinamen were arrested. Fong Chong
had been suspected of bootlegging for some time and last night he was
caught in the language of the police with the "goods on him." On Wong
Han, one of the men arrested and who was a hanger-on about the laundry,
a couple of opium pills and a small quantity of liquid opium were
found. The third Chinaman was let go this morning, as there was no
evidence against him.In Judge Taylor's court this noon Fong Cong pleaded guilty to the charge of selling a pint of intoxicating liquor to a Medford man Sunday for $8. He admitted that he brought three pints of booze back from Yreka last week which he sold. He was fined $100 and sentenced to 15 days in jail. Wong Han pleaded not guilty to having opium in his possession, and his trial was set for this afternoon. Both he and the Medford Chinaman who acted as interpreter claimed that the opium was nothing but a eye wash which he bought at Ashland and which is for sale in any Chinese drug store in this country. Two Medford druggists who analyzed the pills and liquid declared that the concoctions had opium in them.--Tribune. Jacksonville Post, December 13, 1919, page 1 HOME BREW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GUN
PLAY
Tom Murphy of Medford Shoots George Douglas When Latter Insists on Sampling Domestic Stock--Wounds Not Serious-Offender is Held Under $2000 Bonds.
Tom Murphy, the local junk dealer, was cooking home brew yesterday
evening about seven o'clock, at his residence on South Front Street.
The seductive aroma of the mixture of hops and corn assailed the
nostrils of George Douglas, the upholsterer, who was passing. George,
who once imbibed of a Jacksonville mixture which raised boils on his
neck, announced that he wanted a drink. Mr. Murphy left his kettle long
enough to announce that the pilgrim of thirst was not welcome.
"You blankety blank bum," proclaimed the upholsterer, "if you don't give me a drink I'll come and get it." "You enter this house and I"ll fill you full of daylight," was the reported rejoinder. Whereupon Douglas, who knows no fear when a drink is concerned, entered the sacred precincts of home brew and was met by a horse pistol about the size of Herr Krupp's Big Bertha. A wrestling match ensued during which Murphy fired two shots, one grazing the intruder's temple and the other inflicting a slight flesh wound in the chest. Murphy had the wounded man down and was endeavoring to rap him on the head with the heavy end of his firearm when Jack Plymale heard the rumpus and, sailing in, separated the two men. Night policeman Adams arrived at this point and placed Murphy under arrest, also corralling a copper boiler filled with what appeared to be sour mash and two dozen bottles, properly corked, filled with liquefied rough-on-rats. At a hearing before Justice Taylor this morning Murphy was held under $2000 bonds to the grand jury, charged with assault with intent to kill. Tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock Murphy will be given a hearing on having a homemade still in his possession. Douglas was able to be about as usual today, his wounds being of a very innocuous character. The affair aroused considerable excitement on South Front Street during the vesper hour. The trial promises to involve a hot legal battle over how far the proprietor of a home-brew castle may go in protecting his home and firewater. Medford Mail Tribune, August 3, 1920, page 1 Tom Murphy, principal in the Front Street shooting affray last Monday evening, was found guilty of infringement of the bone dry law in Justice Taylor's court yesterday afternoon, and was given 30 days in jail and $100 fine. Two dozen bottles of hooch, a wash boiler half-filled with sour mash and several gallon jugs containing home brew were offered in evidence. Murphy's only defense was that he cooked the combination of corn and hops for the benefit of his stomach. Judge Taylor decided any stomach that could stand the evidence offered was not in a very serious condition. As Murphy was in jail anyway on the "attempt to kill" charge, now awaiting the October term of court, the sentence does not materially affect his future plans. Night Officer Adams, Sheriff Terrill and Deputy Sheriff Schrader were witnesses for the state. Murphy had no witnesses and refused the services of a lawyer. "Local Briefs," Medford Mail Tribune, August 5, 1920, page 2 Illicit Still Discovered at
Medford
What
is described as the largest illicit distillery and bootlegging
headquarters ever located in Jackson County was discovered the
beginning of the week in a house situated on S. Peach Street in
Medford. The discovery of the plant came through W. T. Van Voris, who
owns the property and rented it last July to a man giving the name of
C. C. Russell, having occasionally to call on his tenant. Failing to
gain admittance to the house, after repeated summons Mr. Van Voris used
his pass key, and upon entering the kitchen discovered a complete
still, including a gasoline stove, copper boiler with the lid fastened
down with dough to make it airtight, a copper tank and coils of lead
pipe which served as a worm, not to mention an old coffee mill in which
barley used in the manufacture of the homemade decoction was
ground. Elsewhere in the house was found quantities of corn, barley and
wheat used in making "hooch," and 100 gallons of prune mash in barrels.
Russell, who evidently suffered an attack of nerves, is reported to
have departed from Medford about the middle of August, giving his
destination as Portland, and there is no clue as to his whereabouts.
The apparatus was left on the premises under guard of the Medford police force until Wednesday, when Sheriff Terrill removed it to the county jail. Sheriff Terrill now has in his keeping a supply of "hooch" that would bring tears to the eyes of a prohi or moisture to the mouth of a tippler, the entire floor space of a large cell at the county jail being filled with booze in flasks, bottles, demijohns and kegs. Jacksonville Post, September 11, 1920, page 1 TWO VICTIMS OF MOONSHINE NEAR TO
DEATH'S DOOR
Sheriff Terrill is looking for the dispenser of moonshine that nearly
killed a citizen of Jacksonville Saturday night, after he had imbibed a
bottle of it. When the citizen recovers sufficiently to talk he will be
questioned. The sheriff's office also has a report that a colored gent
at
Ashland drank moonshine and wandered "into the shadows of the valley of death," before he had been pumped out. According to the sheriff the moonshine now being delivered is made of grain, and highly effective, the distiller not understanding the fine point of getting rid of the poison therein. A man giving the name of Wilkie and carrying letters of recommendation from Portland, peace officers and Willamette Valley counties and towns came to town Saturday and claimed to be a federal narcotic agent. He also bore a letter signed with the names of Prosecutor Rawles Moore and Sheriff Terrill. These he presented to C. W. Ashpole, Sam Richardson, Ed Gore and other business men in an effort to get credit or borrow money. The names of the local authorities were forgeries, and it is thought that all were. Sheriff Terrill was advised of the man's activity and caught him near the city jail. He gave him a lecture, and ordered him out of town. Afterwards it was discovered that he had been presenting the fake letters, and displaying a deputy sheriff's badge. Among other things the stranger claimed to be looking for stills. Medford Mail Tribune,
January 11, 1921, page 3
A keg of cider in the office of former Prosecuting Attorney Roberts of Medford, Oregon, exploded and the fermented liquor flooded the Medford National Bank beneath, keeping the office force, from clerks to President W. H. Gore, busy with mops and pails. The affair was reported to Prosecuting Attorney Rawles Moore, who defeated Roberts in the last election. Moore said the keg had been seized some time ago and in the confusion of office moving had been overlooked. "World News Tersely Told," Sausalito News, February 26, 1921, page 1 POLICE CAPTURE BOOTLEG STILL ON
BEAR CREEK
There was some booze enforcing excitement in the city last night,
caused by the sheriff locating an idle still in the brush along Bear
Creek, south of the city, and the arrival of a man with two quarts of
whiskey in a suitcase on the late train from the north. These incidents
were not connected, only that they related to the violations of the
prohibition law.
As a net result of the excitement, the stranger with the two quarts of booze got away, no one knows who owns the still, and Bill Sham, the taxi driver who hauled the booze-laden stranger to a place in the residence district, was arrested later by Patrolman Hempstreet on the charge of intoxication, for which he was fined $25 and costs in Judge Taylor's court this forenoon. Sheriff Terrill, Deputy Sheriff McMahon and Night Patrolman Adams and Hempstreet took part in the excitement, which started by someone tipping the sheriff off to the fact the still was lying in the brush along Bear Creek. The sheriff and his deputy forthwith went there and pounced upon the still, which was a fine and complete one with coils, lying quietly in a grain sack. Then the arms of the law lay concealed in the vicinity for an hour or more waiting for the owner to come and get it, until they finally decided that he had been tipped off that they were watching for him. They then hurried back to town just in time to join in the other booze excitement. The conductor of the southbound train tipped off the police when the train arrived that a man had two quarts of booze in his suitcase. The man had jumped into Sham's taxi, which drove quickly away. The police waited until Sham returned, and then started at once for the house where Sham said he had delivered the passenger. He was not at this house nor could he be found in the vicinity, and it is thought that when he saw the police at the depot he suspicioned that they were lying for him, and had Sham drive to a house, in front of which he got out, and then when Sham drove away, cached his whiskey somewhere, walked away and disappeared. Sham was arrested later, and it is claimed he became intoxicated through the stranger treating him when they were driving to the latter's supposed home. Medford Mail Tribune,
April 20, 1921, page 8
MORE ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED IN
STILL CASE
Although the police and county authorities were and are very
closemouthed about the facts in connection with the booze enforcement
excitement of last Tuesday night more details are coming to light, and
it is known that arrests are contemplated in connection with the
finding of an unused still along Bear Creek, and the bootlegger who
escaped the police at the depot.It is now known that the latter was a Gold Hill bootlegger who boarded the train at Gold Hill with two suitcases full of bootleg whiskey, and that the Medford police were tipped off by a passenger to this effect and not by the conductor of the train, as was previously stated. Train crews running through here have not attained an enviable reputation with the authorities in providing such tips. This bootlegger with his suitcases at once hurried from the train when it stopped here, to an awaiting taxi which sped away before the police or sheriff could act. It has been learned that this taxi took the bootlegger to a house near Phoenix where he was supposed to reside, according to the taxi driver, who on his return to Medford was nabbed by the police and induced to take the officers to the house in front of which he said he had discharged the passenger. The police awakened the occupants of the house who said the man did not live there nor had he been seen by them. No booze was found in the house. It developed later that the bootlegger instead of entering the house when the taxi drove away continued on through the premises, crawled over the back fence and in so doing tore a part of the straps off one of the suitcases. It is then presumed he walked away to some place where he cached his booze. Medford Mail Tribune,
April 21, 1921, page 6
Twelve quarts of a perfectly reliable brand of the Demon Rum was consigned to the yawning maw of an old well in the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of the courthouse grounds, by representatives of the sheriff's office Wednesday morning. A few wistful-eyed spectators attended the obsequies. "Behind the Bars," Jacksonville Post, July 2, 1921, page 1 STILLS NEAR JACKS'NVILLE ARE
SEIZED
Developments in the county-wide cleanup
of suspected bootleggers and illicit stills up to one o'clock this
afternoon were as follows:Special Agents Arrest J. M. Rock, Farmer, and Ike Coffman, Homesteader--Former Pleads Guilty to Demijohn of Hooch--Raids North of City Are On Today. SITUATION IN BRIEF Finding of three stills in the Jacksonville Hill district, and the arrest of their alleged owners and operators Wednesday by state and county officials. Announcement that a special prosecutor would be detailed by Governor Ben Olcott to handle the cases arising from the raids and arrests. Departure of officers in two different directions this morning on a hunt for stills and booze peddlers. Issuance of warrants for the arrest of men alleged to be engaged in the whiskey traffic. ----
In raids by deputy sheriffs and special agents in the hills back of
Jacksonville Wednesday, three stills were located and seized, and two
men, J. M. Rock, a farmer, and Ike Coffman, a homesteader, were
arrested. Both were arraigned this morning in Justice of the Peace
Taylor's court. Rock pleaded guilty to the charge of having a
half-gallon demijohn of whiskey in his possession. Upon the plea that
he was the father of five children, and a new arrival expected any day,
he was allowed to go on his own recognizance until Saturday morning at
10 o'clock. The owner of the third still said he would appear today. A
special agent, asked what Rock's name was, divulged the information
that it was "Jim Stone." Coffman, through his attorney, George M. Roberts, was given until Friday morning at 10 o'clock to plead, and is at liberty on $250 bonds furnished by Jesse M. Taylor, a well-known Applegate rancher. Coffman is charged with having in his possession "a mixture of figs, prunes, and water in the process of fermentation." "Squirrel Whiskey"
According to the arresting officers, the
still alleged to have been operated by Coffman was an emergency source
of supply for Medford moonshiners. They claim it was a highly
unsanitary proposition. His mash was kept in a tin boiler in a deserted
shack, and dead gray squirrels and bats were found around the still,
the animals having dropped from the rafters into the brew, and cooked
alive. The tin boiler, the officers said, was enough to ensure a
partaker of the concoction instant death.Attorney George M. Roberts, counsel for James (Shine) Edwards and John Goodwin, taxicab drivers arrested early Wednesday morning, appeared before Justice Taylor this morning and asked for arraignment. The court set the time at 10 o'clock Friday morning. Edwards up to noon today had been unable to secure the $1,000 fixed for his release, after a day's search for bondsmen. One man was willing to go his bonds, but the second could not be secured. State Prosecutes Case
All of the charges filed to date have been on state charges, and U.S.
Commissioner Roy Davis has no knowledge of any federal charges being
filed. Up to last night District Attorney Rawles Moore had not been
officially advised on the raids and the arrests, but S. B. Sandefer,
special agent, with a commission from the governor, informed Justice
Taylor that a special prosecutor would be assigned to handle the case.
The claim that the arrests were due to federal activity is now
discredited, and reliable information indicates that the Anti-Saloon
League is furnishing the sleuths for the cleanup.Many Suspects Flee
A number of men have departed for parts unknown since the arrests
started, and warrants have been issued for their arrest. This list
includes some more or less well-known citizens. Rumors in circulation
setting forth that warrants had been issued for officials, past and
present, are not founded on fact, but simply the usual gossip that
arises whenever factional lines become drawn.The probing squad left this morning for the Eagle Point and Gold Hill districts on a still hunt for stills and their owners. Joy Ride to Lake
It has been definitely established that five operatives, in charge of
Special Agent Sandefer, arrived about two weeks ago. One of the sleuths
immediately made his roll of bills conspicuous, and arranged for a
joyride to Prospect and Crater Lake. Feminine company was furnished.
The operative rode with the young lady on a back seat, and on the trip
that took nearly two days received inside information on the local
bootlegging situation. He was such a liberal spender that illicit
liquor agents literally fell over each other in their efforts to secure
his trade. To the surplus bootleggers he gave "tips" to where they
could find a "live one," who were his brother officers.The arrests caused a flurry of excitement among the home brewers, but their fears are ungrounded, as the raiders are only after the wholesalers, not the retailers. Besides they are protected by the search and seizure clause of the Volstead Act, which prohibits the invasion of the home for liquor without a search warrant. Medford Mail Tribune, August 18, 1921, page 1 FUR FLIES IN CLOSING PLEAS
EDWARDS TRIAL
Charges and countercharges of "frame-up" and "unfair tactics" were
hurled by counsel for both sides in the arguments to the jury this
morning in the trial of James (Shine) Edwards, and bitterness cropped
out in the state attorney's castigating the witnesses for the defense,
and the defense directing the heavy artillery of their invective and
scorn against A. B. Gates, star witness for the state and special agent.Lawyers for State and Defense Make Charges and Counter Charges at Conclusion of Bootleg Case--Moore Flays the Moonshine Ring. In his plea, the district attorney called the birthday party of Mrs. Ella Tull as a "bootleggers ball," and referred to her as "that estimable lady with a seven-room house and one child." The tactics adopted by Mr. A. B. Gates, special agent and star witness for the state, were defended by the prosecuting attorney, as "the only way to trap the gang. If the sheriff or the police of Medford had attempted to procure evidence against them, all would have been as peaceful as a May Day, but here was a traveling man, a good spender, and he played the game so well that 'Shine' Edwards hounded him to buy liquor." The prosecutor also declared that the only issue in the case was whether "the law or the bootleggers would be supreme." The action of the defense in pleading that they had been taken by surprise was labeled as "theatrics." The defense began their opening argument at eleven o'clock, attorney Roberts being the opening orator. Attorney Roberts in his remarks scouted the claim of the state that "there had been a frame-up" and filed a countercharge of frame-up, holding the defense witnesses.had not been shaken in their testimony "while Gates had told five or six different stories on the stand," the defense attorney declared. Gates looked down his nose and shifted his gaze, while Shine looked at the jury." He also called him "low down" and "unprincipled" and hooted the state's contention "this wonderful private detective" was gathering evidence. "What right has this man (Gates) to get dead drunk," and "why not have a raid of raiders, who induce innocent taxicab drivers to commit crimes." The war record of Edwards was also presented to the jury. Attorney Roberts in closing his plea said, "I here and now insist and demand a grand jury investigation of the paid investigators of Jackson County." Attorney Gus Newbury made the closing address to the jury at the afternoon session, and attorney Moore closed for the state.
The court warned the jury "not to be influenced by comment for counsel
for either side, but to try the case on its merits," and later, when
tittering swept the audience, remarked, "witnesses in the back of the
room are trying to testify."
Mrs. Edwards testified that while getting ready for the trip they had
driven to the home of Mrs. Tull and borrowed "some hats and a camera"
and that just before starting they drove "two blocks down Central
Avenue from Main Street, and that when the auto horn was honked twice,
a man came and handed Mr. Gates a package." She testified that
afterwards she discovered this was moonshine. She said she took two or
three drinks of it.Mrs. Edwards Testifies.
On cross examination, the prosecutor asked the witness how much she could drink, the witness being indefinite on the subject, and in response to another query did not know whether the horn had been sounded "in front of Dud Wolgamott's house or not." Rippey Backfires.
Bert Rippey, husband of Fay Rippey, who testified Wednesday that she
was a guest at Mrs. Tull's birthday party, was called to the stand by
the state in rebuttal, and sprung a surprise by "backfiring" on the
testimony expected of him. The state attempted to impeach him, by
asking questions relative to statements made in front of the Rogue
River Canal Company office Wednesday evening. Rippey flatly denied that
he had told the prosecutor in the presence of Gates that he had seen
Edwards at Mrs. Tull's birthday party and denied that there
was
anything to drink.He said he had talked about the case to his wife and attorney Roberts. On cross examination by attorney Roberts he said his testimony had not been influenced in any way. Gates was called in rebuttal and testified that "there was plenty to drink" at Mrs. Tull's. The first witness for the defense at this morning's session was Mrs. Frankie Edwards of Klamath Falls, a resident of this city. She testified she first met Gates in Edwards' taxicab on Main Street on Saturday afternoon, August 6th, before the trip to Crater Lake, and that she inquired of Edwards, "are you going to the dance at Prospect?" and was informed that the jaunt would be taken if a crowd could be gathered. She said she was introduced to Gates and that he asked her to go with him. "I told him 'yes,' as I did not care who I went with as long as I got there." She also testified that Gates was "too drunk to walk or dance." James (Shine) Edwards took the stand in his own behalf at the opening of the defense in his trial on an indictment charging selling of intoxicating liquor. Edwards told the jury that Gates told him he "was a creamery man, and wanted to visit every farm in the valley that had a cow." He said the plans for the Crater Lake joyride were arranged by Gates, and that the women in the party were Mrs. Frankie Edwards, a sister-in-law of the defendant and Billie Duley, a waitress. He said they left Medford and arrived at Prospect about midnight, that Gates took drinks along the road, and that he was sick. He said at Prospect, Gates fell down and insisted on going into the dance hall, and that while there Gates met George O. Roberts, and offered him a drink. About 3 o'clock in the morning they left Prospect and drove to Crater Lake, where they procured breakfast. Gates, he testified, was sick and unable to eat dinner. He also said that en route to Prospect the car struck a bump and the resultant impact threw Gates against the top of the car, bruising his forehead. Edwards testified that the party returned to Medford that Sunday evening and that Gates paid him $50 for the trip. Denies Taking Drink
The defendant testified that on a day or two previous to the Crater
Lake trip Gates hired him for a drive, and that at Tenth and Oakdale
they met one George Grigsby in a Ford, and that Grigsby told them to
drive to the King Street garage, which they did, and there Gates
received a package, which [it] was alleged contained moonshine. Edwards
denied that he ever took a drink, but went through the motions only. He
also denied that he had ever been in Gates' room.
George O. Roberts
testified that he saw Gates in Prospect on the night of August 6th and
that he "was intoxicated."A. McLane, a Canadian war veteran wounded four times, and proprietor of the King Street garage, corroborated the testimony of Edwards that Gates had received a package in his garage on the afternoon of August 6th, from a stranger. John Goodwin, a taxi driver of Edwards', testified that he heard a conversation between Edwards and Sandefer, in front of the justice court in Medford, in which Sandefer told them, "If you fellows plead guilty I believe you will get off with a light fine." Mrs. Ella Tull testified that she gave a birthday party on August 8 and that Gates was among the visitors. Medford Mail Tribune, October 27, 1921, page 6 DRY ENFORCEMENT COST JACKSON CO. $3795.60 IN 1921
Prohibition enforcement in Jackson County up to December 31st, 1921,
cost $3795.60, the major portion of this sum being spent for the series
of raids conducted last summer. Its cost was $2870.51, which includes
salaries, outlays for evidence, mileage, gas, and incidentals in the
December expense list in the war against moonshine, the following items
were allowed.$23.09, for gas. $100, salary advance. $348 to A. B. Gates, who collected the evidence in the bootleg trials, and the star witness thereof. $454 for salaries and other incidentals. On the other hand during December over $800 in fines were collected by S. B. Sandefer, special prohibition enforcement officer in charge, who also assisted in the capture of some speeders. In the trial of the bootleggers, three pleaded guilty and served county jail sentences, three stood trial in the circuit court resulting in the conviction of Ernest S. (Dud) Wolgamott, who is undecided whether to appeal the case or serve a three months' county jail sentence, with a $400 fine. James (Shine) Edwards was tried twice, the jury being unable to agree, the defendant since taking up his residence in Fresno, Calif., after a short sojourn at Weed and Yreka, Calif. John Goodwin was also tried on the same charge, the jury being unable to agree. The disagreements resulted from the testimony of A. B. Gates, which varied so much that the jury refused to convict upon it. Special Officer Sandefer has a contract with Jackson County for sleuthing until January 15th, and the county court is undecided whether to renew it or hire a new man, whose face la not so familiar to violators of the Volstead Act. County Judge Gardner expresses the opinion that Sandefer has made a good showing, in view of the fact that the general public had no particular aversion to walking upon the amendment in question, and, also believes that bootlegging will not be so funny when the people as a whole grasp its menace. For the scalps of wild animals the county paid in bounty during 1921, $1967, mostly coyotes, with an occasional wildcat, cougar and wolf. During the year, a total of 69 divorces, two less than last year, the heaviest month being June--the month of brides--when 22 annulments of the marriage bonds were granted. In 1921, the marriage licenses issued were 203, and in 1920, 252, a decrease of 49. Medford Mail Tribune, January 10, 1922, page 1 WOLGAMOTT IS ARRESTED THIRD TIME
Ernest "Dud" Wolgamott, who has twice
faced bootlegging indictments returned by the grand jury, was arrested
this morning on a third charge of bootlegging. The latter arrest was
due to the activity of night officer Joe Cave and S. B. Sandefer,
special state prohibition officer for Jackson County, and who procured
a search warrant and found Wolgamott's alleged secret cache of liquor
for customers in his home on North Central Ave.Local Bootlegger Apprehended When Early Morning Search Reveals a Secret Liquor Cache--Search Warrant Secured Late Last Night-- John Doe Gives Police Tip. The arrest was made by Sheriff Terrill, who accompanied the searching squad of officers, and the information leading to the discovery of the booze cache came from a man who was arrested after leaving the Wolgamott home with a bottle of booze in his possession. Wolgamott was convicted in circuit court last fall on an indictment for bootlegging and was given a sentence of not more than three months in jail and a fine of $400. This case, however, is pending on a plea for a new trial, during which Wolgamott has been at liberty under $1000 cash bail. Wolgamott's arrest came about through night patrolman Cave putting two and two together, adding the sum and laying the addition and his conclusions before state officer Sandefer. When at 1 o'clock this morning Cave saw a man whom the police have long suspected of knowing something about bootlegging activities in Medford, walking along Central Avenue, he stopped him and found a quart bottle of whiskey on him. He placed the man, who is carried in the court chronicles as John Doe, under arrest and conferred with night officer Leggitt. They then summoned Sandefer by phone from the Hotel Medford, and after a consultation of the three, Acting Justice of the Peace Farrell was awakened at his home at 3 a.m. to issue a search warrant for the search of Wolgamott's house, sworn out by Sandefer. State officer Sandefer then went over to Jacksonville, awakened Sheriff Terrill and brought the latter official to Medford to serve the warrant and make the arrest if the expected evidence was found in the search. Officers Sandefer, Cave and Leggitt and Sheriff Terrill visited the Wolgamott home together. When the officers entered the house Wolgamott displayed a nonchalant air. He was notified that the officers carried a search warrant and that they intended to search his domicile for liquor, whereupon he invited them to "take a look around." Officer Cave evidently had the correct "dope," for when the search started it did not last long. Cave removed two loose panels in the woodwork of the room, one on each side of the fireplace, and behind each panel he discovered three quarts of (supposedly) bonded whiskey. When Cave removed the panels Wolgamott remarked that he seemed to know where it was. Wolgamott was then placed under arrest by Sheriff Terrill and was arraigned this morning in Acting Justice Farrell's court on a charge of selling intoxicating liquor. This is Wolgamott's third arrest on such a charge. The preliminary hearing of the case will be held in Justice Farrell's court at 10 a.m. Monday. Wolgamott has been released on $1000 additional bail. According to the records of the county clerk this additional $1000 bond places him under obligations totaling $2000. At the preliminary hearing it is expected that Wolgamott will be represented by attorney George M. Roberts, his attorney at his previous trials. John Doe, who gave the information as to the booze cache following his arrest, pleaded guilty in police court this forenoon to having liquor in his possession, and was fined $20 and costs. In consideration of his giving information, his identity is protected by the authorities. Medford Mail Tribune, January 21, 1922, page 1 BOOTLEGGER IS GIVEN 30 DAYS JAIL,
$250 FINE
The usual weekly bootlegging sensation
in Medford opened here today, with Sam W. McClenden being sentenced in
Justice Taylor's court to 30 days in jail and a fine of $250 and costs,
following his arrest late Saturday night on the charge of selling a
quart of whiskey to Dan Pritchard, a canal company worker, who was also
arrested, pleaded guilty and was fined $10 today in the same court on
the charge of intoxication.This cleanup is due to the activities of S. B. Sandefer, Special Prohibition Enforcing Officer for the state, assisted by Night Patrolmen Leggitt, Cave and Adams. The arrest of McClenden for the second time on practically the same charge and under similar circumstances within three weeks, in itself furnished a local sensation, which was greatly added to through McClenden promptly confessing to the officers after his arrest that in the sale of the quart bottle of whiskey to Pritchard for $16, he was again acting as the go-between for Dud Wolgamott and the purchaser. Three weeks ago as McClenden was leaving the home of Wolgamott on North Central Avenue, he was arrested with liquor in his possession and confessed then to having just gotten it in the Wolgamott house. In his confession, he told that Wolgamott kept liquor for sale cached in behind secret panels in the rear of the fireplace. A search of the house by the officers resulted in finding the liquor as McClenden had told and the arrest of Wolgamott and his being bound over to the grand jury in $500 cash bail. A case against Wolgamott for bootlegging was then pending in circuit court and he was enjoying his freedom under $1,000 cash bail. The story of McClenden and Pritchard as to last Saturday night's events, to which it is understood that they had made affidavits, is to the effect that Pritchard gave McClenden $16 to buy a quart of whiskey of Wolgamott, and the two then went to Wolgamott's home to get it, Pritchard remaining outside on the street while McClenden went inside to negotiate the transaction with Wolgamott. McClenden came from the house with the information that they should walk on down the street a ways and that Wolgamott would deliver the quart himself. They walked away half a block, the two men claimed, when Wolgamott drove up in his car and handed the bottle over to Pritchard. It seems that McClenden and Pritchard were shadowed by officers. Pritchard then went to his room in a rooming house and invited a friend in to help him drink up the booze and they were engaged in that duty when the police closed in on them and arrested Pritchard. Up to the hour of going to press this afternoon no arrest warrant had been served on Wolgamott, and neither could information be obtained from Officer Sandefer or at the county prosecutor's office as to whether a warrant would be taken out. In Justice Taylor's court this forenoon Sandefer made a statement after McClenden had pleaded guilty stating that the latter "had come clean about Wolgamott" in his two arrests on bootlegging charges, and that he claimed that while he had sold much liquor for Wolgamott he had never received a cent of remuneration from him for such sales. Therefore, McClenden asked him to state that he thought this should entitle him to leniency should the court feel like extending such. "Thirty days in jail and a fine of $250," snapped Justice Taylor with flashing eyes. On McClenden's previous arrest he was carried on the records as John Doe, in consideration of his having given information about Wolgamott, which led to the latter's arrest, and his plea to the authorities not to have his name made public because he desired to keep his trouble from his aged parents. McClenden was taken over to the county jail immediately after he was sentenced today. Justice Taylor was away on his vacation at the time of McClenden's previous arrest. Medford Mail Tribune, February 6, 1922, page 1 ROOMING HOUSE IS RAIDED BY DRY
SLEUTHS
Mrs. Flora Manning, proprietress of the Park Rooms, and
George Miller,
and employee of Mrs. Manning, pleaded guilty this morning in Justice
Taylor's court to charges of possessing intoxicating liquor. Miller was
sentenced to 20 days in the county jail and was fined $250. Mrs.
Manning was not given a jail sentence, but was fined $500, which is the
maximum for the first offense. The court granted Mrs. Manning until
Monday to secure the money.Mrs. Flora Manning Fined $500 and George Miller Gets 20 Days in Jail and $250 Fine After Pleading Guilty. The defendants were arrested last night as the result of the discovery of seven bottles of moonshine whiskey in the Park Rooming House by a searching party headed by special agent Sandefer. Miller's brother was also taken into custody at the time of the search and spent last night in the county jail with the rest of the party. No complaint was filed against him, however, as his brother claimed the ownership of the liquor. The Park Rooming House, at the corner of Main and Holly sts., has been under observation by prohibition officials since December, and not until several days ago was sufficient evidence secured to allow the issuance of a search warrant. Patrolmen Cave, Leggitt and Adams, Deputy Sheriff Forncrook and Special Agent Sandefer took part in the search. Medford Mail Tribune, February 24, 1922, page 1 Last Saturday night there was the regular dance here and there was only a very few in attendance and there was, according to reports, one of the most disgraceful affairs we have had here for some time. I heard one of our prominent business men, in speaking of the conduct there, say that almost every one of the young men and larger boys were drunk and that moonshine was there in abundance and another reported that one of the boys put a bottle of moonshine in the center of the room and commenced to dance around it, but finally one of them kicked it over, spilling it over the floor. The conduct has reached the point where many of our young people treat our laws as a burlesque and defy our officers and make sport of the idea of enforcing any of the prohibiting statutes. For instance, I saw a small group of young men busily engaged at something on the sidewalk and I heard them laughing after the gathering dispersed, and one of them remarked, "Well, I skinned him out of six dollars," but who the man was who spoke or who he referred to as having been skinned I do not know. But what else can we expect of our youths, when men are arrested and brought to trial for violation of the law and men are selected to sit as jurors to try a case and will hang a jury and then admit that they were satisfied that the man was guilty, but that the principal witness for the state, in a bootlegging case, assigned as a reason that the witness was drunk himself. It is a common thing to hear men and in some instances women express their approval of the fact that certain ones are acquitted of a charge of crime simply because they object to certain laws that have been enacted by our representatives in the lawmaking bodies of our country. A. C. Howlett, "Eagle Point Eaglets," Medford Mail Tribune, February 24, 1922, page 10 PHOENIX RANCH RAIDED, OWNER MAKES
ESCAPE
Medford
Mail Tribune, February 25, 1922, page 1
As a result of the raid on the Park Rooms Thursday night, Preston
Phillips' ranch near Phoenix was raided Friday night and a large amount
of cash, liquor, still and other accessories taken by the county
authorities.
Sheriff C. E. Terrill, Deputy Forncrook and S. B. Sandefer left this city shortly after 8 o'clock. On the way out they picked up Phillips in a Phoenix pool hall and he accompanied them to his place and unlocked the door. The worm of the still and three mash barrels were found at once and a careful search for the liquor began. Deputy Forncrook was in the corner of the room examining some boxes, Sheriff Terrill was extricating the worm from the barrel in which it was installed and Sandefer was looking under the bed in another room when he looked up and asked Preston a question. No answer to the query was heard and the officers found that the moonshiner had skipped. They went to the door and tried to pierce the thick blackness of the night but could see only a few feet. The sounds of Preston's footsteps as he ran could be heard and when he had reached quite a distance from the house he stumbled over a sleeping cow which was wearing a bell. The cow emitted unearthly sounds and rattled the bell in a lively manner, but the path the fugitive had taken was through thick brush and the others were unable to pursue him successfully. About two gallons of liquor were found last night. Deputy District Attorney George Codding accompanied the officers to the moonshiner's house this morning and all the property in the house was confiscated, loaded upon a county truck and listed by Mr. Codding. A search for the remainder of the still was conducted this morning and a large amount of the brushy land near the Phillips house was explored. No trace of the apparatus was found. Shortly after the search commenced, however, a five-gallon keg, half full of moonshine, was discovered in the bushes along the small creek near the house by Sheriff Terrill. A short time after this find had been made by the sheriff, S. B. Sandefer began searching two piles of laurel boughs which had been freshly cut and had been piled behind the house. The first of these netted nothing but in going through the second pile a full-sized barrel, half full of moonshine, was found This brings the total amount of the liquor found to a point between 30 and 40 gallons. SHINE EDWARDS CONVICTED ON BOOZE
CHARGE
James (Shine) Edwards, three times tried on a charge of selling
intoxicating liquor, was found guilty by a jury in the circuit court
Wednesday afternoon, after about three hours deliberation. In two
previous trials the jury was unable to agree.The first two ballots, according to report, stood nine to three for conviction, the third ten to two for conviction, and the fourth and final one resulted in a conviction. Future legal action in the case is undecided, but it is said that the case may be appealed to the supreme court. The case, one of the hardest fought in the history of Jackson County jurisprudence, hinges upon the sale of liquor to A. B. Gates, a state prohibition officer. Edwards alleged in his defense that the liquor said to have been purchased from him was purchased from Joe Kidd, who is under indictment but uncaught. Much of the lively testimony of the previous trials relating to a joyride to Crater Lake and Prospect in the taxi driven by Edwards, in which Gates and women were members, was ruled out by the court. The trial of John Goodwin, also charged with selling intoxicating liquors, a previous trial resulting in a disagreement of the jury, was begun this morning, the work of selecting the jury now being underway. Medford Mail Tribune, May 4, 1922, page 1 TO ESTABLISH SANITY LEAGUE IN
JACKSON CO.
The Sanity League of America, a
national, incorporated organization seeking a modification of the
Volstead Act so as to permit the manufacture and sale of light wines
and beer under government control, is being organized here.W. H. Willis of Portland, who is the district organizer in Southern Oregon, says that the present law is producing lawbreakers by the millions; flooding the country with poisonous liquors causing untold sickness and death; and that the effort to enforce the law is costing $100,000,000 annually, which must come out of the taxpayers' pockets. "The saloon is gone forever," said Mr. Willis, "and during my canvass I don’t find one person out of a hundred who wants to see it back; but the Sanity League does believe that light wines and beer under strict government control would take the profits out of the moonshine and bootlegging business and automatically restore these lawbreakers to law-abiding citizens." Rev. Baker P. Lee is president of the league, and its advisory board is made up of the following nationally known men: Congressman Julius Kahn, John D. Spreckles, Judge O. N. Hilton, General M. O. Terry, ex-surgeon general state of New York, U. S. Grant, Jr., Martin Bohrman, Crawford H. Ellis, Chas. Weinberger, G. B. Baldwin, Urban Koen, Warren C. Crane. Medford Mail Tribune, June 1, 1922, page 3 STILL
CHARGE EXPLAINED BY LOCAL LAWYER
To the Editor: I have more than a passing interest in the
vicious rumor
that has been maliciously circulated throughout Jackson County for some
time past that Sheriff Charlie Terrill has rented a still to private
parties and a fraternal order for the purpose of distilling moonshine.
T have firsthand information as to the basis of this vile charge.Don Newbury, in Public Statement, Explodes Campaign Story That Sheriff Terrill Rented Still for Purpose of Making Moonshine. Sometime during last February, I, together with Olen Arnspiger and C. C. Lemmon, was placed on the dance committee of the local Elks lodge. This committee conceived the idea of giving a hard times dance, and to carry out that scheme, decided to obtain a still somewhere and place it in the ballroom of the lodge, and run sweet cider through it for the crowd to drink and for their information as to the character of a still, and for what amusement they might get out of the general idea. It was suggested at our committee meeting that we could probably obtain a still, for a day or so from the sheriff, and in pursuance of that idea, I went over to Jacksonville the day before the dance, and inside the county jail where the stills were ordinarily kept, and, in the presence of Bert Moses, S. B. Sandefer, and one or two other parties whose names I do not recall, informed the sheriff of the scheme. Those present took a decided interest in the matter, and each one of them lent his assistance and suggestions in picking out the most suitable still/ I brought this still over to Medford, placed it in the ballroom of the lodge, and ran cider through it during the dance, before some one hundred local Elks and their ladies. If there is any doubt in the minds of innocent persons who have been misled by this rumor that moonshine was distilled in the Elks lodge that night, I refer them to any person who was present at the dance. The morning after the dance, I returned the still to the sheriff at the county jail at Jacksonville, in precisely the same condition in which 1 had obtained it from him. The two parties above named as present in the county jail at the time the scheme was explained to the sheriff, and who are ardent supporters of the present recall movement, have, if not willfully, assisted in the circulation of this rumor, at least made no effort so far as I am able to learn to explain the circumstances to their cohorts, in accordance with their knowledge of the affair. In my estimation this is a most characteristic example of the methods being employed by some of the more ardent supporters of the recall against the sheriff, to poison the minds of the unsuspecting public against this official, and the rumor circulated in connection with it is as worthy of belief by the voters of Jackson County as any other rumor circulated about the sheriff that has come to my attention. Yours very truly,
Medford
Mail Tribune, July 28, 1922, page 1DON R. NEWBURY. Medford, July 28, 1922. A few days ago Charley Terrill and wife accompanied by Miss Mabel Haines, the secretary of the Red Cross Society, stopped on their way up to Derby to look after the condition of a family whose husband and father was confined in the county jail for bootlegging, and in the run of conversation Charley remarked that he had only eighteen in the jail at that time, although he had had twenty-one in there a few days before but that some of them were turned out, that they come and go, and that they were mostly in for violating the prohibition law, and that brought up the subject of the expense of their keep. It is a very common thing to hear one remark that one can bootleg a little, while there is good money in it and if they get caught that the justice of the peace will fine them only about ten dollars and ten to twenty days in jail where they will have good warm quarters and free grub during the winter and that there is no disgrace to go to jail for breaking that law, and we don't wonder at their making such a remark as that when the older ones are teaching them that very idea, especially when they can spend the winter in jail and save the expense of board, come out in the spring and get a job and go to work again. While their reasoning is very good so far as the upkeep and comfort of the jail is concerned, there is a way to meet just such cases, and by that means act as a motive for them to look on that kind of a life from a different standpoint altogether. A. C. Howlett, "Eagle Point Eaglets," Medford Mail Tribune, December 15, 1922, page 8 STILL ON ROXY ANN IS RAIDED BY
THE SHERIFF
In a raid on a deserted house on the Rousseau coal mine property, on
the north flank of Roxy Ann, at three o'clock Thursday
morning, the
sheriff's office seized two stills of 20 and 35 gallon capacity, three
barrels of mash, 60 gallons of moonshine in the "second boiling" stage,
a truckload of equipment used in the apparently flourishing bootleg
operations. The four operators of the illicit outfit, whose names and
addresses are known, and for whom warrants have been issued, fled upon
the approach of the raiding party, their suspicions being aroused by an
early morning hunting party.One of Largest Hauls in Local History Made by County Official on Big Moonshine Plant-- 4 Operators Make Escape. The first intimation that a still was in operation came from neighbors, who suffered from chicken thieves. The investigation of the henhouse depredations led to following up a stench. When the officers arrived, the fires were still burning under the stills, the dishwater was hot, and an unfinished epistle of one of the bootleggers to his sweetheart was found lying on a table. Tracks of the fugitives made in their flight down the creek bed were found. One made a mighty stride in his haste, footprints measuring nine feet from hoof track to hoof track. The seizure is the largest in months in this city or county, and the moonshiners did business on an efficiency basis. They kept a record of their output. On December 27th, four gallons and one quart were manufactured. They had been in operation for three weeks, maintained a house in this city as a distributing center, and had two automobiles. In protecting their activities, they maintained a lookout on the roof of the hovel, and always had an automobile standing in a narrow spot in the road to halt a speedy approach. One of the gang acted as lookout, two tended to the manufacture, and one was the downtown salesman. All the paraphernalia and concoctions seized was taken to the county jail for destruction, officially, and the two autos seized as contraband. Two witnesses, Attorney B. F. Lindas and Frank Corleis, were taken along by the sheriff as witnesses to meet the usual charges, when whiskey is concerned, that quantities of it were confiscated. The moonshine, recording to the sheriff, was wonderfully and fearfully made, in conditions of filth unexcelled in this world or the next one. The stills were crudely built, and smeared with dough and dirt. Quantity, not quality, was the motto. The output was 100 proof by test, and slate colored in the "second boiling." As a sanitary step, the mess was drained through charcoal. Then the decoction was colored with tobacco juice, and sold for $5 a pop bottle. Business was lively, and some of this product was represented as being from the booze car seized in Hittson's garage ten days ago. That nobody is in the morgue, the sheriff says, is a wonder. In one of the letters left behind by the bootleggers, a father at Roseburg urges his boy to "live right," and hopes "he likes his work in the coal mine." Another epistle written by the moonshiners says "that white-headed old fool of a sheriff is going to make trouble for us.'' Another told of how the stills were run day and night, and "a cleanup" was predicted. Medford Mail Tribune,
January 5, 1923, page 1
Ashland Wars on Rum.
Oregonian, Portland,
March 5, 1923, page 7
ASHLAND, Or., March.--(Special.)--War on bootleggers has been declared
by Stanley Robinette,
chief of police, and two arrests have resulted in
the past two days. Jake Snyder was found to be in possession of two
pints of liquor and fined $200 and sentenced to 30 days in jail. George
Duncan, upon whose property in the vicinity of the Anderson mine, near
here, were found condensers and a small quantity of liquor, was fined
$250 and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Several other arrests are
expected.
AGED MOONSHINE SELLER RETURNED TO
JACKSON CO.
W. H. Price, an aged man convicted last summer of moonshining and
sentenced to serve a year and pay a fine of $1500, has been brought
back to Jackson County from Multnomah County, where he has been
incarcerated, and, according to Sheriff Terrill, who escorted him here,
Price was before Governor Pierce Wednesday in a hearing of his case and
investigation of conditions in this country.Price is 74 years old, sick and partially paralyzed, and was sent to Multnomah County under protest, as better fitted for the poor farm than the jail. What disposition will now be made of the aged unfortunate has not been decided upon, but the case will probably be given a rigorous airing, as many people have interested themselves in the case. Price was sent back from Multnomah County, under a recent ruling by the county court there, that the sheriff should be the sole judge of whom he would receive from outside counties as prisoners. Price lived on an island in Rogue River below Gold Hill, and a tin still was captured in a raid by prohibition enforcement officers. Price was painted as a particularly hard-boiled citizen at the time, with a penchant for guns. Medford Mail Tribune,
November 30, 1923, page 3
WINE CELLAR IN JACKSONVILLE IS
ORDERED CLOSED
The wine cellar of August Petard owner
of the vineyard on the hill
west of Jacksonville, was padlocked this morning by Sheriff Terrill,
after a conference with County Prohibition Enforcement Agent Sam B.
Sandefer, and the court will decide the right of the aged Frenchman and
his family to retain the vintage, consisting of 600 gallons of wine,
and 50 quarts of wine in bottles, cobwebbed and dirty with age. Action
for confiscation will be launched in the circuit court.Sheriff Terrill Padlocks August Petard's Family Wine Cellar After Conference with Sandefer--Confiscation Action to Be Filed. The finer legal phases of the prohibition law are said to be involved in the case, to wit: the right to have alcoholic beverages, upon claim it was made before the prohibition law became effective. Allegations and gossip have been flying for weeks that the wine was being retailed to bootleggers, but no confirmation of this has ever been made public. The Petards are French, and have lived in Jacksonville for ten years. According to their attorney, Herbert K. Hanna, "they kept to themselves pretty much, and practically lived on bread and wine." The Petards insist that their wine was used only for family purposes. In the cellar of the home was found, besides the wine, 24 empty barrels and 1000 empty bottles, besides other containers. After the legal action was taken, Petard was allowed to go on his own recognizance. Prohibition Officer Sandefer and aides, accompanied by Sheriff Terrill, visited the Petard home this forenoon. Medford Mail Tribune, May 1, 1924, page 1 Moonshiners, here's your chance of a lifetime--two 500-gallon and two 250-gallon redwood tanks will be sold at the courthouse tomorrow at ten o'clock by the sheriff at auction sale--the remains of the notorious Sams Valley distillery. Jacksonville Post, June 6, 1924, page 1 TO HOLD COURT AT EAGLE POINT
A novel procedure will begin Monday, June 30, when County Judge G. A.
Gardner will sit in judgment in the trial of a number of alleged
bootleggers at Eagle Point. A number of jurors will be drawn from the
circuit court jury list to try these cases, and as it is the first
instance, in this county at least, where the county judge has tried
cases except at the court house, the outcome will be watched with
interest.
If reports are half true Eagle Point has a number of "bad actors," speaking in terms of the prohibition law, and up to date neither the peace officers nor the courts have been able to cope with the situation. If Judge Gardner can remedy these conditions many people will be agreeably surprised. Medford Clarion,
June 20, 1924, page 1
THEN AND NOW
It
is actually amusing to see how hard some folks take their prohibition.
If a person speaks what most people think, they are said to be
"wet"--whatever that is.
In the "old days," folks who were thirsty and didn't care walked into the front door of the saloon and took their "setting up" exercises. The more timid ones used the back door. The thirsty, who had not the courage of their convictions, suffered their thirst at home, and "jined up" with the prohibitionists--as long as they had to deny themselves, they desired that others, less hypocritical than themselves, should be denied. The "result"--the country was voted dry. Now we have never favored liquor for any purpose, so we did not patronize the saloon before prohibition set in, nor the drugstore since. Neither do we experiment with raisins, etc. But the serious part of it all is that so many folks do. Of course, it is contrary to law, the same as we understand profanity to be--a fine comes along in the wake of the finding of booze, so a lot of folks profess to favor prohibition for the simple reason that they fear getting caught with the "goods." Children who would never have entered a saloon now open "Dad's" refrigerator and take a "shot" of poison. High school boys and girls, who never would have tasted the dirty poison dispensed by the saloon, now pour the drugstore brand of Jamaica Ginger into the "near beer" of the "soft drink" joint, and drink to their own damnation. Friends, you may call us "wet" if you wish. You may stop the paper if you do not like to read the truth. You may blind yourselves to the facts, but that does not change them materially. You may drink anything you wish, that is your business. If it kills you, you'll be dead a long time, but we cannot see any sense in "kidding" ourselves into thinking that the present brand of "prohibition" is a moral success. The Devil never had a better tool to work with than that "Jew-made" farce. Never before in the history of the United States was official corruption more rampant; never before was moral delinquency so prevalent, and yet this is the Utopia which prohibition promised. Social lists are now confined to "those who can be trusted," and the farce is kept up by the putrid efforts of paid lobbyists. Many folks who were ashamed to be seen in a saloon now get their daily dose of "rotgut" at home. Thus is American prohibition made a success. Now "curse" us if you want to, and break another "sacred law." Pacific Record Herald, Medford, June 26, 1924, page 3 ROSEY FORCED TO PURSUE HOOCH CAR
AT POINT OF GUN
One of the big surprises of their lives was met with Monday forenoon
when John M. Scott of Portland, assistant passenger traffic manager of
the Southern Pacific; A. S. Rosenbaum, district passenger and
freight
agent of the same railroad, and Judge Wm. Colvig of Medford were
driving in Rosenbaum's car between Anna Spring camp and the south
entrance of Crater national park, en route to Klamath Falls.They were discussing the probable effect of a bumblebee sting on a piece of steel plate, paying no attention to a car ahead of them in the distance. Suddenly a burly man with an ugly-looking revolver strapped about his body sprang out from the roadside and, halting them after exhibiting his badge, said: "I am a government officer after four bootleggers in that next car who are desperate Indians from the Klamath Reservation and will shoot as soon as I tackle them." "Drive and pass that car," tersely continued the officer who had commandeered Rosenbaum's car. Then he got into the car and repeated the command. "Did y-y-you say those men would sh-sh-oot?" inquired Rosie tremulously. "Yes, drive on and hurry." The Medford railroad man did as commanded and as his car passed that of the bootleggers the officer sprang out and brought the latter car to a halt with his gun, while Rosenbaum sped on for the south entrance as he, Scott and Colvig expected to dodge bullets every second. They finally looked around, and the last they saw of the officer and the bootleggers was one of the Indians handing over to the officer a bottle. That is all they know about the case. However, when the cars passed Judge Colvig gave the other car a good look and saw that one of the men in it was an Indian he had prosecuted forty years ago for being mixed up in a shooting affray when the Judge was prosecuting attorney of this district, which then comprised Klamath, Lakeview, Jackson and Josephine County. He regards the coincidence of Monday as rather remarkable. Medford Mail Tribune, August 19, 1924, page 8 SANDEFER'S CAR IS
RIDDLED BY LEAD IN RAID
The automobile driven by county prohibition enforcement agent Sam B.
Sandefer was badly riddled with bullets from a .45 automatic revolver
Wednesday night in an attempted arrest of bootleggers. A bullet sped
through the front of the car, and the hind tires were punctured by the
leaden pellets. The rear was showered with bullets. The official had a
close call.Prohibition Officer Target--Auto Body Bullet Punctured, Also Tires-- Identity of Assailants and Locality Kept Secret. Up to two o'clock this afternoon, no report of the affair had been made to the district attorney's or sheriff's office. Sandefer according to the garage employees, where he brought his car this morning for repairs, refused to say anything, except that he had been fired upon, when he surprised bootleggers he had been watching. He claimed he knew the names of his assailants, but refused to reveal their identity. He also refused to give the locality where the shooting occurred. Sandefer could not be located this afternoon for a verification or an account of the affair. Medford Mail Tribune, August 28, 1924, page 1 SANDEFER TELLS OF GUN FIGHT IN
SISKIYOUS
Sam B. Sandefer, county prohibition enforcement officer, gives the
following account of the gun battle early Thursday morning, on the
summit of the Siskiyous, in which members of his party narrowly escaped
death from a hail of bullets, and his automobile was riddled. The
firing party consisted of two, and possibly three, men.Dramatic Conclusion to Arrest of Bootleggers Delivering Moonshine--Youngest Gets Drop on Officer--Four in Arresting Party--Details of Fracas. According to the official, one of the bootleggers got the drop when he was in the act of putting the pair under arrest, emptied the moonshine, intended for delivery, and escaped in a fusillade of shots. "I received a tip Wednesday," said Sandefer, "that there was to be a delivery of moonshine, and with my daughter Francis, Clay Walker, and another man went to the Siskiyous near what is known as the Dinty Moore place, and waited. I stationed Clay down the road to watch. "In a little while a car appeared and stopped, and I parked mine nose to nose with it. A conversation followed in which the following sentences were spoken: 'We're a little bit late,' and 'Where is the kid?' I tried to get the two together, and seeing that they were too cute, I flashed my star and said: 'Boys, I want your booze, and you are under arrest.' "In the meantime, the youngest of the pair came up behind, and putting a revolver to my head, said: 'You're not going to pull anything like that.' "I replied, 'I guess you are right, brother.' "He then started to fumble with the two five-gallon kegs in the car and my daughter said, 'Papa, they're emptying out the moonshine." I knew it. I could hear it gurgle and hit the ground, but that did not interest me much. At this juncture the chap who had me covered ran for his car and I took to cover. They started their car, and after a short detour through the brush I reached mine and started to drive towards them. "I had gone no distance to speak of when a man bobbed up in front of the car and commanded, 'Halt.' Immediately he opened fire. When it began I shoved my daughter out of the car. One of the bullets passed through the seat and how it ever missed her I can't understand. I ran to a gravel pit and told her to stay there until I came for her. I could have opened fire on them from my cover, but I thought what is the use of telling anybody for a little moonshine. The pair then drove away, and we hunted for them until 2:15 o'clock. The shooting started at about 12:30 o'clock." Sandefer gave that during the proceedings he was more interested in the safety of his daughter than anything else, and that Clay Walker's pistol had something the matter with it. Another member of the party was in the back seat of the car. Seven bullets hit the car. Further developments in the case are scheduled. Medford Mail Tribune, August 29, 1924, page 1 SHINE EDWARDS CASE UP AGAIN ON
WEDNESDAY
John (Shine) Edwards, now residing in Klamath County, a former resident
of this city, Dale Smith and Hattie Smith, Frank McKay, and Mark and
Viola Kunz will enter pleas Wednesday to charges involving violations
of the prohibition law. All are out on bonds.The Edwards case has been pending since 1922, the Smiths are charged with possession and manufacture on West Second Street in this city; the Kunzes are charged with possession and manufacture on their place near Butte Falls; Pech is charged with possession and had his car confiscated, and McKay is charged with possession. In a roundup staged by the sheriff's office and federal prohibition authorities, four stills were seized in Jackson County last week. Next Monday in the justice court the preliminary bearing of George Neuber, charged with violation of the prohibition law, will be held. Neuber is at liberty on $1000 bonds. Elmer O. Peters, a youth, charged with forgery, will also enter a plea Wednesday. Medford Mail Tribune, September 16, 1924, page 8 GASOLINE SETTLES IT
A
writer in a metropolitan newspaper takes the position that gasoline has
forever settled the prohibition amendment, including the Volstead Act.
His logic is good in the light of the facts. There are more than fifteen million registered automobiles and motor trucks in the United States, one for every seven persons. Is there any sensible person who will admit that any one of these fifteen million drivers should be permitted to drink? We scarcely think so. The locomotive engineer, who under railroad rules and discipline of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers is not allowed to drink intoxicating liquor, was never under any greater strain than the man driving an automobile in city traffic or on [a] crowded country highway. He needs a cool head, a clear eye and a steady hand to protect not alone his own life, but the lives of those who ride with him. The power of the influence of public opinion is beginning to have its effect, because at least half of the people ride in automobiles, and they are demanding that drivers of machines shall abstain from strong drink. The influence for sobriety will grow with the development of the automobile, and it is already expressing itself in more stringent laws to punish drunken drivers. More and more judges are sending to jail men who are caught driving automobiles while intoxicated. Gasoline is undoubtedly going to settle the prohibition question for all time. Ashland Daily Tidings, November 18, 1924, page 2 NOT GUILTY IS
VERDICT RETURNED IN DAHACK CASE
The circuit court jury in the trial of
Everett Dahack of Eagle Point, charged with violation of the
prohibition laws, began its deliberations at 10 o'clock this morning,
and was still out at noon.
After 6 hours' deliberation
the jury in the Dahack case at 3 p.m. this afternoon returned a verdict
of not guilty.
The chief witness against Dahack was E. O. Bradley, who alleged that he purchased liquor from the defendant last July. A check given to Ernest Dahack, a brother of the defendant, was presented as evidence. Ernest said he remembered the check because Bradley had tendered payment for gasoline and groceries, "including more pigs feet than usual." From Dahack's testimony, it developed that Bradley was fond of them. Ernest could not remember the exact date he gave the check to Everett, and was pressed hard by Deputy Prosecutor Gaylord for a definite answer, who insisted upon one. Finally Ernest said: "I don't know for sure, but I gave it to Everett some time after I got it." Bradley in his testimony told of issuing the check and buying the rum and Attorney Kelly attempted to show a wide variance between his present testimony and what he said at the preliminary hearing. Bradley admitted taking a drink, but said he had reformed since, and interjected uncomplimentary remarks about the quality of the stimulants he alleges he bought. Bradley denied that the wound in the head, sustained during the war, made him irresponsible for what he said, but opined that the moonshine he imbibed would result in mental fogginess. The witness testified that he often wrote checks, with as "high as $100" in his pockets, but denied that he had told friends "that he didn't need to buy liquor because I am a good bootlegger myself, and have some buried on Ross Lane." Bradley said he never said it and did not know where Ross Lane was. A legal flurry ensued when Deputy Prosecutor Gaylord asserted that counsel for the defense "was fishing far afield." This aroused Attorney Kelly, who entered a denial that "I am either fishing, or in a field, and demand the withdrawal of the observation of learned counsel for the state." The court settled the uprising by ordering the case to proceed. Medford Mail Tribune, November 20, 1924, page 7 JURY ACQUITS EVERETT DAHACK
The jury in case of State of Oregon vs. Everett Dahack, after six hours
deliberation, brought in a verdict of "not guilty." E. E. Kelly
represented the defendant. The moral conviction of many who hear the
evidence was that the defendant had undoubtedly been trafficking in
moonshine, but the jury was unable to return a verdict of guilty on the
evidence. C. C. Gilchrist of Sams Valley signed the verdict as foreman.
Jackson County New, November 21, 1924, page 1 To the Editor: It appears in the press dispatches of the 13th inst. that Scribner & Sons have just published "a shorter Bible," from which are eliminated all references which seem to favor or uphold the use of wine. This new translation has been made by Prof. Charles Foster Kent, professor of Biblical literature at Yale, assisted by Frederick Harris of the Y.M.C.A. and Ethel Cutler of the Y.W.C.A. In the King James version, it is told that David dealt out "a cake of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine," but in this bible of the prohis the word wine is eliminated and "a cake of raisins" substituted, therefore, again, where Isaiah refers to the children of Israel as loving "flagons of wine at their festivals," it is made to read "and loves to eat raisin cakes at their festivals." This "shorter Bible," however, does not change the words of the King James version where it says "wine is a mocker--strong drink is turbulent" and in other instances where the sentiment expressed seems to accord with the views of these modern reformers. I have not seen this shorter bible, and I am at a loss to know just how it renders some of the statements of Holy Writ, as for instance Paul's advice to Timothy, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake" (1st Tim. 23) or "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts--Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." (Proverbs XXI:6-7). Shall we substitute "raisin cake" in these citations? In the first chapter of Esther it is stated that "the heart of the king was merry with wine." There is nothing wrong in being merry, but I wonder what effect "raisin cake" would have had on old Ahasuerus. The IX chapter of Genesis tells us that "Noah planted a vineyard, and he drank of the wine and was drunken." Here I judge there is no need of substituting raisin cake? I do not know where these eminent theologians got their authority to revise the Bible, and make it accord with their intemperate views--for it is written, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book * * * and if any man shall take away from the words of the book, God shall take away his part out of the book of life." (Rev. XXII-18-19). The entire chapter, telling of the miracle performed at the marriage feast of Cana--of turning water into wine--is omitted from this Volstead Bible. Now raisin cake is all right in its place, and the California boosters will rejoice at having their leading product advertised from the pulpits of the land in so signal a manner, but I submit that only a fanatic can appreciate such a bible. "Communications," Medford Mail Tribune, March 19, 1925, page 7 STILL IS RAIDED, AGED INVALID
ALLEGED OWNER
In a raid this morning by the sheriff's and district attorney's office
a 15-gallon still, 200 gallons of mash, and seven gallons of moonshine
were confiscated, and John Doe Sears, age 60, an invalid, is held as
the proprietor thereof. The still was located eight miles northeast of
Eagle Point, and was so cleverly hidden in the timber that it was hard
to detect.
When the raiding party arrived, Sears was in the act of building a fire for the day's run. According to the authorities Sears has been operating for several weeks, carrying his corn and sugar and other ingredients to the plant in small lots. A discarded tin boiler was found in the brush, near the still, and the authorities claim the bottom had been eaten out by the effects of the mash. The boiler in use was of copper. Sears will be arraigned for a preliminary hearing in the morning. Medford Mail Tribune, April
28, 1925, page 3
MOONSHINERS IN JAIL STAGE FIGHT,
GUARD DOUBLED
A special session of the grand jury was called this morning, to dispose
of liquor cases pending. It is expected to conclude the work by night.
The cases include those of Bill Short, alias Shannon, who held up
Sheriff Jennings and Federal Prohibition Officer McCredie, at the point
of a rifle, when caught with illicit liquor on his ranch in the
Applegate a week ago. Joe Palmer, a Los Angeles newsboy and preliminary
fighter, charged with driving away the auto holding the moonshine and
dumping the latter in a creek, and Garland, 14, and Agnes Reid, 19,
brother and sister, arrested on the Short ranch, charged with alleged
assistance in the making of the moonshine, are also held.
Tuffy Reid, who was hanged at San Quentin prison last spring, is said to have been a brother of Garland and Agnes Reid. The mother is detained in the county jail, at her own request, and with no charge against her. Another case is that of H. T. Stonebreaker, 19, an Ashland youth, charged with possession of a still in the Emigrant Creek district, with Jack DeRondon of this city and C. Conway of Ashland. According to the authorities, Stonebreaker and Conway engaged in a fight in the county jail, in which Conway sustained a broken nose. Bad feeling over information given the authorities is said to have been the cause of the row. As a precautionary measure since the incarceration of the above prisoners, two jailers are on duty at the county jail until their cases are disposed of. Medford Mail Tribune, September
3, 1925, page 6
VANILLA EXTRACT LEADS TO 60-DAY
JAIL SENTENCE
Because
of his badly inebriated condition on vanilla extract which caused his
car to go off the Pacific Highway three miles north of the city at
about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon and tilt in a dangerous angle in a
ditch, whereupon he went calmly to sleep inside the car, Francis Adair,
about 50 years old, an Ashland restaurant proprietor, was given a
sentence of 60 days in the county jail, a $100 fine and had his
driver's license revoked for one year in Justice Roe's court at
Jacksonville late yesterday afternoon.
The arrest was made by Allison Moulton, assistant district attorney, in his capacity as deputy sheriff, although Chief of Police Adams of this city was at the scene at the same time, but had no authority to make the arrest, being outside the city limits. It is seldom an intoxicated man is hauled into court while still under the Influence, but under the circumstances Mr. Moulton thought it wise to introduce an innovation. It seems that when Adair's car went into the ditch that individual deemed it a good time to curl up and go to sleep. Then a woman from the vicinity phoned in to the Medford police station that she had passed a man asleep or dead in a car along the highway. Thereupon Chief Adams drove hurriedly out to the scene and was just awakening Adair when along came Assistant District Attorney Moulton, who was driving home from Ashland. When thoroughly awakened by the two officials the befuddled Ashland man was at first inclined to be quite abusive and started to make wild claims as to his identity, at times claiming he was a Texas bad man, a United States marshal from Texas, even going so far as to pretend to search for his badge; and finally claiming to be a prominent citizen of Ashland. On him was found one full bottle of vanilla extract and an empty bottle of the same fluid. Adair was finally bundled into the assistant prosecutor's car and hurried over to Justice Roe's court at Jacksonville. En route he juggled a handful of $20 gold pieces and ever and anon proudly proclaimed that he was going to court to get a light fine. Medford Mail Tribune, October
9, 1925, page 3
STILL AND MASH SEIZED IN RAID IN
SAMS VALLEY
A 26-gallon moonshine still, 300 gallons of mash and 42
gallons of
moonshine whiskey were seized last night when federal prohibition
officer Clatous McCredie and state special officer T. A. Talent
arrested W. L. Blakeley on his ranch in the Sams Valley district. His
preliminary hearing was scheduled to take place this afternoon before
Judge Glenn O. Taylor.M. E. Blakeley Thought Officers Were Customers--Wife Ill in Hospital-- Had Complete Outfit, Officials Say. The still ish one of the largest that has over been seized in Jackson County and is complete in every detail, being of the latest design. The moonshine was "second run" product and tested 90 at a cold temperature. The mash was contained in six barrels sitting in the attic of the farm house, while the still was set up in an outbuilding near the house. The shed was divided into two compartments, one side of which contained the equipment and the other the finished product. The entire outfit, according to the district attorney's office, was clean. The place had been under surveillance of officers for some time past before the raid was made last night. Blakeley, thinking the officers to be customers, invited them into the house when they arrived and when apprised of their identity willingly told them where to find the contraband liquor and equipment, showing them where the mash, liquor and still were kept. At the time of his arrest Blakeley was operating the still, running "first run" moonshine through. He used a four-burner oil stove under a large dome-shaped copper boiler for the distilling of the spirits together with a "thumper," a device taking the place of the copper coil usually used. The 42 gallons in the store room were contained in 19 one-gallon jugs, two ten-gallon kegs and one three-gallon keg. Twenty gallons of the liquor were destroyed by the officers on the ground, and the remainder brought to Jacksonville, where Blakeley is now being held. The moonshine was not sold in retail lots, being sold in wholesale quantities to valley residents, it is said. The majority of his customers, Blakeley stated, lived in the central part of the valley. He also stated it had been his intention to quit the business at the first of the year, as by that time he believed he would have been remunerated enough to pay several outstanding debts. He recently purchased the farm with its large rambling farm house and had only eight days ago purchased a new Flint 40 touring car. On the land lay pipe, with which ho had planned to install a water system. Officers say that the moonshine odor was present on the road several hundred yards from the house, standing on a prominent knoll, isolated from other houses some distance away. Because of this isolation, Blakeley believed, it is said, to be safe from the law and free from suspicion. Yesterday afternoon Blakeley's wife was removed to the Sacred Heart Hospital suffering with pneumonia, contracted on the farm, and is said to be quite ill. The only son, William, was also arrested later in the evening on the highway by state traffic officer Talent for operating a motor vehicle under the legal age of 16, he being only 14. The boy was returning from the hospital where he had taken his mother. He was to have a hearing this afternoon also. The last large still to be seized in the county was taken in the same district two years ago when a 100-gallon still with several large tubs of mash was confiscated. Medford Mail Tribune, November
21, 1925, page 1
Approximately 80 gallons of moonshine were destroyed this afternoon at
the city dump with representatives of the district attorney's and
sheriff's offices and federal and state officers present. The liquor
was seized during the past summer and fall months and included one
seizure of 50 gallons.
The liquor destroyed is itemized as follows, with the names of the former owners: 60 gallons, Walter Dyreborg and John Bughner of Sacramento, Calif.; ten gallons moonshine and five gallons wine, O. Cataline and A. Vantura of Klamath Falls; 12 gallons, W. L. Blakeley, Sams Valley; one gallon, C. L. Spencer, Klamath Falls; three bottles moonshine, Claude McCormack, Seattle; one pint gin, F. L. Green, local; three quarts moonshine, D. P. Buckley, local; one quart, James Bell, local; one quart, Heath Childers, local; and one gallon, W. C. Barker, local. Each of the above violators have been disposed of through the district attorney's office. Prison and jail sentences were imposed and fines assessed, ranging from 30 days to five years and from $100 to $500. Three cars, as the result of the arrests, were confiscated by the state. Walter Dyreborg lost a large Studebaker, O. Cataline a Chalmers roadster, and W. C. Barker a Ford touring. Staff Special Officer T. A. Talent and Federal Officer Cletus McCredie, who took part in a majority of the arrests, were present at the liquor-destroying party, together with District Attorney Newton, C. Chaney, State Traffic Officer C. P. Talent, Sheriff Jennings and others. Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1925, page 3 HIGH SCHOOL LADS CAUGHT STEALING
CIDER WITH KICK
Hard cider has its drawbacks, especially when surreptitiously taken,
think four Ashland high school boys, arrested by local police Saturday
night at the Rogue River Valley Canning Company, where the boys had
appropriated five quarts of the beverage by bailing it from the large
vinegar tank, where the cider was fermenting. The four were severely
reprimanded by authorities this forenoon and given into the custody of
their parents.
The method of procedure used in taking the cider is simple, say police. The large cannery building is open and easily accessible to the nightly wanderings of daring and thrill-loving youths. The vinegar tank, located under an opening in the roof, afforded tempting opportunities to the boys to lower a pail into the several hundred gallons without resorting to burglary. The four were on the roof, according to officers, when they were apprehended with the small amount in their possession. This morning they were more or less remorse-stricken and seemed to be worried. It is said that hard cider thieving has been going on in the city spasmodically for some time past, but until last night, although careful watch has been kept, none of the perpetrators were ever caught. Police say lives were risked when the cider was taken, as it was an easy matter to slip from the roof into the tank. Medford Mail Tribune, January
25, 1926, page 8
Gold Hill Boys Escape Friday, Caught Saturday
"To evade arrest by running does not always serve the purpose desired,
so say two Gold Hill youths, Merritt Davis and Aurele Meunier, arrested
by State Special Agent T. A. Talent and Deputy Sheriff Lewis Jennings
Saturday evening for alleged possession and transportation of
moonshine, after they had evaded arrest the night before by speeding
away when called upon to halt by the officers on a lonely road near
Gold Hill.From Medford [Mail] Tribune "A Chevrolet touring car used in the alleged bootlegging operations has been confiscated. Davis was sentenced to sixty days in jail and fined $100 by Judge J. L. Roe at Jacksonville on his plea of guilty Monday, and Meunier was sentenced to three months and fined $500 on the first charge and to two months and no fine on the second. The two are accused by the officers of having three quarts of low-grade moonshine, a small amount of which the officers have for evidence, after it had been thrown out of the fleeing coupe Friday night. "Believing illicit liquor operations to be going on in the Galls Creek country adjacent to Gold Hill, Officer Talent and Sheriff Jennings watched the road Friday night. They noticed the Meunier car come off the Pacific Highway at Rock Point bridge onto the Galls Creek road that leads east from the south approach of the bridge. When seeing it return to the highway the officers stood in the center of the road and, flashing the light on their badges, hailed the car to stop. Instead of stopping, the coupe was turned out of the road to strike them, tracks, the officers say, proving this conclusively. The two officers then shot at the speeding car several times and chased it with their own. "The identity of the men driving the coupe was a mystery until Talent and Jennings searched through Gold Hill and found it parked near the Gold Hill cement factory, where Davis and Meunier work. The coupe was identified with a bullet mark on the back and the fact that splinters of glass from a window broken by a bullet still lay within. "Davis after a short time admitted his guilt, and through questioning it is said that Meunier practically did the same. He is alleged to have said: 'I'll do it again,' when asked about his intent of striking the officers with the car. And when told 'You know you'd have your neck cracked if you killed one of those boys,' he replied, 'Undoubtedly I would.' "When the liquor was thrown from the Meunier car a half-gallon fruit jar container is said to have broken, while a quart bottle failed to break, thus furnishing the evidence for the charges." Gold Hill News, February 4, 1926, page 1 More G.H. Boys Arrested by Drys
Edward E. Foster, 23, Everett Shoemaker, 19 and Chester Carter, 19,
residents of Gold Hill, were arrested early this week by Terry A.
Talent, Ralph Jennings and Clatous McCredie, on the A. Shoemaker ranch
on Galls Creek, a short distance from this town.A six-gallon-capacity still was found hidden in the brush, and 80 gallons of corn mash, say officers, were destroyed by the alleged still operators a short time before the arrival of the authorities. The mash was found in the chicken yard unmolested. The ranch owner, A. Shoemaker, an elderly man, was not placed under arrest, as the three younger men are said to have accepted all responsibility. The raid was the direct result of Aurele Meunier's and Merritt Davis' arrest Saturday, believed to have come from the Shoemaker place. The boys were returning from the ranch, say officers, with moonshine manufactured there when they evaded arrest by running Friday night of last week. The still was found thoroughly dismantled, and the mash barrels were scrubbed clean. The alleged operators claimed they were going out of business and had sold but little. However, it is believed the operations ceased because of fear caused by the two youths' arrest. When the officers arrived the three young men were all on the premises, in addition to Shoemaker and a daughter. Gold Hill News, February 4, 1926, page 1 Luke Jennings Had Sour Mash
Luke Jennings, about 45 years of age, well known in this vicinity and
in Medford, who for some time has been farming in Sams Valley, a former
bartender at Albany, Oregon, is in jail at Jacksonville on a charge of
possession of illicit prune mash following his arrest Friday. His ranch
is near Antioch. It is understood that he was sentenced to 60 days and
a heavy fine.A small quantity of moonshine is believed to have been destroyed by Jennings' housekeeper, Mrs. Jones, who saw the officers approaching the farm house from the main road. Although a thorough search was made, no still was found. The ranch house, located a mile and one-half from the Antioch store, has been farmed by Jennings for some time. The mash was found 20 feet from the farmhouse in a brick cellar, contained in one 50-gallon barrel and two 25-gallon crocks, and was in a fermenting condition. Following the arrest, about noon, the officers, who were Sheriff Jennings, Deputies Paul and Lewis Jennings, Clatous McCredie. and Terry Talent, spent the rest of the day traversing the expanse of the 300-acre farm in an attempt to locate a still. The emptying of the supply of liquor at the approach of the officers was supposed to have been accomplished by the housekeeper by pouring it into the pumping trough and flushing it away by pumping water briskly into the trough. The officers were forced to walk because of the muddy condition of the road to the house, thus giving the woman plenty of time to destroy the evidence of liquor possession. Two rifles, promptly taken by the Sheriff, were found in the house. Jennings, the farmer, showed no resistance when put under arrest. Gold Hill News, February 18, 1926, page 1 Mother, Son and Hired Man Held
Three Sams Valley residents were arrested and are being held on
prohibition charges. The raid and arrests were made on Thursday of last
week.Mrs. W. L. Blakely, wife of W. L. Blakely, now serving a 5-year sentence at Salem recently imposed for still operation, her son Lester, 14 years of age, and Kid McIntyre, 55, formerly of Lakeview, are the victims of a desire to violate the prohibition laws. A 15-gallon still, situated a quarter of a mile from the farmhouse, 80 gallons of corn mash, and five gallons of "moonshine" were confiscated by the raiding officers, who made the arrest at 9 o'clock at night. The product was of good quality, having been run through an up-to-date still, but was low in alcoholic content, testing but 55% according to officers. Mrs. Blakely and McIntyre, it is alleged, had perfected a retailing system. The officers, who were Special State Officer T. A. Talent, Federal Officer Clatous McCredie, State Traffic Officer C. P. Talent, Sheriff and Deputy Lewis Jennings, upon their arrival thoroughly searched the house and found one gallon of liquor and placed Mrs. Blakely and son under arrest for possession. Following this, relates Officer T. A. Talent, McIntyre came to the house apparently from the still, carrying another gallon, which he placed near the gate. When he came in, he was also arrested. A thorough search was made for firearms, but none were found, and the three prisoners were then brought to the county seat. The still was located the next morning situated in a specially constructed building, isolated from the other farm buildings. It was modern in every way, as far as stills go, and even had a pressure tank and was similar to the outfit Blakely himself had operated before his arrest a short time ago. The mother and son have confessed their part in the business and stated the product was being sold for $12 a gallon, six dollars of which were paid to McIntyre for making it. Mrs. Blakely declared it had been the plan to go to Salem next week to visit her incarcerated husband for a short time, thus breaking away from the illicit operations. The large Flint car, owned by her husband, was still in her possession, but she stated that it was to have been sold shortly. A mad dog, apparently a farm pet, had to be shot the next morning. It was found viciously biting trees and other articles near the still house and was frothing at the mouth. Officers declared the dog had eaten too much of the mash. When Mrs. Blakely and her son appeared before the county court; their case was taken under advisement to be decided later. McIntyre was bound over to the grand jury on a $3000 bond on a charge of setting up and operating a still. The accused is reported to have served two terms in penal institutes previously, according to officers, who state that he showed resistance when put under arrest Sunday. Mrs. Blakely and son declare McIntyre was operating the still on his own hook. The boy, who the authorities say is very clever, will probably be sent to the state training school on a petition of delinquency. He is alleged to have delivered the product from the still to the purchasers and upon the night of the arrest hurriedly put on his coat and hat upon the arrival of the officers, thinking they were purchasers, it is said. His mother is crippled, being afflicted with deformed hands. Gold Hill News, February 18, 1926, page 1 EX-DRY AIDE OF COUNTY IS FOUND
GUILTY
J. J. Carey, Convicted in Federal Court at Portland, Operated Here--Also Fugitive from Minnesota Reformatory-- Jury Tampering Charged.
PORTLAND, Ore., May 6.--(AP)--J. J. Snodgrass, alias J. J. Carey, alias
Jackson Streeter, former special dry enforcement officer in Jackson
County, was found guilty in federal court today on charges of obtaining
an automobile by representing himself to be a federal officer. It was
the second trial of Snodgrass on charges brought through Mrs. Blanche
L. Meeker of Medford. The jury in the first trial last winter disagreed.
Attorneys for Snodgrass obtained ten days in which to file a motion for a new trial. He is held in jail under a fugitive warrant which charges that he is an escapee from the St. Cloud, Minn., reformatory. Medford Mail Tribune, May
6, 1926, page 1
HIP POCKET RAID
AT EAGLE POINT
As a result of a concerted move by six
officers, seven arrests were made at Eagle Point Saturday night on
liquor transportation and possession charges. Six of the accused were
scheduled to have hearings today in the Jacksonville justice court,
while the seventh is to have a hearing next Wednesday.The largest quantity of alleged liquor found was a quart and that in the alleged possession of J. B. Rockwell and G. W. Rouse, of this city. Other quantities ranged from a pint down. H. Jeschke and A. V. Williams are at liberty on their own recognizance because of an alleged pint. Ivan Davis of Forest Creek is also at liberty on his own recognizance, as is Charles Jove of Butte Falls, who is scheduled to appear Wednesday. Officers taking part in the arrests were Sheriff Ralph Jennings and Deputies Paul and Lewis Jennings, State Special Agent T. A. Talent, State Prohibition Agent R. A. Young and jailer Ike Dunford. These officers completely covered the premises about the dance hall, thereby being able to keep watchful eye on all illicit activities about the scene. No arrests, it is understood, were made within the hall, all the alleged "wet goods" being cached or in cars outside. Medford Mail Tribune, May 10, 1926, page 6 2 ARRESTED FOR BOOTLEGGING IN
RURAL DISTRICTS
Medford Mail Tribune, June
28, 1926, page 6
Two more county residents were caught Saturday night in the net of
prohibition enforcement. Today Nye Mathews of Eagle Point was placed
under a $2000 bond when arraigned for sale and possession of moonshine,
while Chas. Wydenes of Central Point was sentenced to 60 days and fined
$500 on a possession charge. Mathews furnished bond and is scheduled to
enter a plea tomorrow afternoon before Judge Taylor. A third liquor law
violator was sentenced last Saturday.
A party of six officers placed the Eagle Point man under arrest while making an alleged delivery of three gallons of moonshine to a soldier near his home place four miles from Eagle Point. The farm was thoroughly searched, but nothing incriminating was found. The liquor, according to officers, tested 110 percent and sold at $15 per gallon. Coming to Central Point a short time later, Wydenes, a native of Holland, was arrested while making a gallon delivery to a soldier in the rear of a hotel there. The moonshine is said to have been the same brand as Mathews' alleged product, but sold for $25 per gallon. Wydenes is a sheep herder and has resided in and around Central Point for some time. James Neff, local truck driver, arrested by Special State Agent Terry Talent last week, shortly after selling a quart, pleaded guilty before Judge Taylor Saturday to sale and possession. He was sentenced to 30 days and fined $250 on a recommendation of leniency by the district attorney. EAGLE PT. YOUTH
IS FOUND GUILTY MOONSHINE SALE
Deliberating but 15 minutes, the jury in
the justice court trial in the city hall yesterday found Nye Mathews,
Eagle Point youth, guilty of moonshine sale. Sentence was scheduled to
be imposed today upon Mathews, who is at liberty under $1000 bond.The youth, only 18 years, was arrested last June near his home a short distance from Eagle Point, while making a sale of three gallons of moonshine, which was on exhibition at the trial in gallon jugs. Mathews is said to have received the money when the arrest was made by Special State Officer Terry Talent and others. The liquor, it is said, was sold to a soldier from Camp Jackson, where the Oregon National Guard held its annual encampment last June. He was brought to the local justice court a short time later, where he entered a plea of not guilty and released under bond. Mathews also has a similar charge awaiting him in circuit court, and indictment having been recently returned against him by the last grand jury. A recommendation was returned with the verdict yesterday, suggesting a light jail sentence and a heavy fine. the defense was represented by Attorneys Kelly and DeSouza and the state by District Attorney N. C. Chaney and Deputy C. D. Phillips. Medford Mail Tribune, July 30, 1926, page 7 ILLICIT LIQUOR SUPPLY BURNED AND
POURED OUT
No chance had those with unslaked thirsts, when late yesterday
afternoon in the neighborhood of 300 gallons of illicit liquor was
destroyed in a ravine a short distance from Jacksonville, in which city
it had been stored in the padded cell of the county jail for several
weeks awaiting destruction.
Some hopeful topers, it is said, had expected to see the rum run in a stream down an incline and to surreptitiously take small drinks while arms of the law were innocent of their actions. To ensure thorough destruction, the officers, of whom there were several in attendance, liberally applied matches to the moonshine- and whiskey-soaked wood and sacks, which once had protected the bottles and jugs. The material would hardly burn at first, related one sad-eyed witness today, until finally a good start was reached. The moonshine before its demise produced heat--clouds of it which went floating into a snow-threatening sky--heat that came from billowing alcohol-fed flames, which made warm all those who came to witness the ceremonies, and to make sure no stray pint bottle, of which there were over 300, did not escape a fate which was meted out to its fellows. Movies Taken.
Motion pictures of the prohibition "booze party" which was held at
Jacksonville yesterday were taken by Horace Bromley, Copco cameraman,
for future showing by the "Copco
Current Events" newsreel. Some good
"shots" were taken of the law enforcement officials in the act of
destroying the contraband liquor, which was contained in bottles, jugs
and kegs of every size and description. A fitting conclusion to the
film presented the "funeral pyre" of John Barleycorn, which was made up
of the cartons, sacks and other inflammable material in which the booze
containers were found. Instead of using kerosene to saturate the pile
in order to make it burn in the damp weather, the officers poured on
several gallons of moonshine, which served the purpose equally well.
Those who see the motion pictures of this unique "booze party" should
have no reason to doubt that the captured hooch was effectively and
efficiently destroyed.Medford Mail Tribune, December
14, 1926, page 3
BROTHERS JAILED
AS STILL OWNERS IN
RANCH RAID
Two brothers, V. L. and B. J. Hartman,
young ranchers of the Eagle Point district, are in the county jail
awaiting hearings on charges of setting up and operating a moonshine
still. They were arrested by Deputy Sheriff Lewis Jennings and other
officers late yesterday afternoon after they had been under
surveillance for a short time.V. L. Hartman, the youngest brother, who is 20 years of age, was placed under arrest on the ranch, situated along the Crater Lake Highway north of the Butte Falls road junction, while the older brother was arrested here. They claimed they had not been in the business long, having only used the still, which was found in the farmhouse, once before during the past several weeks and, according to officers, would have run off 50 gallons of corn mash tonight if the arrests had not been made. The 50 gallons would have made eight gallons of moonshine. The younger Hartman, who while at first denying running a still upon the arrival of the raiders, later told the officers the entire story, authorities alleged today. Speaking in a frank manner, he is alleged to have told how he operated last fall but shut down because of the number of other operators who were apprehended in that same district. The older brother, who is 22, when arrested here lost no time in confessing, it is said, telling officers that he cared not to see his kin take the entire blame for the still when he was half interested. The outfit is described as being capable of turning out high-grade product with the process of manufacture very slow due to the construction of the dome of the boiler, allowing a large share of the steam to condense and drop back into the mash. This caused a waste of steam, according to officials. A coil, a quantity of mash, several gallons of moonshine and the boiler were brought in with Hartman, who said last evening his moonshine had been bringing $12.50 a gallon by wholesale. Medford Mail Tribune, February 5, 1927, page 1 STILL AND MASH
SEIZED IN RAID AT TRAIL RANCH
Arrested this forenoon at 11
o'clock, Monte Venham, 51, a rancher residing less than a
mile from the first bridge over Rogue River on the Crater Lake Highway
this side of Trail, is in the county jail facing charges of setting up
and operating a moonshine still, which officers allege they found in
the upper story of Venham's home.In addition to a small quantity of moonshine, 200 gallons of corn mash were seized by the four raiding deputy sheriffs, Oscar Dunford, Paul Jennings, Lewis Jennings and J. H. Leggitt, who brought the accused man and evidence to the county jail this afternoon. Venham has a wife and a six-year-old granddaughter and is believed to have been using the still for some time. According to officers, he readily confessed. His alleged equipment is regarded as being somewhat over the average used in moonshine distillation. Medford Mail Tribune, February 26, 1927, page 1 MOONSHINE PAIR
GET YEAR TERM IN
PENITENTIARY
Swift justice is demonstrated in the
arrest of Monte Venham, 51-year-old Trail rancher, last Wednesday for
operating a moonshine still and who yesterday was indicted and
sentenced to one year in the state penitentiary when he entered a plea
of guilty to the charge. Three other true bills were returned by the
grand jury and two of the three defendants entered pleas of guilty and
were sentenced, while the case of the third, because of extenuating
circumstances, was dismissed.Venham, a Southern Oregon resident for a number of years, was arrested when officers raided his ranch a short distance from the concrete bridge over the Rogue River this side of Trail. V. L. Hardman, who was arrested February 4 on a setting up and operating charge, pleaded guilty on his indictment, was sentenced to one year in the state penitentiary, while C. J. Hartman, who was also indicted on the same charge, was dismissed. His arrest did not take place when officers arrested his brother, V. L., at his ranch north of Eagle Point, but was apprehended in Medford. Eddie O'Malley, a transient youth apprehended for the theft of a car at Ashland, was sentenced to two years when he pleaded guilty. No other business came before the jury, which was called to dispose of the four cases that were on hand, making it possible for the county to save board bills in having the sentenced men moved to the state penal institution. Medford Mail Tribune, February 26, 1927, page 3 FORNCROOK OUT AS DRY AIDE
Concerning a former well-known deputy
sheriff of Jackson County and resident of Medford, the Klamath News says:"Len Forncrook, for the past year connected with the county prohibition department, with a state commission, left Klamath Falls the early part of the week for Medford, severing connections with the local prohi headquarters. "Through action taken by District Attorney William Duncan, the entire work of the county prohi department is now under the jurisdiction of the sheriff's office, with the usual three-fourths prohi funds, maintained through the district attorney's office. "Cutting down on county expenses in all possible departments under his office is the reason given for the dismissal of the county employee." Medford Mail Tribune, March 3, 1927, page 5 BOYS DRUNK ON STOLEN CIDER
Complaints have been brought to the attention of the police department
during the past winter in regard to youths stealing cider, which is
turning into vinegar in a large open vat in a cannery on South Front
Street, and becoming intoxicated as a result of drinking the
distasteful beverage, which is obtained by lowering small buckets into
the vat from an opening in the roof which is easily reached.Several youths were found last evening in an inebriated condition and were scheduled to come before Chief of Police McCredie today. Medford Mail Tribune, March 11, 1927, page 8 ILLICIT LIQUOR IS POURED INTO
JACKSON CREEK
Approximately 400 gallons of contraband liquor, seized by county and
state officers during the past several months and valued at more than
$4000, was destroyed yesterday forenoon when dumped into Jackson Creek
a mile or so this side of Jacksonville. The destruction of this lot
took away every keg, jug and bottle which had been stored in the county
jail, which as a result is now somewhat less crowded.
Moonshine had the heaviest loss with the destruction of 19 ten-gallon kegs, and one 20-gallon keg, while pure grain alcohol was next with 14 one-gallon and 14 five-gallon containers. Sixteen cases of gin, with 12 quarts to a case, and a sack and one-half of gin were destroyed in addition to 12 miscellaneous bottles of wine and moonshine. The destruction, which was in charge of Deputy District Attorney George Neilson and Deputy Sheriffs Ike Dunford and Lewis Jennings, took more than two hours and a half. Medford Mail Tribune, April
4, 1927, page 3
YELLOW CAB RUSE USED TO SNARE DRY
VIOLATORS
The announcement given out in apparent good faith some time ago by a
man who, it is since thought, was a non-resident state or federal
prohibition law enforcement officer, that the well-known Pacific Coast
concern, the Yellow Taxi Cab Company, would establish a branch of its
business in Medford, operating four cabs, was apparently a ruse adopted
by this operative to enable him to round up some local liquor law
violators.
Anyhow, operation of the Medford branch was not begun this week as forecasted by the operative, and the rumor has been general for weeks past about the city that it never will be begun, because of the alleged ruse having been successful in apprehending a number of local youths on bootlegging and liquor possession charges. The boys, who fell for the hoax perpetrated by the sleuth hound operative, were "hired" it is said by the latter as drivers for the mythical bus line branch and were then later implicated in a booze roundup and given fines and short jail sentences. Medford Mail Tribune, May 3, 1927, page 2 DERBY RANCHER
SEIZED IN RAID AS STILL OWNER
Following a number of attempts to
apprehend him during the past several months, Harry Scott, a
35-year-old Derby rancher, was arrested last night and was scheduled to
have a hearing in the Jacksonville justice court this afternoon on
charges of setting up and operating moonshine stills. Two stills, five
gallons of alleged moonshine and seven barrels of corn mash were seized
by the raiding officers, who included Deputy Sheriffs Lewis and Paul
Jennings and J. H. Leggitt, State Traffic Officer J. J. McMahon and
City Officer Joe Cave.The stills are both of the five- to eight-gallon size, capable of running approximately five gallons each per day. One, according to the sheriff's office, was located 10 feet from the house in a woodshed, while the other was located approximately 100 feet away in a clump of willow bushes. Scott is said to have told officers that the moonshine produced by his equipment was "the best in the country," and that he had been operating since November. Medford Mail Tribune, May 19, 1927, page 3 POLICE TO DUMP BOOZE SEIZURES
A "wet party" was scheduled to take place this afternoon at the police
station with the destruction of numerous bottles, jugs and jars of
moonshine whiskey, gin, home brew, wine, rum and white
mule,
all of which was confiscated by the police department during the past
year or less. The supply was to be poured out of the bottles near the
station with witnesses present to see that the destruction is complete.
A considerable share of the liquor was taken in small quantities such
as pints and half pints. However, 17 quarts of Gordon gin is included
in the lot, in addition to a four-gallon keg of moonshine.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 25, 1927, page 3 NINE ARRESTED IN COUNTY UPON
BOOZE CHARGES
A wholesale cleanup of alleged
bootleggers, which
commenced Friday night with the arrest of Pat Padelford, local boxer,
on
a moonshine sale charge, ended late yesterday afternoon after nine
arrests had been made in Medford, Eagle Point and Butte Falls, under
the direction of the sheriff's office. The nine will probably be given
hearings in Judge Taylor's court tomorrow on moonshine sale and
possession charges.Padelford, F. Starboard and T. DeVinney were arrested Friday evening on sale charges, and yesterday at noon Wallace and Geo. Rigsby were arrested by attaches of the sheriff's office two miles above Butte Falls on sale charges. A crude still, one of the crudest ever captured by officers in Jackson County, was seized as property of the Rigsby brothers. A little later yesterday afternoon, Hillery W. Todd of Indian Creek, some distance above Eagle Point on the Crater Lake Highway, was arrested on a possession charge, having a keg with a quantity of alleged moonshine and a quantity of alleged mash, which officers say had been used for the distillation of moonshine. Joe Mayham was arrested in Eagle Point on a sale charge and Bert DeWolf, who was arrested this month last year on a moonshine charge, was apprehended yesterday afternoon on another sale charge. He has a family of several children. The party of arresting officers was composed of Deputy Sheriffs Lewis Jennings, Paul Jennings, Oscar Dunford and J. H. Leggitt and officer Cave. The arrests they made yesterday are expected to tend to give Medford an exceptionally dry Christmas and holiday season. Medford Mail Tribune, December 18, 1927, page 8 EAGLE P. RANCHER HELD WHEN STILL
FOUND ON PLACE
Being so
well hidden that officials failed to locate
it on the first search, despite determined efforts, a complete
moonshine still was found yesterday afternoon on the second search of
the Ralph Dunlap ranch near Eagle Point by attaches of the
sheriff's office and the state prohibition department. Dunlap was
scheduled to have hearing this afternoon in Judge Taylor's court,
where five bootleggers entered pleas of guilty yesterday afternoon and
were given sentences and fines.The Dunlap ranch was visited last week by a raiding party of officers who passed within 20 feet of the still and failed to see it. Dunlap was on the place and invited the officers to return at any time for another search. The invitation was accepted and the officers looked for some time yesterday afternoon until they found the still, which had been dismantled and pieces of which were scattered about the place. Twenty-five gallons of alleged mash was found in a barrel, which was hidden in a rock pile some distance above the small Dunlap ranch house, which faces the Crater Lake Highway. A short time later the still was found. A 24-foot copper coil, the longest ever captured in Jackson county, was located hanging high in a tree, and other pieces were found hidden in scattered spots. Dunlap claims that he does not own the outfit, and it is probable that he will enter a plea of not guilty. He had been living on the place for the past three weeks, having moved down from Prospect, where he had been employed. He has a wife and a child. The raid was made by Deputy Sheriffs Paul and Lewis Jennings and State Agent Dudley. Medford Mail Tribune, December 20, 1927, page 5 TALENT CAPTURES TRAIL RANCHER AND
MOONSHINE
When given
a hearing in Gold Hill justice court
yesterday on a moonshine possession charge, following his arrest
Saturday night by federal officer Terry Talent near Ashland, Boyd
Miller of Trail was fined $250. A 1921 model Dodge touring car, the
ninth to have been seized in the county during the past month by
officer Talent, will be confiscated by the government.The arrest was made by the officer at midnight when he stopped to assist Miller in repairing a stubborn motor, which refused to function. The officer found 10 gallons of moonshine in the machine and placed Miller under arrest along with Ralph Goedker of Trail, who was with Miller. No disposition has been made of Goedker's case. Medford Mail Tribune, December 28, 1927, page 3 TALENT CAPTURES TRAIL RANCHER AND
MOONSHINE
When given
a hearing in Gold Hill justice court
yesterday on a moonshine possession charge, following his arrest
Saturday night by federal officer Terry Talent near Ashland, Boyd
Miller of Trail was fined $250. A 1921 model Dodge touring car, the
ninth to have been seized in the county during the past month by
officer Talent, will be confiscated by the government.The arrest was made by the officer at midnight when he stopped to assist Miller in repairing a stubborn motor, which refused to function. The officer found 10 gallons of moonshine in the machine and placed Miller under arrest along with Ralph Goedker of Trail, who was with Miller. No disposition has been made of Goedker's case. Medford Mail Tribune, December 28, 1927, page 3 BOOTLEGGERS IN COUNTY PAY WAY
Cost of Enforcement and Profit to County Made by Fines
That
bootlegging in Jackson County not only paid its own costs of
enforcement, but made the county a neat profit was revealed last night
when District Attorney Newtown C. Chaney, who administers prohibition
affairs in Jackson County, turned over $1,837.30 to the county general
fund.
Still left in the county prohibition fund was $2,000, and the state had claimed a goodly portion of bootleg fines. Under the Oregon law, the state gets half the county fines until $50,000 is reached. The county then gets all its fines. Two thousand dollars is kept in the county dry law war chest, while all over that amount goes into the general fund, helping reduce taxes. Steadily decreasing cost of enforcement was given by Mr. Chaney as the reason for the amount turned over to the general fund. Enforcing the dry law cost the county a huge amount during the days of County Administrator Sandefer. In 1925, $51.61 profit was turned over to the general fund. Last year it was $71.61. Medford Daily News, January 1, 1928, page 1 DRY AIDE CHASING YOUTH ON BOOZE
CHARGE, TOPPLED
Medford
Mail Tribune, February 15, 1928, page 3
Federal agent Terry Talent narrowly escaped serious injury late
yesterday afternoon on South Bartlett Street in the performance of his
duty while pursuing an alleged bootlegger, Clifford Moore, 20, who
tripped the officer by suddenly falling on "all fours" in front of his
path, causing the officer to fall heavily on his left arm, spraining
the wrist, and to fall on his left leg, badly skinning the knee. Moore
was finally caught near the Shell service station on Eighth Street and
was today awaiting a hearing in the Jacksonville justice court on a
charge of moonshine possession.
Moore had been under the surveillance of local officers for some time and yesterday afternoon was seen by policeman Joe Cave, deputy sheriff Louis Jennings and officer Talent carrying a package under his arm while Moore was walking on East Main Street near the Palmer Music House. The officers, according to agent Talent, waited until Moore turned down South Bartlett Street and then commanded him to stop. Instead of stopping, Moore began to run, with officers Jennings and Talent close behind, and when Moore reached an alley in the rear of the music building, according to the officers, he threw the package, which contained a gallon jug of alleged moonshine, on the pavement and ran faster. When Moore reached the Sanderson Motor Company building he suddenly crouched down, taking Talent so by surprise that that officer fell in a heap, after falling on his arm and knee and badly tearing his uniform. Moore then crossed Bartlett Street, according to the story told, and crossed Eighth, with both officers, Jennings and Talent, the latter having picked himself up in a remarkably short time, close behind. On the other side of Eighth Street, Moore again attempted to trip Talent by crouching down, but this time his plan failed to work as perfectly, though officer Talent was forced to fall over Moore again. However, this time the officer had not been running as fast and was prepared for the fugitive's tactic, which was reversed as the officer fell directly on top of Moore, who then surrendered. The chase attracted considerable attention from motorists and pedestrians, and a large number witnessed the race, which might have been longer had not Moore attempted his tripping stunt the second time. Officer Talent was limping badly today as a result of the skinned knee, and his left wrist was swollen far over its normal size as the result of having fallen on the hard sidewalk. Officer Talent said today that Moore was the same person who escaped arrest from Sheriff Ralph Jennings last fall when that officer attempted to apprehend him in the southern part of the city. In that chase, while running, Sheriff Jennings fell and broke his arm near the shoulder, incapacitating him for several weeks. This is not Clifford (Racy) Moore, high school honor student and football star. WOMAN ARRESTED ON RUM CHARGE;
HOME IS RAIDED
Mrs. Goldie Dunlap is in the county jail today charged with the
possession and sale of alleged moonshine, following her arrest last
night at 9 o'clock when federal officers Terry Talent and C. A. Herr
and policemen William Peck and Ray Sloneker raided her home at 322
North Oakdale Avenue, where they also arrested Vernon Williams of
Medford for possession and George Siever and Kenneth Wattenberg, both
of this city, for intoxication.Mistaken identity played a large part in the woman's arrest, inasmuch as she invited officer Talent into her house when he knocked at the door, not knowing at that time who he was. According to his story, officer Talent walked in and found his way immediately to a sink where three quarts of alleged moonshine were standing in several containers. He placed Mrs. Dunlap immediately under arrest, and other officers arrested Siever and Wattenberg for intoxication and placed Williams under arrest for the possession of one quart of alleged moonshine. Officers say that nine men were in the place, and all had apparently been drinking. Five serving glasses were seized by the raiding party in addition to the liquor. The Dunlap home had been under surveillance for some time by authorities, to whom a number of complaints had been brought in connection with alleged liquor selling that was said to have been carried on there. Mrs. Dunlap was to have been given a hearing today in the local justice court, where Williams, Wattenberg and Siever were also scheduled to appear. Medford Mail Tribune, April 30, 1928, page 3 LOCAL RESIDENTS AWAIT HEARINGS ON
RUM CHARGE
Pete Allen and George Edwards, two local residents, are in the county
jail and were scheduled to have hearings in Judge Taylor's court today
on charges of possession and transportation of moonshine, following
their arrest early this morning near Ashland by Deputy Sheriff Lewis
Jennings and night policeman Moon of Ashland. The officers were forced
to chase Allen and Edwards for nearly ten miles before the arrests were
made.A large Studebaker touring car which the pair were driving will be confiscated. In this car, the officers allege, Allen and Edwards were bringing a cargo of moonshine to this city for the local trade. Officers also allege that the pair had been in the moonshine business for some time and were en route from some California point when the chase commenced near the Kingsbury Soda Springs, with the officers close behind but unable to stop the fleeing pair, who apparently drove their machine at full speed. In an attempt to destroy evidence, several gallon jugs of alleged moonshine and numerous pint bottles were thrown from the fleeing car, but the officers, following the arrests, located a one-gallon jug and eight pints of alleged moonshine, which will be brought into court as evidence. A pint of moonshine was also found in the machine when it was finally stopped hear the southern city limits of Ashland. Last night's capture is the first booze-running car to have been seized in Jackson County for several months and is the second one this year. Medford Mail Tribune, May 10, 1928, page 3 Wilkie Issues Statement
To
the Editor:
Replying to your editorial last night, abusing me and congratulating Chaney, I want to say that Chaney and I were over at Lakeview, Ore., at the same time in 1922 or 1923. And he was an applicant there for an "undercover" job, which I was informed--and I know he has done undercover work elsewhere. I am a cripple and unable to do hard manual labor and was compelled to do this work at times to support my wife and family. Chaney has no such excuse. I was brought to this trial against my will and was threatened nearly every day before the trial by officers, attorneys and other friends of Chaney weeks before the trial, and in Medford my wife and self were insulted and bullied by officer friends of Chaney and finally arrested and jailed on a fake charge which was advertised to the jury to help Chaney. My past record of way back may be had, but I supposed it was Chaney who was on trial and not me. Two stool pigeons testified. One had no interest and was under all sorts of threats; the other had every interest and motive. The jury apparently believed the man with the greatest reason to lie. Remus was also acquitted. Do you have any idea that Chaney, wise as he is about stool pigeons and their work, paid me over $500 for twelve days' work? God knows, I hate a stool pigeon now, and always have, but did do it in my past--but never again. I can truthfully say that I never planted on no one, but was asked to do so in Medford in 1926. It is a low, rotten job. With a lot of local stools in Medford, why pick on a cripple and leave these healthy crooks out of it? During the time I worked in Medford I had my both eyes open and can say prohibition here is aimed at the poor and those without pull. Think it over and recall, if you can, any prosecution against prominent citizens under Chaney that was not whitewashed. W.
M. WILKIE.
Medford,
May 19.Medford Mail Tribune, May 19, 1928, page 4 GUNPLAY IN RAID ON MOONSHINER BUT
NO ONE SHOT
Nye
Matthews of Eagle Point is in
the county jail today awaiting a hearing on a charge of moonshine mash
possession, following his arrest last night by Sheriff Ralph Jennings
and Deputies Oscar Dunford, Joe Cave and Frank Wright. Matthews had
been under surveillance of officers for months and served a term in the
county jail last year on a liquor charge.The Matthews ranch is located three or four miles north of Eagle Point on the Crater Lake Highway. The 300 gallons of alleged moonshine mash, a pressure tank and a portion of a still were found by the officers a mile or so from the house in thick underbrush. While scouting in the darkness, Deputy Wright came upon Matthews, who at the point of a gun made his escape from the officer, telling him not to move or he would shoot. However, officers found their man a short time later at the ranch house, where he was arrested and brought to the county jail. Medford Mail Tribune, June 22, 1928, page 4 NYE MATTHEWS DENIES CHARGES
The
preliminary hearing for Nye
Matthews, who was arrested last Thursday evening in the Eagle Point
district for the alleged possession of 300 gallons of moonshine mash, a
pressure tank and a "still" part, will be held in the local
justice court next Monday afternoon. Matthews, who was arrested by the
officers after the contraband was seized, maintains that he had nothing
to do with its possession and knows nothing about it. He was arrested
in the neighborhood of five miles from the scene of the seizure. It is
probable that the case will go to a jury to trial.Medford Mail Tribune, June 23, 1928, page 3 ALLEGED LOCAL BEER MAKERS IN CITY
ARRESTED
A. B. Henderson and Francis Woodberry are in the county jail awaiting
hearings today on charges of homebrew possession, following their
arrest last night on Alder Street, where over 300 bottles of alleged
beer were seized by the raiding officers, who included federal officers
Terry Talent and Worden, deputy sheriffs Louis and Paul Jennings and
policemen Clatous McCredie and William Peck.
Henderson and Woodberry claim they were making the beer for private consumption and were not selling it. However, officers claim that the two men were in the beer-selling business, inasmuch as two of them, Talent and Worden, had placed an order for a case of beer last week. The homebrew was contained in 17 cases and is said to have sold around nine dollars a case. Medford Mail Tribune, July 31, 1928, page 2 LIQUOR RAID IN CITY THURSDAY,
FOUR ARRESTED
Federal officers Terry Talent and Clarence Worden, assisted by deputy
sheriff Paul Jennings and state prohibition agent Ackerman, made a
booze raid here yesterday afternoon, and the four prisoners taken in
that raid were to be given a hearing this afternoon before Justice of
the Peace Roberts in Ashland.
Three of the four men, W. R. Turpin, Eddie Wyatt and W. A. Collins, were arrested on North Central Avenue with 14 pints of moonshine in their car. When the officers appeared Wyatt leaped from the car and attempted to escape, but was captured by Worden, the federal officer, after a struggle. After taking the three men to the jail the raiding officers went to the house at 303 Beatty Street, where the prisoners resided, and there found G. R. Cavin, who was also arrested, and it is alleged a still outfit, including kegs, jugs, hose, coloring and labels. In Justice Roberts' court yesterday afternoon at Ashland J. B. Higley of Medford on his plea of guilty to possession and transportation was sentenced to pay a $500 fine and to spend 60 days in jail, and Mrs. Louise Sargent, driver of the car loaded with booze when it was intercepted last Wednesday night near Talent by federal officers Talent and Worden, was sentenced to a fine of $200, which she was unable to pay, and hence was remanded to the county jail. Medford Mail Tribune, August 3, 1928, page 5 LOCAL RUM RING BELIEVED BROKEN,
ASHLAND ARRESTS
The arrest of nine alleged leaders in what is said to be one of the
best-organized rum rings ever operated in Jackson County was effected
today by federal officer Terry Talent, assisted by the local sheriff's
office.C. A. (Blackie) White, known to enforcement officers here as the local bootleg king, was taken in Ashland, along with his associates Carroll Brown, Ruth Taylor, Mrs. Tina Martinez and Ted Brown, Portland wrestler. The first arrest was made at seven o'clock this morning when Tom Ulsted, alleged member of the ring, was intercepted as he was making a five-gallon delivery to a local auto camp. His car was seized by the officers, after which they proceeded to Ashland. There they arrested Blackie White and the other four who were found at the Fairview rooming house, which has been under surveillance for some time. That a quantity of moonshine whiskey and other intoxicating beverages as well as serving glasses and other paraphernalia were found and seized was also stated by federal officer Talent. Following the arrest of the alleged Blackie White ring, the officers took into custody Jim Fitzgibbons, ex-night clerk of the Hotel Nash, who is charged with sales and possession; Mary Winkler, landlady of the Johnson rooms; J. A. Rose, of North Ninth Street, both of whom are also charged with sale and possession. The hearings of all the defendants will be held the first of the week. Whether abatement proceedings will be placed against the Fairview rooming house at Ashland or not has not been decided, according to officer Talent. Officers who assisted in the arrests today are: Terry Talent and Carleton Staley, the only federal men; deputy sheriff Paul Jennings, Joe Cave and Bill Peck. Medford Mail Tribune, October 20, 1928, page 2 OFFICERS ARREST STILL OPERATOR
A raid made by the authorities at 8 o'clock last night on the upstairs
portion of a house at 229 Apple Street, which G. R. Mackey, 35, had
rented for some time past of a Mrs. McGarvey, disclosed a 20-gallon
wash boiler still in Mackey's upstairs portion. Six gallons of very
low-grade finished whiskey--in fact poisonous stuff, the officers
say--was also found with 100 gallons of grain mash consisting of wheat,
oats and barley, and five gallons of strawberry wine. Mackey was placed
under arrest and confined in the county jail to await hearing on a
still possession charge.The raid was made by Terry Talent, federal prohibition officer, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Louis Jennings and officers Ray Sloneker, Joe Cave and George Prescott of the city police force. It is not known by the officers just how long Mackey had operated the still, as they allege, but from the fact that he seemed to be a gentleman of leisure with plenty of money and no employment he had been under surveillance for some time past, they say. Medford Mail Tribune, November 18, 1928, page 8 RAID OPEN HOUSE NETS GIN SUPPLY
Netting one of the biggest liquor hauls of the year in Medford, members
of the police department and sheriff's office last night at 8:45
o'clock arrested Ray Campbell and J. B. Johnson at 413 Benson Street,
seized 21½ gallons of moonshine, 7½ gallons of
gin, 7 gallons of
alcohol and bottling equipment. The two men, who are believed to have
been in alleged liquor traffic for several weeks, will be given
hearings tomorrow in the local justice court.The offices had little trouble in making the raid, being practically invited to enter upon arriving at the house, where the officers found a large demijohn filled with five gallons of gin, for which the men told the police they had been receiving $40 per case, with one gallon of alcohol along with water and juniper making a case. Johnson and Campbell declared they had been here only two days, but several empty alcohol containers indicated they had been here for at least two weeks, according to officers, who also found four dozen empty gin bottles, a capper and a supply of labels. Medford Mail Tribune, November 25, 1928, page 3 MOONSHINE STILL FOUND YESTERDAY
Jefferson Lindsay, 56, arrested last evening by federal and county
officers for the possession of two moonshine stills and mash in the
Dodge bridge district this side of Trail, was scheduled to have a
hearing this afternoon in the local justice court. Lindsay is believed
to have operated for the past year and had a cleverly concealed outfit,
using a cellar for the main portion of his equipment. One still was a small affair and the other was of a 40-gallon capacity and had recently been in operation. Two gallons of alleged moonshine and 100 gallons of alleged mash were found on the premises. Medford Mail Tribune, December 5, 1928, page 3 TWO GIVEN HEARING MOONSHINE CHARGE
Accused of
the possession of a moonshine still,
seized a short time ago when Jefferson Lindsay was arrested near the
Dodge bridge, Ted Smith and Al Gotcen of Eagle Point were given a
hearing in Judge Taylor's court this afternoon, when bail of each
was set at $500. Smith was arrested on a game violation charge
yesterday by Deputy Game Warden Roy Parr and Gotcen was arrested last
evening when he called at the county jail to visit Smith.Medford Mail Tribune, December 11, 1928, page 5  A
moonshine still somewhere in Appalachia circa 1930.
BOOZE TRAFFIC STILL ACTIVE IN CITY
Number of Dealers Greater Than in "Wet" Days VOLUME OF SALES SMALLER, HOWEVER Hootch Much Rarer Here Than in Days of Saloons Legal Red Tape Is Bar to Rigid Dry Law Enforcement
On the last day of legalized selling of liquor in
Medford--away back in 1916 [the
last day was December 31, 1915],
when manufacture, sale or importation of liquor into Oregon was
prohibited by state law--witnessed the closing of 14 places where
liquor had been legally sold. In the county there were no distilleries
and two breweries.
Now, according to those who are charged with seeing that no alcoholic drinks are sold, there are many more places where alcoholic drinks can be obtained than there were prior to the enactment of the Oregon dry amendment. There are many times more distilleries and many more breweries--to say nothing of the homemade apparatus for making beer and wine for family consumption. The only trouble is to prove it. In this city--long known as a home-loving community, exemplifying the law-abiding calmness of Oregon--the local resident who can't chase up at least a pint of liquor in an hour is an inexperienced about-towner indeed. Even a novice can purchase the wherewithal of becoming drunk by walking into any drug store and almost any pool hall--and do it in a legal manner. All he has to do is ask for one of many "tonics" manufactured and sold under government permit. Some consist of alcoholic bitters and some of high-powered wine with a taste slightly spoiled by beer extract. Traffic Is Steady
It is with
the illegal liquor
business, however, that county and city officers are most concerned.
Although public drunkenness is rare in Medford, officials are quite
aware that selling--of liquor ranging all the way from beer to grain
alcohol--is going on steadily, and that there are more people engaged
in the business than when it was a legal occupation.They can even estimate fairly accurately how many people are engaged in the booze traffic in Medford. Counting the hip pocket pikers, there are from 24 to 30 bootleggers in Medford. The estimate of illicit distilleries in Jackson County is about eight. In addition, it is common sense to believe that more than one person is running in liquor--meaning grain alcohol, "bonded" goods and moonshine--into the county for wholesale delivery or delivery to a local list of consumers. Volume Is Less
Of course,
Medford is much bigger
than it was in 1916, and your liquor dealer of today probably sells
less in a week than a bartender did in a day, but the fact remains
that, state and national laws to the contrary, booze is still being
made and sold.There is no "wild night life" here. There are no "gilded dens of vice and pleasure." There are no institutions that encourage flaming youth to strut itself and flame the limit. A home-loving, industrious, progressive city of 100 percent Americans is Medford. The average citizen is pictured as the type that sits at home evenings and reads comfortably of the sins of New York and Chicago before going to bed at the locally conventional hour of 10:00 p.m. There must be, however, a small population that imbibes steadily, or else a rather large population that drinks occasionally, for booze sales are not uncommon. Before 1916, breweries made beer, wineries made wine and distilleries made stronger drinks, on the same standardized basis that Henry Ford makes cars. Methods Trifle Crude
Today,
some of the methods need to
produce alcoholic drinks would startle the old-time manufacturers, to
say the least.The conventional outfit captured in Jackson County is a copper vat and worm, heated by a gasoline plate set under the "can" and connected with a pressure tank. Corn meal forms the basis for mash. Some of the "cans" are big and clean. Some are made of wash boilers [omission] and green with filth. One still captured was made of an iron gasoline barrel and a couple of joints of iron pipe--hardy people, local inebriates, to drink the product of that still and not go blind, at least. Hardy Drunkards
Once in a
while the police pick up
an insane drunk who melted a tin of "canned heat," strained it through
a handkerchief and drank everything that strained through. There are
still a few odd souls alive who believe that if you swallow some
mentholatum, wood alcohol won't kill you.And then there are the brewers and the wine makers whose product is the work of nature, insofar as it is made perilous by filthy equipment or amateur attempts to generate more "kick." "Bonded Stuff" Is Faked
Clever
fellows are the producers
of "bonded" liquor. Given some labels, some grain alcohol, some
glycerine and some flavoring, they can--and do--produce liquor for the
"high class" trade.The alcohol, the queerly shaped bottles, the labels, the flavoring and the coloring is all shipped into Medford, but the "bonded stuff" is a home product. That is, it was a home product. Recently a "Gordon's Bonded Dry Gin" plant was seized, and as far as officers know, there are no more of them in Medford. Way to Wealth
With about
$10 worth of
alcohol--at wholesale prices--a plentiful supply of water and another
$10 worth of bottles, labels and other furnishings, a gin maker can
turn out two gallons of synthetic product. In short-quart bottles with
four-colored labels, wrapped in fancy tissue paper and with a
"chemist's analysis" printed on a slip of paper thrown in, along with a
fairy tale about each and every bottle crossing the briny deep from
England into Canada and then through divers perils into the United
States and your private stock, the stuff sells for around $3.50 per
quart, or $36 profit for the $20 invested in labels and alcohol.
Considering the story that goes with "bonded stuff," the price is
reasonable.Was Versatile
From the
starting point of
alcohol, water and glycerine, one manufacturer arrested near Medford
some time ago was able to produce either gin or Bacardi rum. To make
rum he put in coloring and flavor extract instead of juniper extract,
and poured it into a different bottle.At that, the two local makers of "bonded stuff" who have been captured haven't shown much originality. One Italian rum runner caught two years ago had 12 different varieties of "bonded stuff," eight of them made with the same flavoring. But he was a city slicker from San Francisco, and that doesn't count. Northern California supplies a not inconsiderable part of Jackson County's liquor. In addition to varieties made here, they turn out "grappa," a drink made from grape mash and reputedly containing more alcohol than straight alcohol itself. Hard to Catch
Police and
the sheriff's office
can estimate fairly closely how many house manufacturers and salesmen
there are working, but catching them is a different matter.It's hard for an officer to know all the bootleggers, but in a place of this size it's no trouble at all for all the bootleggers to know the cops. In spite of this, however, local and county officers have an enviable record throughout Oregon for their efficiency in enforcing the prohibition law, indicating that Jackson County isn't the only county with its liquor troubles. Fundamental laws of our government designed to protect private citizens from official tyranny clash with other fundamental laws concerning an arid nation where attempts to enforce the prohibition law are concerned, with the result that enforcing the law is a sort of game of hide-and-seek in a mass of red tape. For instance, if an officer is certain the resident of a house is selling liquor there, he must get a search warrant before he can enter the house and hunt the liquor. To get a search warrant all he has to do is get someone to swear that they bought liquor there from the suspect. No Cooperation
The
prohibition law is outstanding
for the failure of the public--both drinking and non-drinking--to aid
officials. The public attitude seems to be: "We passed the law and
hired you to enforce it. Tag, you're it, now try and do it. If you
don't we'll cuss you, and if you do we'll cuss you anyway."Aside from neighbors irate at being kept awake by parties in the booze joint next door, few people report a suspected house. Even fewer will either volunteer or be forced to aid in getting out a search warrant by swearing they got liquor there. In the first frenzy to enforce its brand-new law, the state used stool pigeons to make the purchases and swear to the warrants. In many cases the stool pigeons were worse to have around than were the bootleggers. Using them was largely a matter of desperation, and officials who hired them were usually rewarded by defeat at the next election. The public added another rule to the ones the officers had to follow in the hide-and-seek game. State Sleuths
With all
local officers known by
sight to the law-dodgers, and with stool pigeons taboo, the method was
evolved of using salaried state and federal officers for the undercover
work. They are shifted from one place to another, are thus kept unknown
to the alky boys, and because they are of a decent type have been able
to function so far without a public uprising at the polls.All the troubles of catching a bootlegger who works in a residence and more are involved in arresting one who serves from the hip pocket or makes deliveries. They must either be caught with the goods on them, making a sale, or at their cache. In this case, also, officers are under the handicap of being known by sight to the men they seek to arrest. In liquor cases, circumstantial evidence doesn't seem to mean a thing to juries--and try to catch them with the goods. In spite of all these troubles, however, added to the fact that an officer has several hundred other laws to enforce, Medford has the reputation of being dry and getting drier all the time. Homebrewers Busy
"Every man
his own brewer" is no
idle slogan. Beer, as a general rule, doesn't run very high in
alcoholic content, in spite of the fact that the law makes no
distinction between it and grain alcohol. Homemade wine, however, can
be--and frequently is--far from light.Both federal and state amendments forbid the manufacturing of intoxicating beverages and class both beer and wine as such, but again the job is to prove it. If a citizen had the facilities, kept his wine at home and didn't sell any of it, he could make a thousand gallons and drink himself to death with no greater legal danger than being suspected. Without evidence of a sale an officer couldn't come in his house to see if wine was being manufactured. Of course, if the citizen went downtown drunk he might be arrested for violating a city ordinance, or if he lent his neighborhood a bad reputation they might close the house as a nuisance, but he'd be safe from prosecution on liquor charges. Medford Daily News, December
25, 1928, page 1
LOAD OF LIQUOR BRINGS TROUBLE FOR
LOCAL PAIR
Lee Metcalf, 35, of this city is being held as authorities following
his arrest last night south of Ashland for the possession and
transportation of 50 gallons of alleged moonshine, destined for Medford
consumption, according to the arresting officer, Terry Talent. Mrs.
Anna Neil, 24, of Medford was taken into custody with Metcalf, and it
is not known whether a charge will be filed against her.
The moonshine was contained in wooden kegs and was being transported from Northern California to this city, according to officers. Last evening police searched the dwelling of Mrs. Neff and today reported the finding of 40 empty gallon jugs, which Mrs. Neff claims she purchased for a certain price in order to sell them at a higher price, making a profit of a few cents on each jug. Metcalf was scheduled to have a hearing in the Ashland justice court today. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1929, page 6 DUMP MOONSHINE IN CREEK TODAY
The flow of Bear Creek was enriched by wine and moonshine, valued at
$1000, when 126 gallons were dumped into the creek by Deputy Sheriffs
Paul and Louis Jennings at McAndrews ford in the presence of several
witnesses. The liquor, with the exception of a few gallon jugs, was
contained in kegs and 56 gallons of wine taken last week from Louis
Sanquinetti, south of Ashland, and 60 gallons of moonshine and 10
gallons of wine seized from L. Farnaro. Both men were en route from
Northern California to Klamath Falls, according to officers, and are
now serving sentences in the county jail of two months each.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 4, 1929, page 5 SHERIFF ARRESTS BEAGLE RESIDENT
MASH POSSESSION
Following his arrest yesterday afternoon by Sheriff Ralph Jennings and
Deputy Louis Jennings, Luke Jennings of the Beagle district is in the
county jail awaiting a hearing on a charge of mash possession. The
arresting officers found two barrels of 50 gallons each, filled with
alleged mash, believed to have been set out last week.
Jennings has been arrested before by the sheriff's office on moonshine charges, and it is probable a felony charge will be placed against him, carrying a sentence of from one to three years in the state penitentiary. The accused is a man nearing his 60th year and operates a good farm, well stocked with turkeys and sheep. He has a wife and a two-year-old daughter. Officers attempted to find a still on the property but were unable to find the contraband apparatus, which they believe is hidden some distance from the house. The arrested man is no relative of the sheriff. Medford Mail Tribune, March 9, 1929, page 2 EXPECT CLOSE OF MOONSHINE STILL
TRIAL TOMORROW
Begun in circuit court this forenoon, the trial of William Goetchen and
Ted Smith, charged with the possession of a moonshine still, is not
expected to be completed until tomorrow, according to the present
progress of the trial. Sheriff Ralph Jennings was the only state
witness examined this forenoon and was to have been followed by several
witnesses for the state this afternoon.
The defense, represented by Kelly and Kelly, also has several witnesses for examination. The defendants are accused of the possession of a still seized last year in the Eagle Point section, and while it was found on the property of another, they are implicated in its ownership on the testimony of others, it is said. The jury, as accepted by both sides, is as follows: Rufus Dietrick, Earl F. Moore, Adam H. Beagle, Andrew McCallan, Harold Reichstein, Guy Randles, James Whipple, LeRoy Merson, Floyd Land, A. L. Hill and Sherman Morehouse. Medford Mail Tribune, March 11, 1929, page 2 CAR BONDED BOOZE SEIZED YESTERDAY
BY OFFICER MOORE
The first auto load of bonded whiskey this year was seized late
yesterday afternoon when State Traffic Officer Herb Moore arrested
Frank Calcagno of San Francisco in Josephine County, just over
the Jackson County line. Calcagno had a cargo of 13 cases of
alleged
three-star Hennessey whiskey, with which, officers say, he was en route
to Portland from San Francisco.
Calcagno was driving a late model Chrysler coupe and claimed he was receiving $100 to drive the load to Portland for San Francisco bootlegging interests. Officer Moore, accompanied by Fred Farmer of the state public service commission, stopped the young Italian on suspicion he was driving a stolen car, but found the liquor following a short inspection of the machine, each bottle wrapped in a straw jacket. The liquor was quoted at $15 per quart. Calcagno was taken to the Josephine County jail in Grants Pass, where he will probably be given a hearing today. Medford Mail Tribune, March 12, 1929, page 9
HEAVY SENTENCE METED LEABO ON LIQUOR CHARGE
L. B. Leabo of the Trail district, following his
arrest at Gold Hill last Saturday night by Deputy Sheriff Louis
Jennings of this city and Sam Prescott of Ashland, was fined $250 and
sentenced to 30 days in the county jail yesterday afternoon in Judge
Taylor's court, on his plea of guilty to a possession of liquor
charge.This is the heaviest sentence administered in this court for some time past and arises from the fact that Leabo had a bottle of moonshine in his pocket and 10 or 12 bottles in his car, presumable for dance consumption, at the time of his arrest, and also because at that time he started to resist arrest until a couple of well-planted blows of Prescott's fist caused him to change his mind. Leabo is said to reside in the Trail district, and a brother of his lost his life some time ago when his car overturned on the Crater Lake Highway. Medford Mail Tribune, March 19, 1929, page 6 ARREST ROBERTS FOR MOONSHINE
Rufe Roberts of Central Point is in the county jail today awaiting a
hearing on moonshine possession charge, following his arrest last
evening on Riverside Avenue by Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings.
One gallon of alleged moonshine was seized from Roberts, who was driving an old model car at the time of his arrest. The car will probably be confiscated. Roberts had been under the surveillance of officers for a short time. Medford
Mail Tribune, March 21, 1929, page 4
OTTO KING GIVEN HEAVY SENTENCE ON
STILL CHARGE
Another example that liquor law violators may expect little leniency
when they appear before Circuit Judge H. D. Norton was shown this
forenoon when Otto King, arrested last month by officers for the
possession of a moonshine still, was sentenced to serve one year in the
state penitentiary and fined $500. The sentence might have been more
severe had it not been for King's wife and small daughter, these facts
being taken into consideration before sentence was passed.
King, also known as Battling King, a boxer, entered a plea of guilty in circuit court early this week, following plans to have a trial. He had been under the surveillance of officers some time before he was arrested at the same time a dismantled still was seized at his home on Benson Street, where a quantity of moonshine was also seized. Several character witnesses, including George Porter, Verne Marshall and George Browne, testified in behalf of King, who, before sentence was passed, also spoke in his own behalf. Facts of the raid were given on the witness stand by Chief of Police McCredie. King's wife, accompanied by her little daughter, broke into tears following the sentence and left the court room sobbing. In passing sentence, Judge Norton declared possession of a still implied operation, making possible a source of supply for bootleggers selling moonshine to the retail trade. He indicated the only proper way to quell liquor violations is to strike the source--eliminate the maker from further production. Medford
Mail Tribune, March 21, 1929, page 5
WOLFF HELD FOR MASH AND STILL
Charged with possession of a moonshine still, George Wolff, well-known
resident of Forest Creek, is in the county jail following his arrest
yesterday afternoon by the sheriff's office. Wolff is charged with the
possession of a wash boiler still and 200 gallons of alleged mash,
ready for use. Officers say they found three dead rats in one of the
four barrels that had been dead apparently for several days.
Wolff had been under the surveillance of officers for some time, it is said, and was taken into custody yesterday before the raid was made when officers found him in Medford. Wolff accompanied them to his property in the Forest Creek district near the head of Foots Creek and after a short search they found the alleged contraband equipment and mash. The outfit was reported as one of the most unsanitary ever seized in Jackson County. Medford
Mail Tribune, April 7, 1929, page 8
WIMER 'SHINERS' FOUND AT STILL
Charged with operating a still two miles south of Wimer, A. H. Rose and
Tom J. Owens were placed in the county jail early this afternoon by
Deputy Sheriffs Paul and Louis Jennings, who made the arrest shortly
before noon.
That they found 150 gallons of mash and the still in operation when they raided the camp in the Wimer district was also stated by the officers. Rose, according to Louis Jennings, will come up before Judge Norton's court charged with setting up and operating the still. Owens will have his hearing in justice court, the technical charge as yet unannounced. Medford
Mail Tribune, April 11, 1929, page 2
RAID NETS PAIR JAILED FOR SALE
AND POSSESSION
Two men are in jail as the result of raids in Medford last night and
are facing liquor possession and sale charges. T. McCreary of Phipps
Auto Camp is in jail as the result of selling three pints of alleged
gin to Federal Prohibition Agent Terry Talent, and Fred Knox of Almond
Street was [arrested] by a party of officers, composed of Deputy
Sheriffs Louis and Paul Jennings, Policemen Joe Cave and William Peck
and Federal Agent Talent.
McCreary made the sad mistake of failing to identify Talent when he appeared at his auto cabin to order a supply of moonshine. The officer was told there was no moonshine, but could sell him gin. McCreary did not question the officer when he told him that he was a garage mechanic at a local garage and that he had purchased liquor from him before. "If you don't believe I work there," said Talent assuringly, "go and call the garage up. They'll tell you who I am." "Oh! that's all right," answered McCreary, who then disappeared in some brush to get the liquor. Upon his return, he was placed under arrest. On Almond Street, officers seized 24 quarts of beer and 300 empty beer bottles. They say Knox had been operating for some time, and is alleged to have annoyed neighbors with parties. Both men will appear in justice court Monday to have preliminary hearings. Medford
Mail Tribune, April 28, 1929, page 8
JAIL POPULATION INCREASED TO 26
BY DRY EFFORTS
Including four prisoners arrested yesterday on booze charges, the
county jail now has a population of 26 prisoners, with indications the
number may be swelled before the end of the week as the result of
continued operation by dry forces.
Sam McClendon, Eddie Keeler and Clyde Atree were arrested here, and Joe Mayham was arrested at Eagle Point yesterday. Eleven men have been arrested since the first of the week on booze charges, the others including George Wolff, Autie King, S. L. Cyphert, George Reed, Winton Keeler, R. E. Burns and Fred Knox. Keeler was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail and fined $100 for sale. Burns received a sentence of 40 days, while Knox, accused of home brew possession, was fined $50. Medford
Mail Tribune, May 8, 1929, page 2
FRONT STREET BITTERS BARS HIT BY
RAIDS
As the result of a carefully planned dry raid campaign, led by federal
officers, nearly 20 arrests have been made in and near Medford since
Monday, with the possibility of more this week. The raids began Monday
afternoon in the Forest Creek section with the arrest of six local men,
three of whom are proprietors of soft drink establishments on Front
Street.
It is possible the federal government may institute padlock proceedings against the Idle Hour, Estes and Pastime pool halls on grounds of being public nuisances. Rankin Estes, Phil Rinehart, proprietor of the Pastime, W. Taylor, bartender, and Archie Sutherland and Harold Sutherland of the Idle Hour are accused of selling bitters by the drink and for beverage purposes. Taylor and Harold Sutherland are in the county jail, and the others are at liberty pending preliminary hearings scheduled to be held this afternoon. The sale of bitters and other medicines containing alcohol in small quantities as stimulants is prohibited by federal law and in the state is prohibited as the result of the recent passage of a law restricting the sale by only licensed drug stores. Mrs. Jane Wolgamott, a woman of 50 years, was arrested on East Main Street this forenoon on a warrant alleging sale, and she will have a hearing today or tomorrow. Ray Sargent was arrested in the Griffin Creek section on a warrant alleging sale, and he has been released on his own recognizance, pending hearing. The release was ordered in view of his sick wife demanding his attention at home. Yesterday Dewey Akers was arrested at Phoenix on a warrant sworn on a sales charge. His was the first arrest of the afternoon, and was followed by the arrest of Joe Mayham at Eagle Point on a similar charge. Coming to Medford, Eddie Keeler and Sam McClendon were arrested on charges of sale. The same charge also caused the arrest of A. E. Carpenter at a local auto camp. Carpenter is alleged to have been selling liquor from the same cabin where Ted McCreary was arrested last week for selling Officer Talent three pints of gin. Arrested by the police, Winton Keeler, brother of Eddie Keeler, and R. E. Burns were sentenced Monday in justice court on booze charges to terms in the county jail. Fred Knox, arrested Saturday for possession of home brew, was fined $50 in justice court. When they appeared for arraignment yesterday afternoon on charges of possession of moonshine, George Wolff was given until today to plead, as were the three others, L. Cyphert, Autie King and George Reed. Wolff's bail was set at $1000, while $750 each was the bail set for his three alleged partners. Officers say they found 40 gallons of alleged moonshine on the Wolff place at Forest Creek, with 15 gallons found under a woodpile and other jugs found hidden under bushes. It is possible Wolff may be turned over to federal authorities. Evidence for the warrants was obtained by two federal undercover men who allege they made purchases from the different defendants. The officers taking part in the raids included L. O. Shirley, district federal enforcement head; Terry Talent, Clarence Worden and Deputy Sheriffs Louis and Paul Jennings, and the two undercover men. Medford
Mail Tribune, May 8, 1929, page 3
SALE OF BITTERS ON FRONT STREET
COSTLY TO THREE
William Rinehart, Archie Sutherland and Rankin Estes, proprietors of
three Front Street card rooms and soft drink establishments, were fined
$250 each in justice court yesterday, on charges brought against them
by federal officers for selling bitters and other medicines containing
alcohol for other than medicinal purposes. Harold Sutherland and Harvey
Taylor, bartenders, were each fined $75 on the same charge. A sixth
defendant, Dave Lynch, also clerk, was scheduled to plead today.The arrest of the six men came as a part of an extensive dry raid campaign, netting over 20 prisoners, principally on charges of sale. It is possible more arrests may be made. So far, disposition has been made of the following cases: George Reed, sale, five days and $500; Lida Wolgamott, sale, $100 fine; Leland Shidy, 40 days and $350 fine; Autie King, sale, four months; George Wolff, bound over to federal court on sale charge; Joe Mayham, bound over to federal court. Medford Mail Tribune, May 9, 1929, page 3 BITTERS FINES TOTAL $2500
Since last Monday fines in 16 cases, amounting altogether to $2,500,
have been levied in the court of Judge Taylor in his capacity of
justice of the peace, for selling intoxicants or bitters, due to the
raids made by Terry Talent, federal prohibition enforcement officer,
assisted by deputy sheriffs. Several more arrests are yet to be made on
the same charge of persons who could not be found after arrest warrants
were sworn out. In addition to fines as related above, the cases of
several persons arrested on selling charges were turned over to the
federal authorities for prosecution.All of the fines imposed in the state cases go to the state, as the Medford city government cannot obtain any portion of a fine imposed in a state case. Medford Mail Tribune, May 10, 1929, page 5 BITTERS BARS LOSE LICENSE ACCOUNT
RAIDS
Backing up their recent letter sent to the proprietors of the card and
pool rooms of the city to obey the city ordinances and state laws
governing such establishments in regard to games of chance, gambling
and sales of intoxicants, and keeping of general order, in which letter
it was expressly stated, among other things, that if any proprietor was
found guilty of violation in court, his license would be forfeited, the
city council at its special meeting this forenoon declared the licenses
of Wm. Rinehart, A. C. Sutherland and Rankin Estes revoked and their
$500 bonds forfeited.City Council Revokes Pool and Card Table Permits of Three Establishments--$500 Bonds Also Declared Forfeited. These proprietors, who were arrested in the recent raid by prohibition enforcement officers, all pleaded guilty in court when arraigned to the charge of selling intoxicants, or "bitters." Mayor Pipes called attention to the fact that in view of this letter it was up to the city officials to back up their warning letter, or "be made monkeys of by violators." The council men saw the situation the same way and unanimously voted to revoke the licenses and to declare the bonds forfeited. After doing this the mayor and council instructor Chief of Police McCredie to at once gather the licenses from the three pool and card room proprietors. The latter can still conduct their places of business in the way of selling tobaccos and lunch, and can even continue to sell "bitters," if they want to take the chance of repeated arrests for such selling, but they cannot operate their card tables or pool or billiard tables. This is because the city only issues licenses for operation of pool and billiard tables and card playing tables in such establishments. A license is not granted until a suitable bond of $500 for each place is accepted. However, with their licenses revoked, the Rinehart, Sutherland and Rankin establishments are placed in a very embarrassing financial position, through not being able to operate their main sources of revenue--the card tables and pool and billiard games. They cannot operate again in full until they seek and are granted new licenses by the city council, and it is a foregone conclusion that the city officials will not grant such licenses, with new bondsmen, until thoroughly satisfied that these three proprietors give rock-ribbed assurance of no future violation of city ordinances or state laws, and then only with airtight bonds furnished. The next move is up to the proprietors. The city has shown its hand. On and after June 1st next the new state law which confines the sale of "bitters" only to drug stores goes into effect. Medford Mail Tribune, May 14, 1929, page 1 McCLUNG COUPLE FINED ON LIQUOR
SELLING CHARGE
While the main raid was over last week, state and federal prohibition
officers are still making arrests on booze charges, and today in the
Ashland justice court Mr. and Mrs. F. M. McClung of this city, arrested
on a sales charge, were each fined $150 with the understanding they
leave the country. Their attorney, T. J. Enright, appeared for them in
court.
George Wolff, arrested some time ago on a sales charge, pleaded guilty in the Ashland court on a sales charge and was fined $350. A heavier sentence was not recommended in view of a trial he will face here in a short time in connection with the alleged possession of a moonshine still. If he is convicted on this charge, he will be sentenced to the state penitentiary. Arrested in Medford last evening on Cedar Street, Gene Young also was scheduled to appear in court today. He was arrested by Federal Officer Terry Talent and State Officer Buck Marriott. Mr. and Mrs. McClung are alleged by officers to have been selling moonshine at 722 Dakota Avenue for several months past. Medford Mail Tribune, May 16, 1929, page 3 REOPENING OF POOL ROOMS IS DEEP
MYSTERY
Although
the three pool and card room proprietors whose licenses were revoked
and their bonds declared forfeit by the city council last Monday
forenoon, because of their having pleaded guilty in court to selling
"bitters" or tonics, by the glass, following a raid made by federal
prohibition enforcement authorities, and their friends have been
beseeching Mayor Pipes ever since to lift the ban and grant new
licenses and bonds, on their promise to hereafter not to sell any
intoxicants, these pleas have evidently had no effect.Mayor Noncommittal on Granting License to Raided Proprietors-- Rumor Spreads Other Places 'Tipped Off' on Raids. When asked this noon as to whether he was going to permit these establishments to open up again, and if so when, Mayor Pipes only smiled and said he had nothing to say on the subject. Asked specifically if the city administration was going to relent in its attitude and permit the three pool and card room proprietors to take out new licenses on or before the city council meeting next Tuesday, he answered "no," said the meeting had nothing to do with the matter, and intimated that if ever new licenses were granted, the period would be indefinite. The mayor has impressed on the three proprietors and the many others who have been laboring with him in their behalf that the amended city ordinance governing card and pool rooms, and which will be passed by the city council next Tuesday night, would have teeth incorporated which would make the hair curl of the card and pool room proprietors. It is understood that the three whose licenses were revoked have all come voluntarily to the mayor and declared they would never again sell "bitters" or other intoxicants, and would obey to the limit every city ordinance, and asked to be permitted to take out new licenses and open up again. These establishments have been financially hard hit since their licenses to operate card and billiard and pool tables were revoked. They can only sell tobaccos, lunch and the like now. The raiding of these three out of all Medford's card and pool rooms has roused much comment generally about the city, and especially as to why two such places, which had made a practice of selling "bitters," were not raided. These two places were reported to have had the heaviest sale of bitters. The public general talk is gradually growing more pronounced as the rumor spreads that other card and pool rooms had been "tipped off" in time, so that the undercover federal prohibition agents were unable to buy "bitters" in these places and thus obtain evidence against them. This talk about certain card and pool rooms having allegedly been "tipped off" has been so widely circulated that even a minister of the city visited the mayor and asked why the other pool and card rooms were not raided and closed. The only general answer that can be given to this question is that the raiding authorities were unable to obtain evidence on which to make arrests, through the inability of their agents to buy bitters in them. It seems that all of a sudden sometime prior in the raid these establishments ceased selling bitters to anyone not known to them, and thus evidence could not be obtained. Medford Mail Tribune, May 16, 1929, page 8 The three pool halls and card rooms on Front Street, the licenses of which were recently revoked by the city, are mostly deserted places since the licenses were taken away. Card tables and chairs are empty, and billiard tables are no attraction. The licenses were revoked as an aftermath of the arrest of the proprietors of Front Street establishment for selling "bitters" by the drink. "Local and Personal," Medford Mail Tribune, May 18, 1929, page 2 WOLFF GIVEN YEAR IN STATE
PENITENTIARY
The jury was out only 10 minutes before it returned a verdict late
yesterday afternoon in circuit court against George Wolff, Forest Creek
resident and miner, on a charge of possessing a moonshine still.
Circuit court convened today to hear the trial of Luke Jennings, Beagle
resident, charged with the possession of alleged moonshine mash,
following his arrest last winter.
The defense in the Wolff trial attempted to show the still was planted on Wolff's property and that he had known nothing of its presence until it was discovered on his place by officers. He was sentenced to serve one year in the state penitentiary and fined $1000. MRS. LINTT SOLD BOOZE, IS CHARGE
With the arrest of Mrs. Macey Lintt last night at a dwelling on Dakota
Street, local officers believe they have succeeded in breaking up a
well-organized alleged local moonshine ring. Mrs. Lintt was arrested at
10 o'clock last night for the sale of a quantity of alleged liquor to
Federal Officer Clarence Worden, and was being held in the county jail
today in lieu of bail. It is likely Mrs. Lintt will be given her
liberty with the understanding she will leave Medford.
Officers L. A. Ackerman, Terry Talent, Paul Jennings and Clarence Worden also arrested Winton and Eddie Keeler and Earl Parker on a charge of moonshine possession. The trio was arrested near Jacksonville, accused of having a gallon and several quarts of moonshine in their possession. Parker's car, a Chrysler, will be confiscated by the government. Medford Mail Tribune, June 21, 1929, page 4 MRS. LINTT DRAWS BIG FINE ON
BOOZE CHARGE
Mrs. Macey Lintt, arrested in Medford last Friday for the sale of
moonshine to a federal officer, was fined $400 in the Ashland justice
court Saturday afternoon with the understanding that she will leave
Jackson County. Winton Keeler, arrested the same evening for moonshine
possession, was sentenced to five months, and his brother, Eddie, was
sentenced to three months. Earl Parker, arrested with the Keeler
brothers near Jacksonville, will be sentenced next Tuesday.
Medford Mail Tribune, June 24, 1929, page 2 BEER JOINT HERE RAIDED, MANAGER
FINED AND JAILED
Peter Fisher, charged with beer possession, was fined $250 and
sentenced to 30 days in the county jail this morning by Justice of the
Peace L. A. Roberts at Ashland upon his plea of guilty.
The home of Fisher, at 19 Jeanette Avenue, was raided last night by the sheriff's office and Federal Prohibition Officer Terry Talent. Ten gallons of beer malt and 12 quarts of beer were seized. Four customers in the place were dismissed by the raiders. Neighbors have been complaining of the Fisher operation for some time, as the patrons of the "beer garden" were inclined to burst forth into song at late hours, and fight among themselves. The resort did a lively business on hot evenings, the authorities say. It was also said that the product Fisher made and served was quite palatable. Medford Mail Tribune, August 12, 1929, page 3 PAIR HELD AFTER RAID FOR SALE AND
HAVING RUM
In a raid on the home at Plum and Peach streets last night, occupied by
A. R. Hull, he was arrested on a charge of sale and possession, and R.
A. Petty was held on a charge of possession. They are held as federal
prisoners, and may be prosecuted in the federal courts, Talent said.
Hull was arrested as he returned to the house with a gallon of moonshine. A half gallon of moonshine was found in a serving pitcher, and held as evidence. Hull's automobile was confiscated. Petty was arrested when he attempted to flee the scene. According to Federal Officer Terry Talent, the house has been under surveillance for some time. The raiders, Talent said, watched the house for an hour. The blinds were left up, and the sales and drinking viewed with ease. Four customers in the place at the time of the raid were not detained, as they appeared to be just casual callers. The officers making the raid beside Talent were Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings, Ike Dunford, and policeman Joe Cave. Medford Mail Tribune, August 25, 1929, page 3
RAID BEER JOINT NEAR HILLCREST
Jack Harris was arrested late last night and lodged in the county jail
following a raid on the alleged "beer joint" at his home near the
Hillcrest orchards. Nearly 47 quarts of beer were found in the house,
officers state.
C. C. Clark and H. H. Dynge, also arrested last night, were each fined $15 and costs in city court this morning when they pled guilty to being intoxicated on the city streets. A. J. Lenton was fined $10 and costs for driving at night with no tail light, and L. B. Thorson paid $10 for having four passengers in the front seat of his car. Medford Mail Tribune, August 27, 1929, page 3 Old Jail at Jacksonville Serves
as Morgue for Confiscated Booze
Thousands
of gallons of "evidence" are stored in the old county jail at
Jacksonville--an accumulation of many months--some of the stuff dating
back to "Sailor Jack," one of the most widely known bootleggers who
ever operated in Jackson County, according to Federal Prohibition
Officer Terry Talent, who transferred the 135-gallon haul made early
this morning to the "morgue" at Jacksonville.
Alcohol predominates, but there is moonshine of every variety, in every stage of fermentation, included in the big stock. Then there are stills--several of them confiscated during the last year, all stored in the old jail, which housed many famous prisoners, but now is used solely for storage purposes. Ashland Daily Tidings, September 17, 1929, page 1 RANCHER SHOT BY LOCAL DRY AIDES
At press time today
hospital attendant's reported that Mr. Zimmerlee was growing steadily
weaker.SHOOTING ACCIDENTAL IS CLAIM Officers Talent and Hickman Say They Shot in Fleeing Moonshiner's General Direction--M. Zimmerlee of Trail is Victim--Slight Chance of Recovery. Mansford Zimmerlee, 35, a rancher of the Trail district, is in a critical condition at the Sacred Heart Hospital today with a bullet wound through the abdomen as the result of a moonshine raid at his ranch last night at 11 o'clock by federal officers Terry Talent and state officers Claude Hickman and J. Zimmerman and Chief Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings, who arrested T. M. Trusty of Elk Creek a short time later on a moonshine sale charge. It could not be learned today whose gun did the shooting, for the bullet, after striking Zimmerlee on one side of the abdomen, emerged on the other. However, the only shots fired came from revolvers in the hands of officers Hickman and Talent, both of who claimed this afternoon that they did not attempt to hit Zimmerlee, who had broken away from Talent after having been put under arrest on a moonshine sale and possession charge. They claim to have fired only in his general direction, over his head and at his feet, in an attempt to make him halt. Zimmerlee not only refused to stop but continued running and then swam the icy waters of Rogue River at the point where a county ferry was maintained years ago a mile and one-half or two miles the other side of the bridge near the Shady Cove resort on the Crater Lake Highway. Zimmerlee then walked two miles to a service station near the bridge and was there given first aid. The officers did not learn that he had been wounded until this morning, believing that he had made his escape and had planned to have a warrant for his arrest issued today. Officers
Feared Trouble
Frequent reports have been turned into
the sheriff's and district attorney's offices in regard to Zimmerlee,
who is alleged to have been selling moonshine to high school boys for
some time past. A number of such reports came from Sams Valley, and the
remainder are said to have emanated in Medford and nearby, causing
Zimmerlee to be put under surveillance. He was regarded by officers as
being a desperate character and always armed when making a moonshine
sale, according to District Attorney Newton C. Chaney. The raiding
party feared trouble when departure from the local police station was
made last evening.Deputy Sheriff Jennings left Medford first and was accompanied by the two state officers, who left Jennings' car and secreted themselves together in the brush along the river bank to await officer Talent's arrival in another car. Deputy Jennings was moving slowly when the two state officers left his machine and he drove on down the Crater Lake Highway some distance and parked. He stayed in his car during the entire raid. Talent's
Story.
Officer Talent, according to his own
story, arrived at the Zimmerlee ranch approximately at 11 o'clock,
wearing his regular clothes. He had his cap off when he asked Zimmerlee
for two gallons of moonshine and acted as if he had been to the ranch
before on other liquor buying trips. Zimmerlee, according to the
officer, did not hesitate in selling Talent contraband."I must have waited 25 or 30 minutes," said officer Talent this forenoon, "when Zimmerlee returned with the moonshine, for which he was asking $10 per gallon. He shined the flashlight directly into my face, somewhat blinded me and I could not see whether he was armed. Having the evidence before me, I placed him under arrest, showing him my badge and covering him with my gun." "I'm a federal officer and you're under arrest. Talent's my name," I told him. "'Talent,' he replied in an odd tone, and immediately he made a grab for my gun." "There was a tussle and I succeeded in keeping the gun and there were a few blows exchanged. Then Zimmerlee ducked and ran. I ordered him to stop and he refused. I shot twice in his general direction and that only seemed to make him run the faster. I continued to chase him and kept my flashlight on his body and he ran east to the Crater Lake Highway, where he was again ordered to stop, this time by officer Hickman, who fired in his general direction also." Chased on
Highway.
"I joined Hickman," continued officer
Talent, "and for approximately 100 yards we chased him along the
highway, firing several shots over his head and at his feet in further
efforts to make him halt. At the end of the 100 yards, more or less, he
left the highway and headed for the river through the brush. We did no
more shooting and attempted to keep our lights on him."Zimmerlee perched for a moment on the bank of the river and disappeared in a dive from sight, to reappear a moment later in the ice-cold water of the river. By this time, officer Zimmerman, who had been on guard in the ranch barn, joined us and we all continued to call after him that he would be drowned if he attempted to swim. "We kept our flashlights on him," continued officer Talent, "as he swam in the water. We watched him drift downstream for a distance as he swam and saw him later get into shallow water and the safety of the other shore. We decided that he had made good his escape and that today we would have a warrant issued for his arrest. We had no idea he had been shot. We left the scene and departed for the Trusty place on Elk Creek, where officer Hickman arrested Trusty. "The first scuffle," concluded officer Talent, "took place in the barnyard next to my parked car, in which I had been waiting." Officer Hickman, in his version of the affair, in part, said: "I was stationed with Zimmerman along the banks of the river, approximately 75 yards east of the house. That was after we left Deputy Jennings' car. We must have waited there for 15 or 20 minutes when we heard a dog barking at the house and shortly afterward there was some whistling as if someone was calling for help. We thought that perhaps Terry had made his arrest and needed us. We went inside of the barn and shined our lights into the loft. We saw a man, Dave Crowell, lying there. He told us he was just staying on the place and Zimmerman stayed to watch him and I went back to my station at the river bank. "I stayed at my post for possibly 15 minutes," continued officer Hickman, "when I heard shots in the barnyard, where Terry's car was parked. I rushed to the road in time to see Zimmerlee running. I ordered him to stop. He didn't. He had something in his hand--some dark object. Thinking that it might be a revolver and that perhaps he had shot Terry. I shot in his general direction in the thought he would stop. But he only ran faster. "In a few moments I was joined by Terry and the both of us chased him to the river, shooting several times at his feet and over his head. We did not shoot after he left the road. We watched him jump in the river and when Zimmerman joined us, Zimmerlee was half way across the river. We yelled to him to stop and come back, for fear he would drown, and he never answered. Like Terry, I believed he had made good his escape." Zimmerman's story dovetails with Hickman's, and he told how he watched Crowell in the barn loft after leaving the river bank with Hickman to investigate the noises around the barn. After hearing the first two or three shots, Zimmerman left the barn and was not able to join his companions until Zimmerlee was half way across the river. The party of officers, believing that Zimmerlee had made a successful escape, left for Elk Creek, where Hickman effected the purchase of two gallons of moonshine from T. M. Trusty, who will probably have a hearing today or tomorrow. Trusty made no trouble. In making the statements this forenoon, the officers, who returned at 2:30 this morning, took pains to bring out every detail and expressed regret that the raid had taken such an unexpected turn. The officers had planned to make another arrest last night at about the same time as the Zimmerlee raid, but were unsuccessful. It is held a miracle that Zimmerlee was able to swim the river, walk nearly two miles with a bullet hole through the abdomen, causing his intestines to be punctured 15 times. An operation was performed on him this forenoon by Dr. C. T. Sweeney, which may save the man's life. Medford Mail Tribune, September 29, 1927, page 1 HOLD QUIZ TONIGHT IN RAID DEATH
Mrs. H. W. Todd, resident of the Trail
district, to whose home Mansford Zimmerlee, rum raid victim, came after
the affray for aid, told a representative of the Mail Tribune this
afternoon that Zimmerlee told her the night of the shooting that he had
no quarrel with prohibition officer Terry Talent, that Talent had
pointed a gun at him, that he became frightened and ran, that when he
had gone about twenty feet a shot was fired which hit him, that he then
ran and jumped into Rogue River, and that shots were fired at him while
he was swimming and running, but missed him.Coroner's Inquest at 7:30 o'Clock--Officers Leave for Scene of Fatality--Witnesses to Give Last Statement of Zimmerlee, Who Died of Wounds Today. Statements of Mrs. Todd were verified by other Trail witnesses. Dennis Zimmerlee, a nephew of the dead man, asserted that after the shooting, members of the raiding party came to the Zimmerlee home and "cursed out the family," and said that "they had got him." County officials are at the scene of the shooting this afternoon interrogating witnesses and going over the route of Zimmerlee's flight. An inquest is scheduled to be held at 7:30 this evening over the remains of Mansford Zimmerlee, 35, resident of the Trail district, who died at 4:20 this morning at the Sacred Heart Hospital as the result of a bullet wound through the abdomen sustained Wednesday night when he attempted to make his escape from prohibition officers Terry Talent and Claude Heckman, after having been put under arrest for possession and sale of moonshine. The inquest will be held at the Perl funeral home. Before undergoing an operation yesterday morning, after he had been brought to the hospital from a service station on the Crater Lake Highway 20 miles from Medford, Zimmerlee made a verbal statement to the attending surgeon, Dr. C. T. Sweeney, and hospital attendants in regard to the shooting. The statement was made with the warning that it might be the last he would ever make and he was told to adhere strictly to the truth. However, Dr. Sweeney at noon today refused to make it public, saying that he would give it at the inquest this evening. The doctor will probably be the main witness, and his testimony will be corroborated by three or four hospital attendants who listened to Zimmerlee give his version, which was brief. District Attorney Newton C. Chaney, Sheriff Ralph Jennings and Coroner H. W. Conger left early this afternoon for the scene of the shooting at the Zimmerlee ranch, one and one-half or two miles north of the Rogue River bridge over the Crater Lake Highway near the Shady Cove resort. They will go over the same ground covered by federal officer Terry Talent and state officer Claude Hickman when they attempted to stop Zimmerlee after he had escaped from officer Talent who had arrested Zimmerlee for selling him two gallons of moonshine in the ranch barnyard. The inspection party will attempt to follow the trail of the fugitive through the brush from the Crater Lake Highway and to the point where he jumped into the river and swam across. They will also try to follow his footsteps from the barnyard to the highway, where Hickman joined Talent in chasing Zimmerlee down the highway to the point he turned off to go in the river. It is possible that the inquest may not be held until tomorrow morning, according to the district attorney's office, should any unexpected information be unearthed at the Zimmerlee ranch. George Alexander, state prohibition commissioner, of Salem, and Capt. A. H. Burghduff, chief of the field force of the prohibition enforcement, are in Medford in connection with the cases of Mansford Zimmerlee and T. M. Trusty. This is Mr. Alexander's first visit here since his appointment. Defer Sentence
When given a hearing in Judge Taylor's
court this afternoon, T. M. Trusty of Elk Creek pleaded guilty to a
charge of sale and possession of moonshine, following his arrest
Wednesday evening by state and federal prohibition officers. Federal
officer Terry Talent appeared against the defendant, whose sentence was
postponed until next Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. His bail was set at
$500 and indications were that it would be raised.Medford Mail Tribune, September 30, 1927, page 1 JURY O.K.'S SLAYING OF TRAIL MAN
That Mansford Zimmerlee, 46, Trail
resident, was fatally wounded by a bullet fired by Terry Talent,
federal prohibition officer, while in the discharge of his duties in a
moonshine raid on the Zimmerlee ranch on the night of September 28, was
the verdict returned by the coroner's jury, before which numerous
witnesses testified at the inquest last night at the Perl Funeral Home.
Talent was exonerated of all blame.Coroner's Jury Exonerates Terry Talent of All Blame in Shooting Zimmerlee--Death Declared Accidental--Maintain Defendant Resisted Arrest for Moonshining. It was indicated last evening that friends and relatives of the dead man, who died early yesterday morning at the Sacred Heart Hospital, following an operation the morning before, would demand a more complete investigation. However, last night's session continued for more than four hours and is said to be one of the longest inquests ever held in Jackson County. The coroner's jury was composed of J. F. Lawrence, Joe Brown, A. J. Hanby, John Demmer, Dr. W. W. Howard and F. Alexander. Dr.
Sweeney First Witness.
Dr. C. T. Sweeney, who was called to the
home of Hillery W. Todd on Indian Creek, a short distance from the
Shady Cove service station on the Crater Lake Highway, was the first
witness called. He explained the wound which killed Zimmerlee to the
jury, which for the first few minutes was in the death chamber with
Zimmerlee's body. He told how he had asked Zimmerlee just before he
underwent an operation early Thursday morning if there was any
statement he wished to make, with the possibility it might be the last."I was shot by Terry Talent," Zimmerlee said, according to Dr. Sweeney, who then asked him how far away the shot was fired. "Not to exceed 20 steps and he was holding the flashlight on me while shooting." Zimmerlee replied. The testimony was substantiated by June Earhart of the hospital nurse staff and Dr. A. F. Kresse, who assisted in the operation. The names of Sister Lewis, who is in charge of the Sacred Heart Hospital operation room, and Misses Hansen and Roberts, nurses, were given as other witnesses. Zimmerlee was in intense pain, said Dr. Sweeney, when he reached the Todd home, where first aid measures had been taken to make him more comfortable. The wounded man reached the hospital around four o'clock Thursday morning and immediately underwent the operation, which revealed that his intestines had been punctured 15 times by the bullet, which entered in the back and emerged on the other side of the body. Following the operation, Zimmerlee was conscious at times until his death, but he engaged in no more conversation. Niece Is
Witness.
Mrs. Mary Zimmerlee, who lived on the
same ranch that was raided, but in a different house a short distance
away, testified that she was in bed when the raid began, but was
awakened by shooting and rushed to the window, seeing flashlights in
the darkness. She claimed that the officers rushed to her house
following the shooting and the apparent escape of Zimmerlee, knocked on
her door and demanded admittance."We got him. We got him." She claimed they said. "Who?" she questioned in return, according to her testimony. "You know," the officers replied. "I don't know." "Open the door, we want to talk to you." the witness testified that Talent said. "What do you want?" she returned. "We want to talk to you. You open this door. If you don't let me in, I'll come in." the witness declared Talent said. Mrs. Zimmerlee finally opened the door, according to the testimony, and after harsh talking and a short questioning, which satisfied the officers that there were no men around and that a search for more liquor would be futile, the officers left, with the admonishment to tell Mansford Zimmerlee to come to Medford the next day and give himself up to the authorities. She said the officers denied knowledge of having shot Zimmerlee and that she, with others, found him early in the morning at the Todd home a mile or so down the river on the other side. Up until three weeks ago, Mary Zimmerlee and her husband, W. R., had lived with Mansford in the same house, but since had moved to another building on the same ranch. Sister-in-Law
Testifies.
Testimony by Mrs. Jane Zimmerlee, a
sister-in-law of the dead man, corroborated that given by the preceding
witness. She said she had known him for 20 years and that for the past
three years he had stayed close to his ranch, after having spent a
short time in Washington. Before his trip to Washington, he had also
lived on the ranch. He was unmarried. She said that she and the younger
Mrs. Zimmerlee fastened the door when they saw the officers come toward
the house, after the raid was over."They said they were going to search the whole ranch," Mrs. Zimmerlee related, "and they demanded entrance to the house. We told them there was nobody there but the children, but they could search if they wanted to. "Who did you get?" I asked Talent. "Mansie," was the reply. "Who?" "Mansford, then," the officer replied. "The conversation with the officers ended with Talent telling me that he was a federal officer and that I'd better tell Mansford to come down when he got back, or that the officers would have to hunt for him. He told me that he was Terry Talent and that they had the goods on him." The witness stated that three officers, J. I. Zimmerman, Claude Hickman and Deputy Sheriff Lewis Jennings, searched the ranch two or three weeks ago, but found nothing. Mrs. Todd
Testifies.
Mrs. H. W. Todd, to whose home on Indian
Creek Mansford Zimmerlee found his way after having been shot, told how
she was awakened in the middle of the night by a noise on the front
porch.When she went to the door, the following conversation took place: "Who's there?" Zimmerlee mumbled. "What's the matter, Mansford?" "I'm shot." "Who shot you?" "Terry Talent. I'm cold--swam the river." Mrs. Todd declared she had never seen a more terrifying sight than Zimmerlee, who seemed to be chilled to the bone and so cold that he could hardly talk. She was afraid to take off his clothes and put on dry ones. She called for help by sending her boy to Mrs. John Laden, with whom, and others, they made attempts to make Zimmerlee comfortable. A car arrived a short time later, her testimony continued, bringing Mrs. Mary Zimmerlee, Mrs. Johnson, Mose Johnson and Gene Crowell to the scene. Dr. Sweeney was called, and the injured man was rushed to the hospital as soon as possible. H. W. Todd
Gives Version.
Hillery Todd, in testimony, declared it
would be difficult to swim the river, even in good health. Todd
declared that Zimmerlee told him that officer Talent had shot him and
told him of incidents of the raid. A man, whom he thought was "all
right," had ordered the whiskey, but when he returned with the two
gallons, Talent was there to receive them. Todd testified that
Zimmerlee told him that he commenced to run as soon as Talent made his
identity known and that shots were fired as soon as he was under way.
Zimmerlee believed that the first shot fired was the one that struck
him in the back and said nothing about any blows, which officer Talent
claims took place. Nephew
on the Stand.
W. R. Zimmerlee, a nephew of the dead
man, told how he held up Mansfield's head on the trip to the hospital
and listened to him tell of the raid, relating that two gallons of
moonshine had been purchased by an "undercover man" and that officer
Talent accosted him when the contraband was brought to the car to be
sold for $10 per gallon. Mansford, said the nephew, commenced to run
when he learned that Talent was there and that he was the target for
numerous bullets, the first of which he believed struck him in the
back. The dead man is said to have claimed that a bullet was also fired
at him while in the water. However, this was denied by the officers.Mrs. John Laden gave details of procuring aid for the wounded man and repeated conversation with Zimmerlee in regard to the shooting, indicating that the shot was fired by officer Talent. Zimmerlee told her how he swam the river, walking a short distance and then swimming because he was too weak to walk. He said he heard "hollering" on the shore, but could not understand what was said. Mrs. Laden declared that Zimmerlee nearly died twice while waiting for the doctor to arrive. Evidence was given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winkle in regard to the shooting. They live across the river from the Zimmerlee ranch and heard the man swimming in the river, saw the flashlights on the other side and watched the guns spit fire. Dr. L. D. Inskeep, county physician, also testified in regard to the wound. Talent
Testifies.
Federal officer Talent explained the
arrangements made for the raid, telling how officer Hickman, Zimmerman
and Chief Deputy Paul Jennings left first. Hickman and Zimmerman
secreted themselves in the brush to await Talent's arrival. Officer
Talent used a map in showing the position of the ranch houses, the
highway and the river.An "informant," according to the testimony, made the liquor deal, while the officer waited in the car for 25 or 30 minutes for Zimmerlee to bring two gallons of moonshine in separate jugs. When he arrived, as if reaching for his money, Talent brought out his gun and told Zimmerlee he was under arrest for moonshine sale, showing his badge at the same time. The officer claimed that Zimmerlee was shining a flashlight into his face, which blinded him somewhat and that Zimmerlee attempted to wrest the gun away from him, but was unsuccessful. After several blows, Zimmerlee ran and the officer fired at the fleeing man, taking careful aim to see that he hit the ground. Talent
Shoots.
The first two shots, he said, hit the
ground, but he was not sure about the third. After the third shot was
fired, Talent started the chase. When Zimmerlee reached the Crater Lake
Highway, two shots were fired by officer Hickman, who believed that
officer Talent had been attacked. Zimmerlee, said officer Talent, was a
fleet runner and never faltered or indicated in any way he had been hit
by a bullet. Running to the old ferry landing, Zimmerlee jumped into
the Rogue River and swam, while the officers kept their flashlight on
him. Talent testified that he was using a breast stroke, and was
keeping his head well out of the water.Hearing him reach the other side, the officers decided that he had escaped and that they would "make the arrest tomorrow," never dreaming, he said, that Zimmerlee had been wounded. Hickman attempted to head Zimmerlee off in his flight to the river, but was unsuccessful and did not join Talent until after Zimmerlee had jumped into the cold water. Zimmerman, who had been on guard in the barn, rushed also to the river, but arrived after Zimmerlee was well under way. Each of the officers denied using harsh language and denied shooting at the man after he was in the water. They called to him to return to the shore, or else he would be drowned, but they received no reply. The party of officers returned to the house, and told Mrs. Mary Zimmerlee to tell Mansford to come to town and give himself up. At the house, officer Talent testified, no harsh language of any kind was used. Chief Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings took no active part in the raid, being in a car some distance from the scene. He was to pass by the house every ten minutes to see if the raid had been completed. Testimony was also given by officers Hickman and Zimmerman corroborating their fellow officers. The two gallons of moonshine were on exhibit before the jury and were identified by the officers as the same purchased at the Zimmerlee ranch. There was a large attendance at the inquest, including a good-sized delegation from the Trail and Eagle Point districts. The inquest was in charge of District Attorney Newton C. Chaney and the witnesses were sworn in by Coroner H. W. Conger. Medford Mail Tribune, October 1, 1927, page 3 LILJEQVIST IS NAMED QUIZ HEAD
Special Prosecutor Appointed to Conduct Grand Jury Hearing of Zimmerlee Shooting by Terry Talent--Will Be Here Thursday; Jury Starts Tomorrow.
Assistant Attorney General Liljeqvist was appointed today special
prosecutor to take charge of the Zimmerlee killing case, according to a
long-distance call received from Salem by Prosecuting Attorney Newton
W. Chaney. Liljeqvist is now in Marshfield and will arrive in Medford
Thursday morning to take charge. The grand jury will assemble tomorrow,
and Chaney will bring other matters before it to consume the time until
the special prosecutor arrives.
----
SALEM, Ore., Oct. 3.--(AP)--A special prosecutor to investigate before
the Jackson County grand jury the fatal shooting of Mansford Zimmerlee,
an alleged bootlegger, a few days ago, will today be appointed by
Attorney General I. L. VanWinkle at the request of Newton Chaney,
district attorney for Jackson County. VanWinkle, after conferring with
Governor Patterson, said he had not decided whom he would appoint, and
that he might send a man from his office.Terry Talent, federal officer, and Claude Hickman, state prohibition agent, the officers who did the shooting, were both present today at a conference in the office of Governor Patterson when Chaney's request was discussed. In a statement before his death Zimmerlee is said to have declared that he was wounded by the first shot fired, and accused Talent of doing the shooting. The affair has created a controversy in Jackson County. The grand jury convenes tomorrow. Chaney says that relatives of Zimmerlee accused him of prejudice in the case. ----
Talent Expresses Regret
Officer Talent has expressed deep regret over the tragic incident and
emphatically denied that he shot to hit Zimmerlee, whom he had hoped to
stop by shooting at his feet."In view of the incident which occurred September 28, resulting in the death of Mansford Zimmerlee," said District Attorney Newton C. Chaney in an interview today, "and the advisability of a full investigation before the grand jury, which has been called by Circuit Judge Corkins, at my request of Friday, Sept. 30th, and on account of the fact that the federal and state officers concerned therein, in the performance of their duties as such officers in the enforcement of the law, have been closely associated with this office, I have, therefore, requested the governor to appoint a special prosecutor, in order to eliminate any question or doubt that may exist as to a fair and impartial investigation of this matter. "In doing so I have acted on my own initiative and have not in any sense admitted, nor do I now admit, that my office would not make a full, impartial and unprejudiced presentation of all facts relative thereto before the grand jury. However, in view of the official association of said officers, as above set forth, and the fact that this office should at all times be kept above reproach and should perform its full duty in every situation that may arise, I have, as stated, requested the appointment of a special prosecutor. "I would strongly urge that all citizens who are in possession of any information that may be of any value whatsoever to the grand jury in this investigation appear before that body, whether they have been subpoenaed or not. Subpoenas have been issued by this office for all persons whom we have been advised know any facts relative to the occurrence under investigation." The special prosecutor will take charge only of this matter, according to the district attorney. While the coroner's jury came to the decision last Friday night that Talent fired the shot, the grand jury investigation will cover the entire ground and will act as if the coroner's jury had never been held. Medford Mail Tribune, October 3, 1927, page 1 Press Comments on Shooting of Mansford Zimmerlee
The Capital
Journal has frequently commented on the growing tyranny of
the tin star, of the usurpation of power by the police. It has been
well said that "the modern struggle for liberty is at root of a fight
against the gradual extension of police power."Murder in the Name of the Law. Judge McMahan recently called attention to the frequent breaking of the law by officers sworn to enforce the law, in order to enforce the law, and asked why officers are permitted to shoot at random at citizens without knowing their guilt and without cause even if guilt is reasonably certain. A most flagrant instance of this abuse of official power has just materialized in Jackson County, and as usual, in connection with the prohibition law, which has been more productive of official outrages, as well as official corruption, than all the laws on the statute books combined. On September 28, dry officers acting as agents provocateurs called at the home of a Trail citizen and after inducing him to violate the law reciprocated his hospitality by setting upon him in a wanton, reckless and brutal manner, shooting him fatally in the back, and hunting and baying him into and across the Rogue River. He died the following day from the wound inflicted. The coroner's jury "promptly acquitted the officer for the outrage," just as a coroner's jury acquitted a speed cop for murdering on suspicion a man who had a wrong license number in Linn County some months ago, but public indignation has been aroused and demands an impartial and competent investigation, further charging in a petition being circulated to the governor that the law officers of Jackson County are seeking to whitewash the offense and that the interests of justice require that a special prosecutor be appointed for the task. The dry officers doing the shooting have records as gunmen. This is not the first notch on their guns. District Attorney Chaney of Jackson County was with Charles Talent, speed cop, when he killed the autoist near Albany and justified him in the act. He is the father of Terry Talent, one of the shooting dry officers. When the Trail shooting became known, Chaney came out with a statement alleging the man shot a desperate character and a gunman, when the facts were that he had lived 31 years in the county, never owned or carried a gun and was known for meekness and peaceable disposition. At the coroner's inquest, state officer Claude Hickman of Salem told of hiding along the road at some distance from the house, and when he heard the shooting and heard the hurried and frightened victim laboring down the highway, without knowing who he was or what he had done, took two pot shots at him. It is this wanton and bloodthirsty sort of law enforcement that is discrediting not only the prohibition law, but law enforcement generally. –Salem Capital Journal. ----
A man living near Medford was slain by a
federal prohibition agent when he fled from arrest on a charge of
selling liquor. The officer has been acquitted as the coroner's jury
found that he hadn't intended to shoot the other. It looks as if the
death penalty is now in force for violation of the prohibition laws.--Grants Pass Courier.----
ANOTHER
VICTIM
Another man is shot down and killed by
an officer in Southern Oregon. The officer was attempting to make an
arrest for violation of the prohibition law. The suspect fled. The
officer shot him in the back at 20 feet and the victim died a few hours
later.The victim was apparently guilty of the violation of which he was suspected. But since when has it become the province of officers to convict and sentence to death by gunfire those who violate the law? Since when has it become their province to shoot down those accused of a lesser crime, even though they may attempt to escape? Since when have officers acquired the right to pronounce death sentence and carry it into effect, even though a man is guilty of violation of the prohibition law and an attempt to escape? Reports indicate that the Southern Oregon victim made no attempt to struggle with the officer. He made no show to fight. He was not guilty of murder. He did not threaten the officer. He merely made an attempt to escape, when the death volley was fired into his back. If the hair-trigger officers continue to shoot down victims, if they continue to assume authority that is not theirs, if they continue to set themselves up as accuser, judge, jury and high executioner, if they continue to kill without provocation, there will be a reckoning some day for which their superiors and the courts which sustain them will have to assume the responsibility. --(Portland Journal.) Medford Mail Tribune, October 4, 1927, page 2 Talent
Did a Good Job
To the Editor:I live in the district where the shooting of Zimmerlee took place, and in justice to the officers who made the raid on Zimmerlee, I would like to say that they did a good job, not that I think Zimmerlee deserved death, but if he had submitted to arrest he wouldn't have been dead. His nephew, William, who wrote the article in the Morning News, October 1, and testified at the inquest, claimed he had asked his uncle to refrain from selling any more moonshine, did not tell the truth, for he has a still in full operation his self and furnished the liquor for his uncle to sell and get killed over. William Zimmerlee was at the still operating it the night his uncle was caught. They have made their threats they would kill young Talent, and I still think they might do it. I'm taking a chance myself writing this letter, but I want to see justice done. JAMES GORDON,
"Communications," Medford Mail Tribune,
October 5, 1927, page 4Eagle Point, October 4. Press Comments on Shooting of Mansford Zimmerlee
In Jackson County a prohibition officer
shot and killed a man who was violating the prohibition law. The facts
appear to be that the officer fired at the man to halt his escape. The
officer is credited with saying that he "shot in the general direction"
of the fugitive.NO RIGHT TO SHOOT. That Jackson County Killing. The man who met death was accused of a misdemeanor. He was charged with possessing intoxicating liquor. By killing him under such circumstances, the officer was a violator of the law, because no peace officer, under the statutes or Oregon, has the right to kill a man whom he arrests for a misdemeanor, unless the man whom he apprehends attempts to kill him. Then the officer may invoke the law of self-defense and kill his attacker, in order to save his own life. But the fact appears to be that the accused man in this case was not attacking the officer, but was fleeing from him. Official investigation of the shooting is being conducted and perhaps the findings may differ from the unofficial reports. But if the facts are as they have been published, the prohibition officer has made himself liable for a serious crime. The taking of a human life is a matter of tremendous moment. The life of a lawbreaker is more important than the punishment of any misdemeanor. Even officers of the law cannot take a human life while discharging their duties except in certain cases, clearly defined by law. The officer who takes a human life without authority weakens the cause of law enforcement. He opens the way for criticism. Particularly in the field of liquor law enforcement is the unwarranted taking of human life made the object of bitter attacks. Upholding one law by breaking another law is an indefensible business. The dead man, perhaps, broke a law. But it was not a law that was punishable by death. The statutes of Oregon were sufficient to deal with his case. He should have been punished in conformity with those laws, on being found guilty by a competent tribunal. But the officer had no authority to shoot him or to shoot at him, because he was running away from the officer at the time.--Albany Democrat. ----
The
Medford Mail Tribune, commenting on the recent tragedy
wherein a moonshiner-rancher was shot and killed by officers of the
law, while trying to escape, says the ready gun-users justified
themselves by declaring "it was an accident." They merely intended to
shoot in his general direction. Evidently they had no idea that they
had a right to kill the fugitive. Or, perhaps, they have just now
acquired that idea.TOO QUICK ON THE TRIGGER Another paper, which professes to know the facts, reports that "on September 28, dry officers acting as agents provocateurs called at the home of a Trail citizen and, after inducing him to violate the law, reciprocated his hospitality by setting upon him in a wanton and reckless and brutal manner, shooting him fatally in the back and hunting and baying him into and across Rogue River. He died the following day from the wound inflicted." It would be interesting to learn if it is true that the dry officers partook of the rancher's illicit liquor and, if so, to speculate on what share of the responsibility for their act is traceable to the alcohol. Not that anything can be done about the liquor; only that some conclusion may be drawn as to the right or duty of officials to drink unlawful booze and then to shoot. Meanwhile, it is appropriate that Governor Patterson has decided to look into this latest Southern Oregon shooting, and to see what can be done about it.--(Portland Oregonian.) ----
Down near Medford the other day a couple
of enforcement officers fired several shots at a mountain rancher, whom
it was alleged was engaged in manufacturing moonshine. The results of
the escapade was the death of the rancher, though the officers maintain
their aim was not directed at the fleeing man, but on the contrary had
shot in the air, "just to scare him." This is a mighty lame excuse for
murder. Then, an officer whose ability is so exact in hitting the mark
when shooting heavenward is a dangerous person to deal with the public.
He might go off half-cocked most any old time--resulting in the death
of innocent persons.--(Roseburg
News-Review.)
Going Off Half Cocked Medford Mail Tribune, October 6, 1927, page 4 16 DAY FINE HERE FOR INTOXICATION
The city court had a good run of business last month, which was very
profitable for the city, the 30 cases bringing into the city treasury
in all $414 in fines, according to Judge Taylor's detailed report to
the city council.
There were 16 cases of intoxication, and of these eleven men forfeited $10 cash bail each, three forfeited $20 each, and one forfeited $15, while another was fined $10. There was one fine of $25 for possession of liquor and one $10 for disturbing the peace, and of eleven traffic violations 8 persons were fined $10 each, two $15 each and one fine of $100 together with suspension of license. One other case was investigated by the court but not docketed. Medford Mail Tribune, October 6, 1929, page 4 ARREST ONE IN MOONSHINE RAID
Following a raid at a dwelling at 638 North Central Avenue last
evening, Rufus Roberts, 33, was arrested on a charge of moonshine
possession and is scheduled to have a hearing in the Ashland justice
court tomorrow afternoon. The raiding party was made up of Federal
Prohibition Agent Terry Talent, Chief of Police McCredie, Traffic Chief
Prescott and Deputy Sheriff Oscar Dunford.
Officers allege that attempts were made to destroy the supply of moonshine by dumping it in the kitchen sink, but a sufficient amount was saved for evidence. Roberts was arrested by officers several months ago on a similar charge and had been under surveillance ever since. Medford Mail Tribune, November 19, 1929, page 6 RUMRUNNERS ARE CAPTURED IN SISKIYOUS
A portion of the holiday liquor of this season will never reach its
destination, following the seizure early this morning on the Siskiyou
Mountain of two alleged rumrunning cars and 50 gallons of alleged
moonshine. Three men were arrested and were to appear before United
States Commissioner Chauncey Florey this afternoon, when they will
probably be bound over to the federal grand jury at Portland under
heavy bond.
Laddie Mann, said to be well known in the Southern Oregon bootlegging world and a former resident of Medford and Ashland, was arrested with Thomas Yokum, both of Roseburg, for the possession and transportation of 20 gallons of moonshine. Mann's car, a 1928 Chevrolet, will be confiscated by the government. Joe Resaro of Chico, Calif., was arrested in a second automobile, a new Ford coupe, with 30 gallons of alleged moonshine whiskey. The arrests were made by Federal Agent Terry Talent and Deputy Sheriff Sam Prescott of Ashland, who say the two cars were traveling together and bound for Roseburg. There are small liens against each of the two machines but they will be confiscated nevertheless, it is claimed. Medford Mail Tribune, December 16, 1929, page 1 STIFF SENTENCES ON RUM CHARGES
Several stiff sentences were meted out by Judge Taylor in his court
last Saturday afternoon, two on liquor charges and one for reckless
driving.
Fred Gravelle was fined $300 and given a 30 days' sentence in the county jail at his hearing on a liquor selling charge, and Harvey Wilson received a 60 days' sentence and a fine of $300, also on a liquor selling charge. Because of the feeble health and advanced age of A. V. Wilson, father of Harvey Wilson, the liquor selling charge against the former was dismissed. The arrests were made by L. M. Ackerman, state prohibition officer. A fine of $50 and jail sentence of 15 days was imposed on Harvey Mondrell for reckless driving last Friday night when his truck struck the wrecking car of the Lewis Super Service Station on the Pacific Highway and seriously injured Mr. Llowd. Medford Mail Tribune, December 23, 1929, page 2 ANOTHER VICTIM OF SISKIYOU RUM TRAIL
William Tietjen of San Francisco was arrested in the Siskiyous this
morning about four o'clock by Federal Prohibition Agent Terry Talent
and Officer Sam Prescott of Ashland. Two gallons of gin and a new
Oakland coupe were seized. Tietjen was bound over to the federal grand
jury this morning by United States Commissioner Chauncey Florey.
Medford Mail Tribune, December 23, 1929, page 2 LOCAL LAD LANDS IN BIG CIDER VAT AS COPS PURSUE
Medford Mail Tribune, February 10, 1930, page 3
A cider bath on a chilly February night is not the most enjoyable way
of spending an evening and is not the best for clothes, is a discovery
made by Floyd Sullivan, who accidentally fell into the cider-vinegar
vat at the Rogue River Canning Company factory on South Front Street
last night. Sullivan was accompanied by a friend, V. Bergman, and the
pair were quietly occupied in dipping cider out of the vat by means of
a bucket and rope.
The fruit juice was fermenting and perhaps was being sought by the two as a beverage. They probably had not meant to stay long or do any damage, but some neighbor living near the cannery must have seen them on top of the factory roof, as the police were summoned to the scene. The arrival of the officers startled the boys, and officers declare Sullivan started to run but his foot slipped and he fell with a sickening splash into the sticky fruit juice a few feet below. Shivering from dampness and uncomfortable because of the glucose nature of the liquid, Sullivan was ushered into the police station, the floor of which today still bears mute testimony of dripping apple cider. Two jugs that officers say were found in the boys' possession are also in the station and are filled with cider. The two were placed in the county jail and will probably be charged with petty larceny. Saturday night the police were called to the cannery because of alleged attempts of three other youths to help themselves to the cider. However, these young men did not know where the vat was located and, not having any cider, they were released shortly after they were brought to the station. TRAIL RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY ON RUM CHARGE
L. B. Leabo, resident of the Trail section, who was arrested here
Monday by C. H. Bennett, prohibition officer for Jackson and Josephine
counties, on Bartlett Street for having two gallons of moonshine in his
car, and when arraigned in Judge Taylor's court later entered a plea of
not guilty, and his trial was set for today, changed that plea when the
case was called for hearing this forenoon.He was present with his attorney, Charles Reames, and pleaded guilty to a charge of transportation of liquor, whereupon after the attorney in addressing the court asked that the fine be made not too heavy for Leabo to pay, was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail and fined $250. Medford Mail Tribune, February 20, 1930, page 3 MOONSHINER GETS 2-YEAR SENTENCE
Medford Mail Tribune, April 11, 1930, page 6
Arrested last week six miles above Jacksonville on Jackson Creek by the
sheriff's office for the possession of mash, William Fairking, 49, was
yesterday afternoon sentenced to two years in the state penitentiary on
his plea of guilty in circuit court. Aaron Rhoten, 18 years of age, of
Jacksonville, was also sentenced to two years on the same charge,
having been arrested with Fairking. He was paroled and his fine of $500
was suspended. Fairking was fined $1000 in addition to the jail
sentence.
YOUNG TRIO PLEA GUILTY TO BOOZE; MUST PAY FINES
Medford Mail Tribune, April 22, 1930, page 2
A trio of local youths, T. H. Snider, William Drumm and H. J.
McFarland, who Monday morning entered a plea of not guilty in the city
court to having a pint of moonshine and were released on $50 bail each
until their hearing today, changed their plea to one of guilty in the
court this morning. Each was fined $10 and costs, and as they were
broke, each was given a limit of 15 days in which to obtain work and
pay his fine, else be sent to jail.
It seems that the boys were driving around the city Saturday or Sunday drinking until they and their bottle fell into the clutches of the police. Fortunately, the driver of their car was not intoxicated. W. C. Moore, also arrested over the weekend on an intoxication charge, forfeited a cash bail of $10, which he had put up with the police, by failure to appear for trial in the city court yesterday. DEPUTY SHERIFFS NAB ALKY RUNNER ON PHOENIX ROAD
Medford Mail Tribune, May 2, 1930, page 4
The third big alcohol seizure to be made by the sheriff's office in a
week occurred this morning when Deputy Sheriffs Louis Jennings and
Charles Bennett arrested W. Free of San Francisco for the possession
and transportation of 170 gallons of alleged alcohol. The arrest and
seizure were made on the Pacific Highway south of Phoenix.
Free was to have a hearing in justice court this afternoon. His car, a big Master Six Buick coupe, has been confiscated by the officers. The man claimed he was en route from San Francisco to Seattle on a regular trip. He was accompanied by his wife, against whom no charge will probably be placed. The cargo of alcohol, with the exception of a gallon, was to be poured into Bear Creek this afternoon. A law passed by the last legislature makes it impossible for state officers to save any of the alcohol for the benefit of hospitals or physicians having a legitimate use for it. Any violation of the law by officers means a penitentiary sentence. Alcohol captured so far by officers in this county has been destroyed, with the exception of a small amount saved for evidence. HUGE STILL DISCOVERED IN B.F. AREA
Medford Mail Tribune, July 2, 1930, page 1Hundred-Gallon Outfit Declared Most Unsanitary-- Alleged Operator Is Taken in Raid by State and County Officers.
Believed to be the largest moonshine still ever captured in this end of
the state and possibly one of the most unsanitary, a 100-gallon
moonshine still was seized by state and county officers early this
morning in the timber country between Prospect and Butte Falls. E. A.
Sutcliff, 65, was arrested as the alleged operator.
Officers had watched the outfit for the past two weeks and for two or three days preceding the capture, camped a short distance away from the outfit, awaiting the arrival of mash to be run off into moonshine. Sutcliff, while arrested as the operator, is thought by officers to be working for unknown owners of the still. Officers are attempting to locate them. ALENDERFER SAYS YANKEE TIPPLERS AIDING CANADIAN
Medford Mail Tribune, July 21, 1930, page 8
Customers in the United States make the manufacture of liquor in Canada
a lucrative business, O. O. Alenderfer, recently returned from a trip
to Toronto, told members of the Kiwanis Club at the Hotel Medford at
noon luncheon today. Despite the fact that there is no prohibition law
in Canada, the speaker said he saw less intoxication there in the
ordinary course of events than he would see in the United States
with prohibition.
The writer was somewhat amused with the text matter in a column headed "Once in a While" and published by the owner of the Medford Daily News upon his first page. In this column he asks that all hypocrites stand up and be counted and vote against him at the fall election, at which time he will be an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate as an opponent to Senator McNary. In the course of the rambling editorial the writer dealt with everything from the Gold Hill dances and the conditions which he claims to have existed during a celebration in Medford to the gossip of the streets such as he might hear in any town in the United States. He states that America is suffering from a lack of respect of law and order such as it has never suffered before, and we are yet at a loss to decide whether he attributes this to the fact that he is not now Senator or to the fact that the 18th amendment needs repealing. He tells of many cases of drunkenness and disorderly conduct having been publicly flaunted in the city of Medford although his entire story is merely a series of aspersions and insinuations, written no doubt to lead the readers to the belief that some U.S. Senator had been drunk in Medford for several days to the extent that he could not properly conduct himself. We believe that the Medford writer is doing a great injustice to his city, its organizations and the public men who serve this state by merely dealing in generalities when discussing such items of scandal as he took occasion to fill his first-page editorial with. He charges that while a bootlegger was being arrested near that city that whiskey by the gallon was being dispensed by the leading public institution of that city. What is that institution? Is it the public library, the Chamber of Commerce, the Elks Club, the Methodist or some other church? Why didn't the Medford writer tell the whole story? Why did he leave so much to guess at? Is he afraid of the truth, or is his article composed of rumors and misstatements? Does not the text of the Medford writer's story incline one to believe that he too must stand up and be counted. Not content to revile the morals of the county seat, his home, Banks took occasion to tell of things he claims to have seen along the road between Portland, and evidently the nearer he got to Medford the worse the morals of the commonwealth seems to have gotten. He tells of finding three dances in progress, although he mentions only the location of two, and of cars parked along the highway. He relates having seen a young man supporting a very sick young woman who was endeavoring to relieve her system of the wicked bootleg whiskey her companion had given her. That piece of news might be refreshing. How does Mr. Banks know that the young lady had been drinking bootleg whiskey? Young ladies, we understand, get ill from other things than drinking bootleg whiskey, even in Gold Hill. Then, too, how does Mr. Banks know that the young ladies' companion furnished the bootleg, if that was what she had been drinking? And if he knew it was her companion who had furnished the liquor and that it was liquor that she had been drinking and in turn had made her sick why did he not do his duty as a citizen of the United States and of the state which he is asking support to be elected to the U.S. Senate, and have that companion answer for his crime? In all the vices that Mr. Banks tells of in his articles, we fail to find where he has at any time turned a hand to do other than criticize. Mr. Banks states that he is in favor of the repeal of the 18th amendment, but he fails to give a workable plan for handling the situation once the law is repealed. Does he contend that if it were made easy to obtain whiskey that the people would snub it because it is too common? If he does, we feel that he has another thought coming. Times have changed and so have moral persuasions since the days of the saloon and the passing of the 18th amendment. In those good old days even the young lady who might have been considered a trifle loose did not dance with young fellows who had been drinking, and now Mr. Banks says that an honest young lady is ostracized if she does not partake of the stuff. We size up Mr. Banks' article as a typical piece of political balderdash intended to poison the minds of his readers against his competitor in the race for the U.S. Senate. It borders too closely upon mud-slinging, and we have always noticed that in political fracases the one who sings the mud is usually doing so because he has a weak foundation upon which to stand. Central Point Star, August 8, 1930, page 2 Last night, the police arrested Florence Aller and Gene Austin, two local women, for the possession and selling of gin at a dwelling on Narregan Street. They were accused of selling gin at a certain price a drink, but the arresting officers were unable to find sufficient evidence on which to file a charge. The women were released this forenoon. The officers say they destroyed a number of empty bottles, seized a 12-gallon crock, an empty container that is believed to have held alcohol and quite a number of glasses. "Transient Youths Steal Bread," Medford Mail Tribune, August 14, 1930, page 3 The Shame of Medford
To the Editor:
Your editorial in Wednesday's paper entitled "The Shame of Chicago" was very good, but it would have been slightly more pointed and convincing if it had not followed quite so closely on the heels of Medford's recent racketeering assault. I refer to the slugging of a 20-year-old youth, a few days ago, for the high crime of refusing to be forced into the service of Medford's most prominent bootlegger. As a reward for thus respecting the laws, Wesley Coggins, day clerk at the Holland Hotel, found himself one evening last week staggering along Ivy Street with a mouthful of loosened and broken teeth wrenched from a horribly drooping, shattered jaw. Unable to talk or eat, he has spent almost two weeks of agony at the Sacred Heart Hospital, while dentist and doctors have been doing all humanly possible to relieve his sufferings and patch torn ligaments and broken bones. Their services have already loaded Wesley with a debt of from $400 to $500, his job at the hotel is gone, and at the very least he has before him the prospect of eight gloomy weeks of invalidism. Where are the scorching editorials, where the merciless publicity that would at least force our eminent booze purveyor to pay the boy's doctor bills and land his slugging henchmen behind the bars? Where are our vigilant police chief, our efficient district attorney, and brilliant sheriff? Are they all right on the job, filled with a fury of activity, making our streets safe for decency? Are the two thugs--one, the brother of the bootlegger, drove the car; the other, an ex-prize fighter, did the actual maiming--are they hunted down by an enraged populace like wild dogs, and like wild dogs hunted to extermination? Well, at this writing these ruffians are not even comfortably lodged in jail! A very careful search will reveal a couple of guarded references of the assault in the columns of your oh-so-impartial sheet, written in the usual stereotyped newspaperese of the jaded police reporter. And apparently the decent citizens of Medford do not realize the seriousness of a situation wherein a quiet, law-abiding youth fighting his way in an absurd and and impossible civilization is broken and maimed for daring to refuse to do the bidding of a booze runner. All the participants in this little affair are well known to the police and to many others. The matter is no carefully guarded mystery. However, perhaps it is just as well that our wealthy peddler of prohibited beverages be not too greatly disturbed, for a list of his customers would read like "Who's Who" in Medford; and it is possible that the disturbance might cause more talk to rise on the surface than had better be allowed access to sunshine and air. And then, too, Wesley is still in his teens. His friends don't count as yet. Politically he weighs just zero. Perhaps a lesson or two like this may put the fear of God into others of these white-collared, stiff-necked bell-hop bosses, and serve to point out clearly to the bell-boys themselves just what they had better do when the guest in room so-and-so demands the town's best. "The Shame of Chicago," say you. "Shame begins at home," say I. Justice,
Ed. note: If the above facts are correct the victim has only to bring
criminal action and he will receive ample publicity as far as this
paper is concerned.(Name on file.) "Communications," Medford Mail Tribune, August 24, 1930, page B5
S.F. BOOTICIAN ARRESTED HERE, FINED & JAILED
George Clements, San Francisco, arrested early this morning in Ashland
by Traffic Officer Sam Prescott, was fined $750 and sentenced to 30
days in the county jail on a charge of transportation and possession of
alcohol. Clements was driving a new DeSoto car, purchased yesterday in
San Francisco, loaded with 60 gallons of grain alcohol, said to be of
the highest test ever seized in Ashland.Clements appeared in the Ashland justice court this forenoon and was placed in the county jail this afternoon. His car will be confiscated by authorities. The rum runner told officers he had two other cars running liquor but said business was not as good this year due to more competition keeping the price lower than in the past. Medford Mail Tribune, September 23, 1930, page 2 SENTENCE INDIANS IN FEDERAL COURT FOR BOOTLEGGING
Medford Mail Tribune, October 13, 1930, page 2
The federal jury at three o'clock this afternoon in the trail of Dan
Weeks and Elmer Glennon, Klamath Indians, charged with a still
operation on the reservation near Kirk, returned a verdict of guilty on
two of the three counts after four hours deliberation.
Bill Barkley, a Klamath Reservation Indian, and his stepson, Silas Barkley, entered pleas of guilty to violation of the prohibition act in federal court this morning and were sentenced by Federal Judge Robert S. Bean. The elder Barkley was sentenced to serve three years in McNeil Island prison. Sentence was set aside and he was paroled to the superintendent of the reservation. The younger Barkley was sentenced to serve six months at the federal road camp at Fort Lewis, Wash., and to pay a fine of $500. The Barkleys were represented by attorney Allan Bynon of Portland of Portland, who was accompanied on the Southern Oregon trip by his son, Allan Bynon, Jr., age 8 years. At the conclusion of the business before the federal court, father and son will fish in the Rogue. Trial of Alfred Glennon, alleged associate of both Indian in liquor operations on the Klamath Reservation, was started this morning. The defendant is represented by attorney T. J. Enright of this city. DRINKING PARTY MEMBERS FINED
Medford Mail Tribune, October 24, 1930, page 4
With the imposing in Judge Taylor's court of a sentence of seven days
in jail on Dick Painter, 20, after his plea of guilty to being drunk on
a public highway, the aftermath of a drinking party on a suburban road
one night recently has been cleaned up. Albert Calhoun, 21, driver of
the car, was fined $100, given a three months' jail sentence and
suffered the suspension of his driver's license, and Jim Clark, 22, was
given a 10 days' jail sentence in the same court previously.
It is alleged that after reaching the lonely spot the young men endeavored to persuade three young girl companions to drink liquor, and upon one of them refusing and slapping one of the men, the three youths had a free-for-all fight. CONVICT FLORES OF MAINTAINING MOONSHINE STILL
Medford Mail Tribune, November 5, 1930, page B4
Joe Flores, former Front Street lunch counter operator, was found
guilty yesterday afternoon in circuit court of the possession of a
moonshine still, found by officers in an abandoned mine tunnel on
Blackwell Hill last September. Flores' case went to the jury late in
the day, and a verdict was returned in less than 30 minutes.
Flores claimed he knew nothing of the presence of the still and hardly ever visited the tunnel, but officers claimed there was mash brewing and saw a fairly well-defined path between the tunnel and a cabin, where the defendant is said to have spent a portion of his time. He was arrested shortly after the attempted holdup of the Central Point State Bank during activities of the sheriff's office to locate a green sedan that had been used by the bandit in making his escape from Central Point. EAGLE POINT MAN MURDERED AT STILL
POSSE NABS THREE MEN NEAR SCENE Everett Dahack's Body Found During Raid on Reese Creek-- Red Smith, Raleigh Mathews and W. A. Goetjen Held
Death stalked a moonshine still raid in the Reese Creek section this
forenoon. Everett Dahack, 34, single, of Eagle Point, is dead as the
result of a bullet through the top of his head. His body was found near
six barrels of mash containing approximately 250 gallons. Ted Smith,
Raleigh Mathews and W. A. Goetjen, all of the Eagle Point district,
were arrested near the scene of the killing and are held on open
charges.
The three men were surprised by officers as they were in the act of moving a 60-gallon still from a point near the mash. Joe Cave, deputy sheriff, who with Deputy Paul Jennings was lying in brush west of the still location, surprised the men. Smith stopped immediately, but Mathews is alleged to have started running through the brush. After refusing two commands to halt, Deputy Cave fired in his direction to stop him. The shots did not take effect. Mathews Captured
Mathews ran down the hill and was apprehended by Deputy Louis Jennings
who, with Roy Parr, was in hiding south of the hill. State Officers Cy
Herr and H. H. Hogan were north of the still. Goetjen was some distance
behind Mathews and Smith when they were carrying the still and was
apprehended by Officer Hogan.The officers had arrived at the scene around 9 o'clock and were lying in wait for the alleged owners of the outfit. They saw four men arrive. With three apprehended, they looked for the fourth. Officer Hogan found the body sprawled on the back with legs outstretched and arms at the side. He claimed the blood had already clotted, indicating to him that death occurred before the officers began firing. The bullet entered the top of a grey cap and tore off the back of the skull. The cap was found several feet from the body. Saw Dahack Fall
Goetjen claims he saw Dahack fall just as he was about to stir a barrel
of mash and about the time the officers were firing. However, the
officers claim Goetjen was in no position to see Dahack at the point
where he was standing. They further claim that they never saw the man
until his body was found by the barrels.Smith and Mathews were caught with the still around 10:30 this forenoon, and before that time, officers allege, a quarrel was taking place. Mathews is accused of being intoxicated and was in a surly mood. He had nothing to say concerning the affair. Rifle Found
A "Krag" rifle was found on the premises, said to be the property of one of the three men brought to the county jail this afternoon.The sheriff's office and members of the state prohibition department had located the still several days ago. Sheriff Ralph Jennings with other officers were near the place last night and during the past week had made five trips to the section to complete details for the seizure of the outfit and possible arrest of its operators. When the officers went to the scene, leaving Medford at 8 o'clock this morning, it was thought that the still would only be seized and brought to Medford. The alleged operators were not expected to make their appearance. An inquest will probably be held tomorrow in Dahack's death. Medford Mail Tribune, November 14, 1930, page 1 RAID STORY TO BE TOLD AT INQUEST
The coroner's inquest into the death of Everett Dahack in the Reese
Creek section yesterday forenoon will be held at 7 o'clock this evening
at the Conger funeral parlors. It will be open to the public. Nothing
new has developed since the first reports of the shooting.Slaying of Dahack at Reese Creek Moonshine Camp Will Be Probed by Coroner--Officers Tell Version of Hill Tragedy. ----
The hills of Reese Creek held a secret that a coroner's inquest tonight
will attempt to learn. An alleged moonshiner, Everett Dahack, died from
a rifle bullet through the head. The body was found by a party of
raiding officers yesterday forenoon after they had arrested Raleigh
Mathews, W. A. Goetjen and Ted Smith, of Eagle Point, following a
well-prepared plan to raid a still, alleged to be the property of
Mathews.Officers claim they fired but twice. Joe Cave, deputy sheriff, fired at Mathews when he attempted to make his escape by running after he had been ordered by the officer to halt. Mathews and Ted Smith were carrying a 60-gallon moonshine still. Mathews tore through brush in an opposite angle from the location of six barrels of fermenting corn mash, where Dahack's body was found after the three men had been apprehended. Deputy Sheriff Louis Jennings and Officer Roy Parr were stationed approximately 200 feet away down a hill in a southerly direction. After Cave had fired once, Deputy Jennings fired into the air to bring the fleeing one to a halt. However, Mathews practically ran into the officer's arms and was brought back to the point where he had broken away. Smith did not run. Suspects Approach
Deputy Paul Jennings had been secreted in the brush in a westerly
direction near Officer Cave when Matthews and Smith were seen walking
toward them. Cave arose in an effort to stop them. The officer related
that Mathews ran and the former fired at him with a rifle. He shot only
once, fearing another shot might endanger the officer located in that
direction. Broken brush, [and] branches apparently broken off by
Mathews' plunging body, indicated the path he had taken. It was due
south. The mash was northeast.Deputies Cave and Paul Jennings only saw Smith and Mathews and did not see Goetjen, third member of the trio arrested, until State Officer H. H. Hogan, hidden in the brush with State Agent Cy Herr north of the barrels of mash, had apprehended him in brush near the barrels. The officer said he fired no shots. When a search for the fourth man was begun, Dahack was found on his back with a bullet through the head. Evidence at the scene indicated Dahack's head was hardly more than three feet above the ground when struck. He apparently was stirring mash. The leaden missile struck the center of a gray cap he was wearing. Cap Is Found
The cap was on the ground several feet from the body. Small pieces of
lead were clinging to the cloth when examined by the officers. The
caliber of the bullet was not determined. A rifle was found at the
scene fully loaded. Officers today are looking for another gun that
they think may have been thrown into the brush.Deputy Paul Jennings rushed 25 miles to Medford for Sheriff Ralph Jennings, who returned to the scene with Coroner H. W. Conger, District Attorney George Codding, Cal Wells, United States deputy marshal, and a Mail Tribune reporter. Deputy Coroner Joy Walker followed and the group of officers was joined by C. P. Talent and Burrell Baucom of the state traffic department to offer any necessary aid. The road to the Mathews still led from the Butte Falls Highway a few miles from the Crater Lake Highway junction. It was a typical hill country road and passed by no farm houses, but went through acres of brush and occasionally cleared areas. Large rocks in the center and along the side made hard traveling. Brush scraped the side of the car and resulted in countless scratches. An old Durant sedan was parked along the side of the road within a few hundred yards of the Butte Falls junction. Reese Creek, flowing full with surplus irrigation water, was crossed and then several marshy spots. Reach Scene
A short walk was necessary before the actual scene was reached. The
prisoners, Mathews, Goetjen and Smith, were standing handcuffed
together near a bonfire, with one or two smoking cigarettes. The still,
a copper affair, was on the ground a few yards away and was surrounded
by other equipment, including a gas burner and tank. Several gallon
glass jugs were nearby. The mash barrels were a few yards north of the
fire, with bubbles of fermentation making faint noises.Dahack's body was on the ground north of the barrels, his feet almost touching one. Blankets and sacks, previously used to cover the top of the barrels, hid the body. Their removal revealed a gruesome sight, and it was first thought the head had been cleft with a sharp ax, but later investigation revealed the bullet hole and small bits of lead in the cap. Sheriff Jennings, Coroner Conger and District Attorney Codding carefully took in the situation and listened to versions of the affair from the different officers. The three prisoners said but little, with the exception of Goetjen, who claimed he saw Dahack fall to the ground during the shooting. He was a nervous man, white haired, probably in his sixties. Presented Typical Scene
The scene presented a typical moonshine hideout, stuck away in brush,
scrub oak and pine that would have been hard to find by a person who
did not know its exact location. Officers had been searching for the
still for some time but did not gain knowledge of its location until
the past week. Five trips were made there by Sheriff Jennings, and he
was there the night before the raid. As a result of the visit in the
dark, he sustained an injured eye when he ran into brush.The mash was destroyed with the exception of two gallons held for evidence and the still and other equipment were moved to Medford. Officers were back at the scene today making measurements which will be given at the inquest tonight. Goetjen and Smith were acquitted of a moonshine still possession charge in circuit court here during the past year, and Mathews was arrested several weeks ago on a moonshine sale charge upon which he had been at liberty on $500 bonds. He had been suspected of still operation for some time, but no evidence could ever be obtained on his alleged operations. When the officers left for the scene at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, they did not expect to find Mathews in the vicinity. They thought he was too shrewd to make his appearance, but with three others he arrived a short time after the officers hid themselves in the brush. Medford Mail Tribune, November 15, 1930, page 1 RAID STORY RECOUNTED AT HEARING
Possibilities of new developments
in the mysterious shooting of Everett Dahack, Eagle Point, during a
moonshine still raid in the Reese Creek section Friday forenoon were
indicated this forenoon at the preliminary hearing held in justice
court for Raleigh Matthews, Ted Smith, and W. A. Goetjen, Eagle Point
men, on moonshine still possession charges.Matthews, Smith and Goetjen Bound Over to Grand Jury by Justice Court-- New Developments Are Hinted in Testimony. The trio was bound over to the grand jury, in session tomorrow, on bonds of $5000, previously set when the men were arraigned in court several days ago. Testimony for the state was offered by Deputy Sheriffs Paul and Louis Jennings and Joe Cave and State Prohibition Agent H. H. Hogan, surrounding events during the raid, at the end of which Dahack's body was found on its back near six mash barrels. The defendants waived examination but will probably offer testimony at the grand jury session. Mystery Man Hinter
The possibility of a man in the
vicinity, in addition to the officers, and alleged still possessors and
Dahack, was touched by Deputy Paul Jennings in his testimony presented
in court. Efforts of attorney E. E. Kelly, counsel for Smith and
Goetjen, to learn more about the shooting that took place during the
raid were frustrated by George Nelson, deputy district attorney, who
held that a hearing on a still possession charge was hardly the proper
place to conduct a shooting investigation.The deputy declared every angle of the death will be investigated. Judge Kelly retorted it would be in secret session, as all grand juries are. The district attorney office has requested any person having information on the affair to appear before the jury, which will visit the shooting scene tomorrow morning. The official indicated that whatever transpires at the investigation at the scene will not be shrouded in secrecy. Judge Kelly insinuated efforts were underway to "cover" the matter up. Cave Testifies
Joe Cave, holding a deputy
sheriff's commission, in his testimony before the court followed
the same story he presented at the coroner's inquest Saturday
night. He said he fired once and shot in an effort to stop
Matthews' escape from the scene."Matthews had chances to submit to arrest but refused to do it," Officer Cave testified. He said he was using a 30-30 rifle he had borrowed from Mrs. C. L. Warnock with the probable intention of buying. He declared he did not know Dahack was in the vicinity and shot in a direction leading away from the spot where the body was found. Officer Cave testified the rifle was loaded with soft-nosed copper-jacketed bullets. When Judge Kelly inferred that Smith, apprehended near the spot from which the officer fired, could see the mash barrels, the officer claimed it was impossible to see the barrels through brush and trees. The officer said he took several steps before firing at Matthews, who ran in a southerly direction and was apprehended by Deputy Louis Jennings. The attorney also inferred that twigs were seen breaking from the effects of a bullet in line with Dahack's location but the inference was denied by state witnesses on the stand. They also testified they heard no whine that glancing bullets would usually make. Tell of Shots
Officers Hogan, Paul Jennings and
Cave all told of hearing more than two shots fired by members of the
raiding party. One of the shots was fired by Deputy Louis Jennings and
the other by Cave. Located about 400 feet south of the barrels, the
former said he heard only two shots, including his own.A different version of the shooting affair is expected to be told by the three defendants before the grand jury. Some valuable information leading to the solution of the mystery is expected. Matthews was represented in court by attorney Charles Reames, who also took part in the cross-examination of the state witnesses. Medford Mail Tribune, November 19, 1930, page 1 DAHACK DEATH IN STILL RAID IS CONSIDERED
An investigation of the mysterious shooting of Everett Dahack, Eagle
Point man, during a moonshine still raid last Friday in the Reese Creek
section was begun by the grand jury this forenoon at the court house.
It was planned to take the jury to the scene of the killing, but a
court order is necessary and one could not be obtained due to the
absence of Circuit Judge H. D. Norton in Grants Pass this week.The jury will be taken to the scene following the questioning of witnesses here. Members of the raiding party were being examined this forenoon. Raleigh Matthews, W. A. Goetjen and Ted Smith, charged with still possession as a result of the raid, are also to appear before the jury. Medford Mail Tribune, November 20, 1930, page 1 SLAYING OF DAHACK IS RECOUNTED
Allegations were made today by Ted Smith and W. A. Goetjen under bonds
of $5,000 each on moonshine still possession charges in connection with
a still raid in the Reese Creek section, last Friday that may, if
substantiated, shed further information on circumstances surrounding
the mysterious shooting of Everett Dahack during the raid.Pair Accused in Still Possession Case Say Shot Which Killed Eagle Point Man Fired by Deputy Sheriff During Raid Smith, Goetjen and Raleigh Matthews, of Eagle Point, were arrested by the raiding party of six officers, and are now at liberty pending developments in the charges placed against them. The grand jury was in session today investigating the raid and shooting. Goetjen in an interview with a Mail Tribune reporter made the statement that he was standing next to Dahack when a bullet came through the air striking Dahack in the head. Goetjen charged that the bullet came from the rifle in the hands of Joe Cave, deputy sheriff. Goetjen said further that Dahack was in a stooped position and had a finger in a mash barrel testing the warmth of its contents. Saw Dahack Fall
When he saw Dahack fall, Goetjen said he fled from the scene in a
southerly direction, fearing more shots. He said he ran until he was
apprehended by State Prohibition Agent H. H. Hogan. Goetjen declared
that Dahack had no connection with the still outfit on the scene and
was only "passing by.'Smith, in a brief version of the shooting, claimed that he or Matthews were not carrying any part of a still when Officer Cave made his appearance. He said he could see the mash barrels from the scene. He alleged that the officer was approximately 80 feet away from the barrels when he fired. Smith accused the officer of firing in the direction of Dahack and said he saw him fall. Deny Still Interest
Smith said he turned to look at Dahack as Cave fired. He said he had
turned in time to see him falling backwards. Smith and Goetjen both
claim they had no interest in the alleged equipment seized by the
officers.Testimony presented by officers at the coroner's inquest Saturday night and the preliminary hearing in justice court yesterday told another version of the affair. In the officers' version, Cave said he could not see Dahack or did not know he was in the vicinity and said he fired at Matthews, running in a direction leading away from the barrels. This testimony was upheld by Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings, who testified he covered Smith while Cave shot at Matthews and started to chase him through the brush surrounding the scene. Medford Mail Tribune, November 21, 1930, page 1 DAHACK JURORS WARN OFFICERS FOR RIFLE USE
After examining 24 witnesses and spending five days in a thorough
investigation into the mysterious shooting of Everett Dahack, 34, Eagle
Point man, during a moonshine still raid in the Reese Creek section two
weeks ago, the grand jury submitted a report on the affair late
Wednesday afternoon to the effect that peace officers should use
caution in the use of firearms in the performance of duty.Hearing on Killing of Eagle Point Man Finished-- Trio to Face Charges of Operating Still. Ted Smith, W. A. Goetjen and Raleigh Matthews, three Eagle Point men arrested as a result of the raid, were indicted on moonshine possession charges and will stand trial in a short time. The report of the grand jury is not final, and the case may be reopened with the submission of new evidence or the matter may be taken up by a new jury, District Attorney Codding said today. The shooting was investigated from every angle and no stone was left unturned to gain a clear understanding of the situation. The jury spent an entire afternoon at the scene of the raid and inspected quite a number of exhibits. Shot as Man Fled
Smith and Goetjen, under still possession indictment, charged that the
shot killing Dahack was fired by a gun in the hands of Joe Cave,
holding a deputy sheriff's commission. However, the deputy states he
did not know Dahack was in the vicinity and shot in the direction of
Raleigh Matthews in an effort to prevent his escape from the scene.
Matthews was running in a direction away from the six barrels of mash,
near which the body was found.On the Saturday night before Dahack was killed, it was brought out in a recent justice court hearing testimony, Dahack was a visitor at the Medford police station for a short time. As the present situation stands, mystery will forever surround circumstances of Dahack's death, and the Reese Creek hills will continue to hold their secret. Medford Mail Tribune, November 28, 1930, page 1 MOONSHINE STILL THEFTS THREATEN WAR OF HILLMEN
There's trouble in "them thar hills" and officers of the law cannot
help. Grapevine reports are making their slow and uncertain way into
Medford from the mountain country where here and there some ambitious
and law-defying souls ply their trade of changing fermenting corn into
that beverage known as whiskey. While living in the fear of old John
Law, these whiskey makers of the hills in some parts also live in fear
of each other.Several have found their way to Medford and left whispered reports that they are losing stills, taken by neighbors or others during the long night hours when they are unguarded. The takers may be under suspicion, but no charges of theft can be lodged, such charges turning back at the owners and pointing an accusing finger of possession against them, but efforts will doubtlessly be made to watch the stills better. One man is said to have made the purchase of a telescope to watch his copper can in the daytime, when he is absent from the premises. Medford Mail Tribune, November 29, 1930, page 2 PETITION SEEKS INVESTIGATION DAHACK DEATH
A petition requesting a special grand jury to investigate the death of
Everett Dahack of Eagle Point during a recent raid by state and county
prohibition officers, on a moonshine still in the Reese Creek district,
was being circulated today by Ernest Dahack, brother of the raid victim.Brother of Moonshine Still Raid Victim Now Circulating Request for New Probe. Close to 50 names from this city and the Eagle Point district appeared on the petition, which was being presented throughout the business district. It is understood that relatives and friends of Everett Dahack feel that the regular grand jury investigation, which spent a week hearing 28 witnesses and visiting the scene of the raid, did not make a complete probe. George B. Alden was foreman of that body. It was reported that the governor would be asked to conduct a quiz. The name of Ernest Dahack appeared as the petitioner in the document. Under the Oregon law, the appointment of a special grand jury rests with the circuit judge, when directed to do so by the chief executive. Medford Mail Tribune, December 3, 1930, page 1 CIDER SEEKERS CAUSE LOSS OF 7000 GALLONS
Medford Mail Tribune, December 5, 1930, page 1Rogue Cannery Gives Up Vinegar-Making in Face of Annual Raids by Hard Cider Addicts.
Unknown vandals broke into the Rogue River Valley Canning Company plant
on South Railroad Ave. late Tuesday night and by malicious carelessness
caused the loss of 7000 gallons of vinegar valued at $1500, by leaving
the tap to the vat open, causing the vinegar to run off into a sewer.
The culprits were seeking apple cider, and as the vinegar had not started to "mother," it was in prime condition. Manager R. U. Boutelle of the canning company said that as a result of the vandalism--the same thing occurred last year--no further efforts would be made by the concern to make vinegar. He said this year he had placed safeguards around the vinegar vat to thwart the marauders, but they had come armed with monkey wrenches and undid all his work, in a spirit of mischievousness. Quaint Old Custom
It has been a quaint local custom for years to raid the vat, and five
years ago a youth nearly drowned when he fell from the roof into the
vat, to be rescued by his pals after a good ducking.There are no clues in the latest depredation, and the authorities are baffled. A watchman in the neighborhood heard someone in the plant early Wednesday morning, but from the sounds thought plumbers were at work, and made no investigation. When the vinegar that was lost was ready for bottling and shipping, it would have furnished labor to ten or twelve persons. The cannery management stated they have always experienced more or less difficulty in their vinegar making from those with a thirst for cider in the hard stage, and that losses had been sustained, besides the annoyance of not knowing when they were going to be burglarized. "It seems that we just can't make vinegar," said Mrs. Boutelle this morning, "and after our experience this fall, we have decided to cut it out in the future. What they drink they were welcome to. It's what they wasted that hurts." 1000 NAMES ON PETITION FOR DAHACK PROBE
It was reported today that "over 1000 signatures" had been secured to
the petitions circulated the past week by Ernest Dahack of the Eagle
Point district, asking for appointment of a special prosecutor and
special grand jury, by the governor, for a special investigation into
the circumstances surrounding the death of Everett Dahack, during a
raid on a moonshine still in the Reese Creek district a fortnight ago.
Ernest Dahack is a brother of the deceased.No Opposition Reported to Plan for Special Prosecutor and Grand Jury in Still Death. It is understood the petitions are ready for presentation to the chief executive, with a plea for early action. No opposition has arisen to the request. The regular grand jury, of which George B. Alden is foreman, spent a week hearing 28 witnesses, [and] filed a report cautioning liquor raiding officers to exercise greater care in the use of firearms in the future. If the request for a special prosecutor is granted, it is felt that the governor will make his selection from outside the bar of Jackson County, and in this connection the name of L. J. Liljeqvist is mentioned. He is a member of the attorney general's staff, and conducted several special investigations in this county, including the Bank of Jacksonville failure cases and the 1922 night riding cases. He is an experienced and fearless lawyer. The special grand jury would be drawn from jury body of the county. Medford Mail Tribune, December 9, 1930, page 1 LIQUID CHEER AND ALLEGED RUNNER SEIZED NEAR TOLO
Medford Mail Tribune, December 16, 1930, page 6
One load of alleged alcohol that will not reach its destination landed
its three accused owners in the county jail this morning as a result of
a car crash on the overhead bridge on the Pacific Highway at Tolo.
Harry W. Yap, 48; Courtney Yapp, 24, and R. J. Stowe, 41, of Eugene are
in the county jail facing charges of liquor possession.
The trio, arrested by the sheriff's office and state traffic officers, are alleged to have been en route to Eugene with a load of 60 gallons of alcohol when their machine left the highway on the bridge and turned over several times over a steep grade. After hiding the alcohol under the bridge, the men found their way to Gold Hill, where they attracted attention because of being in an intoxicated condition. The sheriff's office was called and the men were brought to the county jail. Several cans of alcohol is said to have been destroyed as a result of the crash, which completely wrecked the car, an old Dodge touring. The two Yapps are father and son and, while claiming no address, are believed to have been making their headquarters in California. DAHACK SLAYING QUIZ DISCUSSED
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 17.--(AP)--District Attorney George A. Codding and
Sheriff Ralph G. Jennings of Jackson County were here today in
conference with Governor Norblad relative to a petition received by
the governor requesting him to appoint a special prosecutor to
investigate the killing of Everett V. Dahack. Dahack was killed by
officers during a raid on a still. The governor has not yet announced
his decision.Medford Mail Tribune, December 17, 1930, page 6 SECRET PROBE WILL BE MADE DAHACK DEATH
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 18.--(AP)--Governor Norblad's agent who is to
investigate the situation in Jackson County growing out of the killing
of Everett Dahack in a liquor raid will go to that county incognito,
the governor said today. The governor expects him to leave for Medford
today or tomorrow. By keeping his identity hidden the governor believes
he will be able to avoid local influences that might hamper his
operations. On the basis of his report the governor will decide whether
he will send a special prosecutor to Medford to conduct the case before
the grand jury.Medford Mail Tribune, December 18, 1930, page 1 SECRET PROBE DAHACK DEATH IS COMPLETED
The special investigator assigned to this county by Governor A. W.
Norblad, for inquiry into the death of Everett Dahack, 34, Eagle Point,
during a raid on a Reese Creek still a month ago, completed his work
yesterday and departed for Salem. He will file his findings with the
governor within a few days. It is expected the chief executive will
make his decision in the case between then and his retirement from
office, January 12.Special Investigator Will Give Governor Findings in Investigation for Decision in Case. The special investigator interviewed residents of all sections of the county in the last ten days. On this list were many citizens classed as "neutrals." It is understood that none of the principals in the tragedy were questioned, their testimony being available from the records of the grand jury. Twenty-eight witnesses were called before that body, of which George Alden was foreman. The investigator also spent half a day at the scene of the shooting. In a largely signed petition, circulated by Ernest Dahack, a brother of the slain man, the governor was requested to order a special grand jury and appoint a special prosecutor to re-investigate the case. The first grand jury exonerated all members of the raiding party, and in its report cautioned against reckless shooting during raids. Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1930, page 1 PLEAS ENTERED IN MOONSHINE, AUTO AND FRAUD CASES
When he pleaded guilty in circuit court yesterday, J. C. Meyer, charged
with obtaining goods under false pretenses in Ashland, was sentenced to
the state penitentiary to a term not to exceed two years. Pleas were
also heard from other persons arraigned in court.James Ray, arrested Friday by city officer T. H. Robinson and federal officer L. I. Moon, for the possession and operation of a moonshine still, waived all preliminary hearings and grand jury indictment to plead guilty. He will be sentenced Monday. Ray was first apprehended in Medford with one gallon of alleged whiskey in his car, and later search of his dwelling on Orchard Home Drive revealed an alleged moonshine still, several gallons of whiskey and 200 gallons of mash. J. A. Dorf, arrested some time ago for transportation of whiskey, was sentenced to 75 days in the county jail. Luther Crosby and Buck Wilson, accused of an Ashland burglary, are to enter pleas Monday. On that day Evan Crow and Bernard Haas, arrested a short time ago for car theft, are also to enter pleas. Glenn Stringer, local boy, arrested on a similar charge, pleaded guilty yesterday on two counts of car theft and will be sentenced Monday. Medford Mail Tribune, January 18, 1931, page 8 JURY EXONERATES DAHACK RAIDERS
The Jackson County grand jury, under the direction of Assistant
Attorney General Willis W. Moore, special prosecutor, shortly before
noon today filed its report in the investigation into the death of
Everett Dahack, 34, Eagle Point, killed during the progress of a
prohibition enforcement raid on a Reese Creek moonshine still last
December.NO EVIDENCE TO WARRANT INDICTMENT Jackson County Quiz Under Special Prosecutor Returns Terse Finding in Death of Everett Dahack of Eagle Point. Exoneration is granted to all raiding officers in the following terse sentence: "…. we find that such evidence is not such as in our judgment to warrant the indictment of any person or persons for the killing of said Everett Dahack." No Recommendations
The report, consisting of only one paragraph, mentions no names and
makes no recommendations. It is signed by J. J. Skinner of this city as
foreman and Walter J. Mundy, Medford, Harold Woods, Medford, A. L.
Simmons, Central Point, J. R. Bilderbach, Ashland, and Robert L.
Taylor, Medford, as members.The tragedy that resulted in the death of Dahack occurred November 14, 1930, when a raiding party visited a Reese Creek still. They came upon Raleigh Matthews, Eagle Point, and two or three companions. Matthews is alleged to have fled and a shot was fired to halt him when he ignored commands to halt. A short time later Dahack was found a short distance away, with a bullet in the top of his head. Stray Bullet Claim
Members of the raiding party were not aware of his presence in the
vicinity, and it was maintained that Dahack was killed accidentally by
a stray bullet.The regular grand jury investigated the death and filed a report exonerating the officers but recommended that more care be used in the use of firearms. Following this action, Ernest Dahack of Eagle Point, a brother of Everett, and friends and relatives circulated a petition throughout Jackson County, asking the governor to appoint a special prosecutor. Governor Norblad acceded to the request after sending a special investigator to this county. Assistant Attorney General Willis W. Moore was appointed and started the quiz January 9. Two days later he was stricken with illness and the probe was suspended. Last Monday the hearings were resumed. The present probe was in session a week and heard 30 witnesses. Full Report
The report of the grand jury in
full is as
follows:
"We, the grand jury for the county of Jackson, state of Oregon, charged with the matter of the investigation of the cause of death of Everett Dahack, have to report that upon consideration of all the evidence before us taken together, we find that such evidence is not such, as in our judgment, to warrant the indictment of any person, or persons, for the killing of said Everett Dahack. "Dated at Medford, this 16th day of March, 1931." The grand jury, with Special Prosecutor Moore absent from the room, spent this morning preparing its report. The additional expense of the extra grand jury sessions and the services of a special prosecutor will be borne by Jackson County. Another chapter in the tragedy will be enacted at the present term of the circuit court when Raleigh Matthews, W. A. Goetjen and Ted Smith, indicted and charged with the operation of the raided still, will be brought to trial. Medford Mail Tribune, March 16, 1931, page 1 DAHACK FINDING CLOSES INQUIRY IN STILL DEATH
Assistant Attorney General Willis W. Moore, detailed by former Gov. A.
W. Norblad to conduct a special investigation into the death of Everett
Dahack, 35, Eagle Point, killed during the progress of a raid on a
Reese Creek still last December, has returned to Salem and the case is
officially closed. The grand jury reported yesterday, holding that
insufficiency of evidence precluded any indictments.Thorough Investigation Fails Find Evidence Warranting Indictment-- Cost to County $400. The expense entailed by the assistant attorney general will be borne by the state and the costs of the grand jury and witnesses will be borne by the county. This will amount, according to County Clerk Delilia Stevens Meyer, to close to $400. The principal item is for witness fees. Thirty Witnesses Heard
The grand jury made a thorough and exhaustive investigation and heard
30 witnesses, visited the scene of the tragedy and followed every
possible angle of the case. It is still as mystifying, in many
respects, as the day it happened.The grand jury sifted several versions of the affair without finding any definite conclusion. The most plausible theory seems to be that a bullet fired to halt the flight of Raleigh Matthews during the raid glanced from a rock or tree and hit Dahack in the head as he stood or stooped. Medford Mail Tribune, March 17, 1931, page 1 DISCOVER LIQUOR IN CLEVER CACHE
An ingenious hiding place for 40 pints of alleged moonshine and a
half-gallon jug almost saved T. J. Parker from jail when officers last
night raided his apartment on Riverside Avenue. Members of the
sheriff's office and the police department had searched his apartment
diligently for liquor they thought was there.They were about to leave the room when Chief of Police McCredie looked under the carpet as a last resort. He noticed a hole in the floor and, pulling up a board, he discovered the hiding place of the liquor. Parker's smile of self-satisfaction disappeared, and he was placed under arrest. A preliminary hearing will probably be held tomorrow in justice court. Medford Mail Tribune, April 2, 1931, page 8 VERDICT IS GUILTY FOR STILL PAIR
Deliberating less than an hour, a circuit court jury this noon returned
a verdict of guilty against Albert Goetjen and Ted Smith, Eagle Point
district residents charged with possession of the Reese Creek still
where Everett Dahack was killed last winter during the progress of a
prohibition enforcement raid. The jury retired at noon and returned at
12:30 p.m.Goetjen and Smith Found Guilty in Less Than Hour's Deliberation-- Matthews Faces Trial Monday--Shooting Evidence Barred Raleigh Matthews, similarly charged, will go on trial next Monday. The crime of which Smith and Goetjen were convicted is a felony and carries a minimum sentence of one year and a fine. Efforts of the defense to inject the fatal shooting as a basic part of the testimony was blocked by a ruling of the court, who held "the defendants, not the officers, are on trial." The defense was allowed to introduce evidence pertaining to the finding of the body only. District Attorney George A. Codding made the closing argument for the state. He declared the case was ‘simply whether the jury was going to take the word of the defendants against the word of tried and true officers." Smith and Goetjen claimed that the day before the raid they had killed a deer and were bringing in the deer when they came upon the still and happened to be present when the raiders arrived. The district attorney characterized this as "a flimsy defense, indeed." There was one woman, Mrs. Gene Vilm, on the jury. Medford Mail Tribune, April 3, 1931, page 1 OFFICER CAVE TELLS VERSION OF STILL RAID
Joe Cave, Medford policeman and member of the prohibition enforcement
party that swooped down last December on a Reese Creek still, was the
first witness called by the state in the trial of Raleigh Matthews of
the Eagle Point district, charged with mash and still possession.Matthews Attorneys Attempt to Show Testimony Differed from Previous Hearings--Slow Progress The defense centered its efforts in an attempt to impeach Cave's testimony by showing from the records that his testimony differed from what he gave at the preliminary and other hearings. Cave testified that he fired a shot when Matthews failed to heed a command to halt, and that he recognized Matthews as soon as he saw him. Everett Dahack, a cousin of Matthews, was found dead after the excitement of the raid had passed. Had Conversation
It was brought out that Cave and Matthews had a conversation in which
Cave expressed regret that "Everett had been shot," and Matthews had
said: "This was Everett's first visit."The defense attempt to bring out details of the shooting was blocked by an objection of the state sustained by the court. From records of previous hearings it was brought out that when raiders estimated the still as "a 50-gallon pot," Matthews corrected them and said: "It's a 65-gallon pot." The trial proceeded slowly at the morning session, and to speed up the proceedings the court dispensed with the usual recess. Then 10 of the 12 jurors requested permission to leave the room. Lengthy Examination
The defense is going into the case with great detail and its
examination is minute. At the present rate the case will not be given
to the jury until late tomorrow.The court room was filled with spectators this morning. Selection of a jury was completed as follows: H. F. Butcher, Medford; J. R. Pittinger, Ashland; W. F. DeFord, Ashland; S. E. Hitzler, Medford; M. P. Kearney, Central Point; C. C. Harwood, Medford; J. W. Lively, Medford; John Ely, Medford; A. A. Madden, Medford; Marion Lance, Rogue River; William C. Mitchell, Ashland, and John B. Renault, Jacksonville. H. H. Hogan, state prohibition agent, testified when raiders and prisoners stood near the mash barrels, where lay Everett Dahack, dead from a bullet in the head, somebody said, "Who is this?" According to the witness, Matthews replied: "It's Everett Dahack. It's a shame, because he is innocent. If it was one of us it wouldn't be so bad." Hogan and C. A. (Cy) Herr, another prohibition agent who preceded him, gave corroborative testimony to that offered by Officer Joe Cave at the morning session. Still Nevertheless
Attorney Charles Reames, for the defense, in questioning Herr,
endeavored to show that the still, as exhibited, was not a complete
still, because parts of it were missing. The court ruled that "if a nut
or screw is missing, I am not going to instruct the jury that the still
is not a still. The component parts are present. The defendant is
charged with possession--not operation."The court also held that questions asked Herr relative to his knowledge of "the theory of distillation were argumentative." Attorney Reames contended that a hole in the top of the still made it impotent as a still and "that some part is missing." The state will close its case today. Medford Mail Tribune, April 7, 1931, page 8 OLD WASH BOILER MOONSHINE STILL
R. E. Jones and Kenneth Leasor, recent young tourist arrivals from New
Mexico, were to appear in circuit court this afternoon to enter pleas
on a charge of operating a moonshine still. They were arrested in
Ashland yesterday afternoon by Federal Prohibition Agent L. I. Moon.The men had an old wash boiler outfit, and officers say they were using chicken scratch food for mash. Three gallons of alleged moonshine were seized at the small dwelling where the men were living. The whiskey tested 58 percent and was of a poor grade, according to officers. Medford Mail Tribune, April 28, 1931, page 2 BEAR CREEK FISH TASTE MOONSHINE
Every so often, Bear Creek flows rich with alcohol and liquor inspired
by the destruction of intoxicating beverages seized by officers from
bootleggers and rum runners. Yesterday afternoon the sheriff's office
poured quite a quantity of liquor out at McAndrew's ford in the creek,
in the presence of witnesses.Some of the beverage may have been good and the rest of poor quality, but it all came to the same end. The liquor had been used as evidence in cases tried in court the past several months and included all the county had, with the exception of 10 cases of whiskey seized Wednesday in Medford from two Italian rum runners. The liquor included the following: Eight quarts of wine, 83 pints of moonshine, three quarts of moonshine, three gallons of wine, 20 gallons of alcohol and 28 gallons of moonshine. Medford Mail Tribune, May 22, 1931, page 8 OREGON PROHI REPEAL MOVE IS UNDER WAY
SALEM, Ore., May 28.--(AP)--The preliminary petition for an initiative
to repeal the Oregon general prohibition law was received today by the
secretary of state's office, but it will be returned to Portland for
proper signature, it was announced today.Portland Editor Makes Plea for Ballot Title for Referendum Vote-- 17,000 Signatures Are Needed The preliminary petition was sent by Harry B. Critchlow of Portland, editor of Common Sense. The petition, when signed, will be submitted to the attorney-general for a ballot title, and if the approximately 17,000 signatures are obtained four months before the next general election, as required by law, the matter will be submitted to the electorate for approval or rejection. The approval of the repeal would put the matter of prohibition enforcement, generally, in the hands of the federal government. The matter of referring the state law was an issue in both the house and senate of the last legislature, but attempts to refer prohibition enforcement repeal to the people failed. Medford Mail Tribune, May 28, 1931, page 5 RAIDERS NAB 2 OPERATION BIG B.F. DISTILLERY
Harry Scott, twice before arrested for violation of the prohibition
laws, authorities say, and Charles Pennington, middle-aged mountain
ranchers, are held in the county jail following a raid last night on a
still in the timber eight miles east of Butte Falls.Harry Scott, Charles Pennington Jailed-- Still Found by Officers Seeking Cattle Rustlers Ten barrels of mash, two stills of 30- and 50-gallon capacity, a mass of paraphernalia used in moonshine manufacture, and a half dozen sacks of sugar were seized. Charges of possession will be filed against the pair. Discovery of the stills was made by accident Thursday morning by State Prohibition Officer L. I. Moon and a state veterinary deputy, who were seeking evidence of cattle hijackers reported operating in the same area. The officers came upon the still in a cabin. They reported to Sheriff Ralph Jennings, who with Deputy Sheriff Paul Jennings returned to the spot last evening. No One Home
When the sheriff's force arrived no one was present. The stills,
covered with canvas, were going full blast, however. About nine o'clock
the rattle of an approaching auto was heard. The raiders hid behind the
cabin and caught Scott and Pennington unawares.It was erroneously reported that one of the arrested men was William Pennington. Charles Pennington was arrested, instead. According to authorities, the stills had not been in operation long and the operators are believed to have been preparing to supply liquor for Southern Oregon convention and Fourth of July celebrations. Pennington claims to be suffering from a nervous ailment due to a back injury and started on the illicit venture to better his finances and secure medical treatment. He told authorities; "I am sitting $1000 in the hole and took a chance." The pair will be arraigned today. The raid was in charge of Sheriff Ralph Jennings. The seizure was the largest in this county this year. Medford Mail Tribune, June 5, 1931, page 1 BUTTE FALLS PAIR TO FACE FEDERAL MOONSHINE TRIAL
Harry Scott, Butte Falls homesteader, a "three-time loser," in defiance
of the prohibition laws, authorities say, and Charles "Cougar Bill"
Pennington, a stockman and hunter of the same area, were bound over to
the federal grand jury late yesterday by United States Commissioner
Chauncey Florey. The pair were arrested Thursday night charged with
possession of two stills and 11 barrels of mash found in their cabin.The federal authorities requested the case, which will probably be heard here when the federal court meets next October. Bail was fixed at $1500. Pennington is endeavoring to secure his freedom so he can dispose of his cattle and dogs and put his house in order. Scott Nabbed Thrice
Scott, according to the sheriff's office, completed a jail term in
November 1929 for liquor violation. His present arrest is his third,
and one more conviction will make him amenable to the "habitual
criminal act," with a life term as the penalty. He has been a resident
of this county for several years.Pennington is well known in the city and county and at one time was a government hunter. His success as a cougar slayer gave him the cognomen of "Cougar Bill." He now has a number of valuable hunting dogs at his mountain cabin. The present is his first entanglement with the law. Attorney Frank DeSouza is acting as legal representative of the two. Medford Mail Tribune, June 6, 1931, page 3 SOLD BEER TO FEED CHILDREN, IS CLAIM
Herbert Smith was arrested last evening by city authorities for the
alleged operation of a beer dispensary at 103 East Jackson Street.Smith has been unemployed for some time, and told the police, they say, that he was "in the beer game to feed his children." The authorities allege that Smith has been selling beer some time. Fifty-eight bottles of beer were seized. The residence has been under surveillance for ten days, and customers noted by the authorities. Medford Mail Tribune, June 14, 1931, page 6 FATHER RELEASED ON BEER CHARGE
Because of his assertion that he made and sold beer to support his
family, including several children, H. A. Smith, who resides on East
Jackson Street, was given a sentence of 30 days in jail in Judge
Taylor's court yesterday afternoon and then was paroled on condition
that he will observe all laws in the future.
He had pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of 58 bottles of homemade brew. The parole was given in order for him to obtain work, as with him in that the family would be without support. Medford Mail Tribune, June 16, 1931, page 4 MOONSHINE GOES TO ENLIVEN FISH ON COURT ORDER
An order was signed by the circuit court today directing the sheriff's
office to destroy ten cases of bonded liquor, ten gallons of alcohol
and 35 gallons of moonshine whiskey seized in recent raids.Jailer Ike Dunford will empty the contraband into the sluggish waters of Bear Creek this afternoon, and each container will be hit with an ax and thoroughly smashed. No especial ceremony will mark the occasion. The alcohol will be consumed by flames if it will burn. The destruction of the contraband will allow more room in the office of the county jail, which is fairly well cluttered up with kegs, cans and stills. The assortment includes good, bad, and indifferent beverages. The California moonshine, seized when Charles Morley of San Francisco was arrested ten days ago, is said to be as "slick whiskey" as local consumers ever did not get a chance to sample. The "bonded goods" in square-faced bottles had attractive labels, but otherwise was nothing to rave about. Most of the moonshine was listed as "foul and fearful." The ten gallons of alcohol was of high potency, and was hauled into Jackson County by Edward Jaccobobbi, who yesterday completed his jail term and was freed upon payment of a $350 fine. Medford Mail Tribune, June 17, 1931, page 5 BLINDNESS FROM LIQUOR DEBAUCH
Three arrests on charges of intoxication, two Saturday night and one
Sunday night, were filed at the local police station. S. L. Carter was
arrested for the possession of a pint of liquor and was fined $25 this
morning in Judge Glenn O. Taylor's court. His companion, Newell
Thorson, who was placed in jail on a drunk charge, has not appeared in
court yet. Yesterday he was blind from effects of the liquor, police
stated.Alice Panette was fined $10 in city court this morning, having been arrested by city police last night because of intoxication. Medford Mail Tribune, June 22, 1931, page 2 BEER JOINT ON LOZIER LANE IS 'KNOCKED' OVER
The Sheriff's office swept down on a house on Lozier Lane, near the
Jacksonville Highway, yesterday afternoon about 5:30 o'clock and
arrested Ted Pennington, who is held in the county jail, charged with
alleged operation of a "beer joint."Sheriff's Men Arrest Ted Pennington--Wholesale and Retail Business Alleged--Noisy Parties Tip Pennington, the authorities assert, was doing a wholesale and retail business and customers could either sip the beer on the spot or "rush the growler." Fifty gallons of beer mash, five cases of beer, a pint of moonshine and a number of beer mugs, steins, and other equipment were seized and are held as evidence. A number of small whiskey glasses were also found. Pennington, the sheriff says, sold whiskey by the glass. Going Two Weeks
The alleged "beer joint" had been
in operation for about two weeks and has been under surveillance for
several days.Presence of half a dozen or so autos in front of the house in the evenings and until late at night and the racket of carousals aroused the suspicions of neighbors and also Sheriff Ralph Jennings, who resides in the same general neighborhood. Authorities say that Pennington had a partner who decamped late last week when he "had a hunch the place was getting hot." Pennington is about 28 years of age, single and has been here several months. He is slated to be given a preliminary hearing this afternoon. Medford Mail Tribune, June 24, 1931, page 7 LOCAL MOONSHINE MAKERS INDICTED
The federal grand jury, sitting at Portland, yesterday returned
indictments against Charles (Cougar Bill) Pennington and Harry Scott,
mountain ranchers of the Butte Falls district, charging operation of a
still and possession of liquor. The pair are held in the county jail,
and were arrested last month by Sheriff Ralph Jennings, following the
accidental discovery of their illicit plant by agents of the state
veterinary department seeking evidence of cattle hijackers.They will be brought to trial at the October term of the federal court in this city. Medford Mail Tribune, June 25, 1931, page 5 BEER BARON OF LOZIER LANE TO SERVE OUT FINE
"I'm sunk," said Ted Pennington, 21, whose home is in Iron Mountain,
Mich., and who came to Medford two weeks ago from Auburn, Cal., where
he had been living a short time, as he was fined $250 and costs on a
liquor possession charge in Judge Taylor's court yesterday for being
the operator of the beer and moonshine dispensary on Lozier Lane,
raided by Sheriff Jennings and deputies Tuesday afternoon."I have but about $12 to my name and know of no one to borrow $250 from." The youth's seeming candor in court was refreshing as he promptly pleaded guilty, but his story that he came to Medford broke and a chance acquaintance, who owned and operated the illicit brewery for several weeks, gave it to him and decamped from this vicinity as he feared that a bench warrant had been issued for his arrest, was looked upon by the court, Deputy District Attorney Nelson and the arresting officers with suspicion. In fact, the officials think that others were backing Pennington in his brewery venture. Pennington claims that after the beer-making outfit was given him free by the man who decamped, a Central Point man with whom he had become acquainted lent him enough money to pay a month's rent on the Lozier Lane property which housed the equipment. However, if the theoretical others backing Pennington do not come forward and pay Pennington's fine in the course of time, the latter need not necessarily serve out the fine in the county jail, as under a new state law a person who is convicted of a liquor possession charge can be paroled or pardoned any time after conviction, in the discretion of the authorities. In the raid on Pennington's brewery the officers found 15 cases of beer and mash, empty bottles and complete equipment for making beer and also a pint bottle of moonshine. Medford Mail Tribune, June 25, 1931, page 12 BOOTLEG SUSPECT LONG ACTIVE HERE
Charges of possession of intoxicating liquor will be filed against
Charles Thacker, arrested late yesterday when the sheriff's office
seized 20 gallons of moonshine, shortly after it had been delivered to
a residence at 601 Park Street. "Gordon Gin" labels and equipment for
putting a Canadian crimp in corks were also found. Thacker, also known
as Moore, is held in the county jail.LANDS IN BASTILLE The whiskey was alleged to be wrapped in cardboard boxes on which was printed "Bennetts Circulators for Fords." The authorities state that Moore or Thacker has been operating in this city for more than a year, and that his beverages bore the reputation of being drinkable. Officers allege that he had business connections with Oakland, Calif. distributors. Thacker, when arraigned in the justice court this noon, reserved making his plea until 2 o'clock Monday afternoon and in the meantime will consult a lawyer. His bail was fixed at $500. Medford Mail Tribune, July 11, 1931, page 3 CANNED HEAT GIVER PUT IN CALABOOSE
Tim Murphy, transient, was placed in the city jail last evening by
local officers when he was arrested near the Chamber of Commerce
building, giving his fellow-wanderers samples of strained canned heat.
Murphy, who is about fifty years of age, had a large bottle of the
brilliant red liquid and had consumed a great amount himself when
officers picked him up.Medford Mail Tribune, August 16, 1931, page 6 BOY BOOTLEGGER DRAWS 30 DAYS IN COUNTY JAIL
In the Monday forenoon grist of city and justice court cases today due
to activities of the state and local police Saturday night and Sunday
were a number of persons arrested for driving with four adults in the
front seat of their cars, others for inadequate license plates, one of
plain intoxication, and a Medford youth belonging to the pint
bootlegging fraternity, which has been operation in Medford and at the
Saturday night dances in Jacksonville.Purveyor to Young at Jacksonville Dance Nabbed in Act-- Others Face Court for Week-End Violations The star case was that of Sam Mete, 18 years old, of Medford and former junior high student who was arrested late Saturday night at Jacksonville on a possession charge, and who bears the reputation with the authorities of having been selling flasks of booze for the past month to boys and girls of Medford and to selling to youths and others attending the Saturday night dances at Jacksonville. Boys Bought Bottles
In fact, the state police have statements from Medford boys, 16, 17,
and 18 or more years old telling that they had purchased moonshine from
Mete.Sam was caught red-handed Saturday night by State Policeman James O'Brien, who kept a special watch on his movements that night because of complaints the authorities had received and noticed him go back and forth from the street to the dance hall. Finally when Sam was intercepted on one of these trips he dashed a bottle of booze to the pavement. When O'Brien placed him under arrest in his car, Sam jumped out and started to run, but was captured after a short distance. In Judge Taylor's court today he was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail. Forfeits Bail
Gordon Turner forfeited cash bail of $15, through failure to appear in
the same court today on a possession charge, following his arrest by
Officers Cave and Bloom on Saturday night for having a small bottle of
liquor on him.C. P. Roberts was fined $10 for being intoxicated yesterday. Frank Howard was fined $5 and costs on a void license plate charge and Elmer Waldrip was given a suspended fine of $15 on an improper license plate charge, on condition that he obtain an Oregon car license inside of 15 days, as the court held that he had acted in good faith. Oll Vansylke forfeited cash bail of $10 by failure to appear in court for trial today, following his arrest by policeman Sloneker for having four adults in the front seat of his car. Other arrests were made yesterday for the same charge, and the accused were to appear in court for trial this afternoon. Medford Mail Tribune, August 31, 1931, page 1 FIFTEEN-DAY JOLT FOR BEER MAKER
James Fredenberg, arrested in a raid on a house in which he is living
on Almond Street, early this week, and in which was found by the
officers 48 pints of beer, one case of malt and a sack of sugar,
pleaded guilty to a charge of possession in Judge Taylor's court
yesterday, and was sentenced to 15 days in the county jail.It is charged that he has been bootlegging for the past month or six weeks, and he had been under surveillance by the police for the past three weeks, as many complaints had reached the police about his operations. Although Fredenberg pleaded guilty he declared with a straight face to Judge Taylor before sentence was pronounced that the beer, mash and sugar found in the raid did not belong to him and that he did not know how they came to be in the house. No fine was imposed as the accused was penniless. Medford Mail Tribune, September 2, 1931, page 2 ALCOHOL RUNNERS ARE TAKEN AFTER WILD CHASE HERE
Following a wild auto race part of the way down a dusty country road at
65 miles an hour, the state police and city police early this morning
rounded up three alleged alcohol runners. Lee Smith, claiming to be a
resident of Central Point, Archie Rock and Stella Holmes were
questioned this morning and are held in the county jail, pending filing
of liquor possession charges against them by the district attorney's
office.Trio Jailed Last Night Following 65-Mile-per[Hour Ride Over Country Roads--Woman in Toils of Law The car in which Smith is claimed to have driven 65 miles an hour in an effort to escape, and to have ignored the state police car siren, is held by the authorities. The machine was found abandoned in Central Point, and the three were arrested later when they had returned to this city. Alcohol Seized.
A five-gallon can of alcohol was seized, and a half dozen cans, dumped
out in the mad flight, were found, all still heavy with the scent of
alcohol.According to the district attorney, Smith and Rock have been under surveillance for some time, and early this morning were found by the state police "prowl" car, driving down West Main Street. When ordered to halt by State Policeman James O'Brien, the alcohol car sped down Columbus Avenue in a cloud of dust and then raced on the dirt road to McAndrews Ford, and thence to Central Point, where they abandoned their car and were picked up by an other auto, and returned to this city, where they were later apprehended. City Policeman Ray Sloneker was in the pursuing car. Men Have Records
According to the authorities, both Smith and Rock have liquor violation
records, and Smith was recently haled into court on a disorderly
conduct charge.Mrs. Archie Rock was questioned this morning and released. It is expected that the Holmes woman will be freed this afternoon from the women's ward of the county jail. The officers say that the alcohol was intended for local sale and consumption. Last night, Frank (Blackie) Gordon was arrested at 522 North Riverside Avenue for alleged possession and manufacture of beer by state, city and county officials. Medford Mail Tribune, September 3, 1931, page 1 PROSPECT LIQUOR MAKER ARRESTED BY SHERIFF'S MEN
In a raid in the Prospect district late yesterday by the sheriff's
office, assisted by the state police, a man giving the name of Burnett
was arrested and is held in the county jail, charged with violation of
the liquor laws. Two other houses in the district under suspicion were
visited, but no incriminating evidence was found.Bennett was living in a tent on the Red Blanket Road, where 25 gallons of beer mash was seized and a number of bottles broken. The authorities believe that a "tip" regarding their coming was flashed ahead of their arrival. The raid followed the receipt the past week of complaints regarding the activity of liquor vendors in the Prospect and Red Blanket sections who are said to have found a lucrative trade among the laborers on the California-Oregon Power Company construction work. Bennett is alleged to have sold beer to families, and to have been one of the main sources of supply. It has also been reported that one of the Copco workers, when stupefied with moonshine, was "rolled" and robbed of a small sum of money. Medford Mail Tribune, September 14, 1931, page 8 PROSPECT TOILER ALSO SOLD BEER
Joe Barnett, who had been employed on the Copco ditch at Prospect for
some time past, did a bootlegging business in the Prospect section as a
side issue, by quietly operating a beer-selling emporium in his tent
there, until he was arrested by state police and Deputy Sheriff Louis
Jennings early yesterday on a liquor-selling charge.On his plea of guilty in Judge Taylor's court, he was sentenced to serve 15 days in jail and to pay a fine of $250. In his tent at the time of the raid officers found seven cases of bottled beer, six empty cases and 25 gallons of beer mash. In another liquor violation arrest, made in Prospect by state police Sunday night, Roy Schneck was arrested on a charge of transportation. Schneck, who pleaded not guilty when arraigned in justice court here yesterday afternoon, was scheduled to have his trial some time this afternoon before Judge Taylor. Medford Mail Tribune, September 15, 1931, page 5 LIQUOR VIOLATOR SAVED BY FAMILY
The fact that he has a wife and child to support resulted in Roy
Schneck of Prospect, who was found guilty in Judge Taylor's court
yesterday on a liquor transportation charge, and sentenced to 30 days
in jail and to pay a fine of $50 and costs, having fine suspended
during good behavior.Three men whose sentences had been served out in liquor violation cases, and who were still in jail, "working out" their heavy fines, as they had no money with which to pay them, were released by Judge Taylor last Monday from further imprisonment, on their promise of future good behavior or leave the city and state. They are Sam Gilardi, Ch. W. Thacker and A. F. Thompson. Medford Mail Tribune, September 16, 1931, page 1 '3-TIME LOSERS' AGREE TO LEAVE AND AVOID JAIL
Jack Rock and Rufus Roberts, "three-time losers" as persistent
violators of the prohibition laws in Jackson County, were given jail
terms in justice court late yesterday, and the sentences suspended upon
condition that they leave the state and take their families with them.
Rock was sentenced to a year in jail and Roberts to six months. Both
were arrested Tuesday night, and liquor was found in their possession.Another arrest and conviction in this state and they would be subject to the habitual criminal law. Rock's wife recently served a short term for liquor violation, and his son, Archie Rock, is now in the county jail for alcohol running. He led the state police a merry chase two weeks ago before they caught him dumping alcohol out of his auto. The son was first to greet the father when the jail doors opened yesterday. Roberts is the father of five children, and the authorities state that while he served jail terms, the family received aid from the county. He announced his intention of returning to a farm in Idaho. Both families were making arrangements today to depart. Medford Mail Tribune, September 17, 1931, page 12 CENTRAL PT. MEN GIVEN SENTENCE ON RUM CHARGE
Jail sentences were meted out to two Central Point men, Al Hermanson
and Luke Jennings, the former on the charge of intoxication and
Jennings for possession of two pints of moonshine as suspected of
giving or selling booze to the former. Hermanson was given a 30 days
sentence and Jennings must serve 60 days in addition to paying $100
fine. Testimony in court showed that Hermanson, than whom there is a no more popular and capable business man in the valley when he is sober, has been drinking hard for months past, causing much concern to his family and many friends, who have long desired to have him straightened up, and thought a jail sentence of at least 30 days might banish his liquor craving and restore his will power. Hence the 30 days sentence imposed, during which imprisonment Hermanson will take a liquor cure at the hands of a local physician, which treatment along with the exercise of will power has heretofore straightened out like cases in the county jail. Jennings, who has been in trouble once before on a possession charge, was severely censured by Judge Taylor for furnishing liquor to a man in Hermanson's condition. Jennings' wife is in a delicate condition, and on Deputy District Attorney Neilson's statement that his wife and coming child would be on the county anyhow for support, he was given the heavy sentence. The arrest of the two men grew out of the Central Point police phoning Sheriff Jennings last evening that men were drinking in Luke Jennings' home. The sheriff found Hermanson there badly intoxicated and arrested him, and Luke Jennings, who had stepped out for a while, was found later and arrested. A search around his home resulted in finding the two bottles of moonshine. Medford Mail Tribune, October 2, 1931, page 7 LIQUOR POURED IN CREEK BY POLICE
Approximately 100 gallons of bottled liquor, valued at $1500, was
emptied into Bear Creek from the bridge near the airport at 10 o'clock
this morning by L.I. Moon, federal prohibition agent, and Tom Robinson,
city police officer. Officer Moon also destroyed 45 gallons of
moonshine this afternoon.Included in the confiscated bottles were the following brands: Old Scotch, Old Crow, Green Stripe, Black and White, Glenmore, Log Cabin and Johnny Walker. The alcoholic beverages have accumulated from numerous seizures during the past several weeks. The moonshine dumped this afternoon was taken from the M. Levi car, en route to Medford from Weed, September 5. Five of the fifty gallons are being kept for evidence when the case comes up in federal court. Medford Mail Tribune, October 2, 1931, page 16 CHINAMAN MUST DODGE MEDFORD
A case disposed in Judge Taylor's court Saturday afternoon was an old
charge of transporting liquor against Wm. Chin, local restaurant
Chinese cook, who appeared, represented by attorney Chas. Reames,
entered a plea of guilty, and was sentenced to thirty days in jail,
which sentence was suspended on condition that he leave the city at
once for Portland, where he claims a job is awaiting him. Chin was
arrested on the charge August 24.Chin is the man who some time before his arrest during a quarrel with a waitress in a local restaurant allegedly stuck a fork in her back and was arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon. This charge was dismissed later because the waitress refused to testify against Chin, because of his having made a cash settlement with her, the police claim. Medford Mail Tribune, October 5, 1931, page 3 LIQUOR FOUND IN NEGRO RESIDENCE
Abatement proceedings are contemplated by the sheriff's office against
the property at 602 West Eleventh street, occupied by Benjamin Hickman,
colored, who was arrested last night following a raid by state police,
city police and the sheriff's office.The house was searched by virtue of a search warrant and Hickman held for possession of intoxicating liquor. About two gallons of liquor were found and several empty kegs and bottles, the authorities say. Hickman is held in the county jail and scheduled to be given a preliminary hearing this afternoon in justice court. At the time of the raid, many members of the local colored population were in the house. No other arrests were made. According to the officials Hickman has been under surveillance for some time. Medford Mail Tribune, October 15, 1931, page 5 NEGRO BOOTBLACK MUST LEAVE CITY
Ben Hickman, the colored bootblack with a stand outside a West Main
Street establishment for the last year, and whose home on West Eleventh
Street was raided by the authorities last Wednesday night while a card
party was on inside, at which a quantity of liquor was found, was given
a suspended sentence in Taylor's court this forenoon of 6 months in
jail, on the charge of possession.Hickman when arraigned in court yesterday afternoon entered a plea of guilty and sentence was deferred until today. He had long been suspected of bootlegging. The sentence was suspended on condition that Hickman leave the city with his wife and children inside of five days and remain away from Medford. No fine was imposed for the reason that the little money possessed by Hickman was needed for the support of his family and also needed to enable them to leave within the prescribed time. The authorities were well satisfied, as they considered Hickman an undesirable citizen. Medford Mail Tribune, October 16, 1931, page 14 THREE SENTENCED ON RUM CHARGES NABBED SATURDAY
The state police, in their efforts to break up liquor sales in the
vicinity of out of town dances and the driving of cars while
intoxicated coming from those dances, were busy at Jacksonville and on
the Jacksonville-Medford highway Saturday night, and as a result of
arrests made a suspected bootlegger and two young men received heavy
sentences today in Judge Taylor's court.Harold Porter, taxi driver for a Medford concern, was fined $100 and received a 30 day jail sentence on a charge of possession, arising from a pint of moonshine being found in his pocket when his car was stopped. It was testified that the state police had suspected him of bootlegging. Ernest Stevenson, 19, and Ralph Parks, 18, both of Medford, were each sentenced to 60 days in jail, but the sentence of Parks was suspended on certain conditions, which include that he must be at home every night by 9 o'clock, but attend school regularly and not attend Saturday night dances, can only drive a car on family errands, and must keep out of bad company. The boys were arrested on the charge of having three pints of moonshine when their car was stopped. Two girls, 16 and 18, were in the car with them, and the two boys had been drinking, according to testimony, and when the car was hailed two jars of moonshine were dropped to the street. It was also testified that Stevenson was seen peddling booze around the dance hall at 10:30 p.m. Stevenson tried to take all the blame on himself for the escapade. The boys claimed they had found the booze on a ranch. It came out during the testimony that Stevenson, who had been under state police surveillance for some time past, had been under arrest once before, having, with a man named Hamlin, been mixed up in the holdup a year or so ago of the bunkhouse at the Westerlund orchard. At their trials in circuit court Stevenson was given a sentence of one year and paroled, and Hamlin was sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary. Medford Mail Tribune, October 19, 1931, page 5 PROSPECT RAIDS ERASE VICE AND BOOTLEG SPOTS
State police, the sheriff's office and federal prohibition agents early
last night raided the Prospect area and arrested four people--two men
and two women--and charged the quartet with violations of the liquor
and morals laws.Two Men, Two Women Arrested in Payday Cleanup-- Officers Will Continue Drive for Observance They are Charles Ingram, charged with sale and possession of liquor, and Arthur Crabtree and Grace Williams and Helen Price, charged with sale of liquor and operation of a vice spot. All are recent arrivals from California. The raid was conducted on payday eve and followed a series of complaints from residents of the Prospect district. The Price woman is 20 years of age and a federal investigation of her transportation here, in violation of the Mann Act, looms, the authorities say. Others Watched
Federal Prohibition Agent Moon states that four other tent houses in
the brush, adjacent to the California-Oregon Power Company, were under
surveillance, "but doused their lights as soon as the news of the raid
spread," and closed their doors.Moon further predicted that "Prospect would be as dry as the inside of a Chinese idol next Saturday night," and intimated that further arrests would be forthcoming. The authorities claim that on pay days bootleggers and their ilk flock to the Prospect and Red Blanket districts to reap a harvest from the workers on the power project. They also claim that Saturday night is a favorite date for hilarity and illegal operations, but will be so no more. Conditions Not So Bad
Captain Brown of the state police says that conditions are not as bad
as they might be, and that a close watch has been kept.The raiders secured a dozen bottles of moonshine. Most of the evidence was contained in pint bottles, with cobweb designs, and sold for $1.50 per pint. It is also claimed that many of the purchasers need the money for the support of their families, and officials state the raids will be a frequent occurrence until snow flies and the construction work is suspended. Federal charges will probably be filed against the quartet, and preliminary hearings held before Commissioner Chauncey Florey. Medford Mail Tribune, October 21, 1931, page 1 BEER PEDDLER GETS 30 DAYS
One beer bootlegging case, an automobile front seat violation and a
drunk case occupied the attention of the city and justice of peace
court today.James Patterson, who had been under surveillance by the local police for a month on the suspicion that he was operating a beer garden and peddling beer, was sentenced to 30 days in jail on a possession charge, following his arrest last night by police and deputy sheriffs, who broke into his quarters at Talent Court on South Central Ave. with a search warrant. They discovered there 8 bottles of beer, 20 gallons of beer mash, 150 empty bottles and a capper and supply of caps. M. S. Hogan was fined $15 for being boisterously drunk at a rooming house last night. Howard Spaulding, 19, high school youth, was fined $10 for having over three adults in the front seat of his car last night about midnight. Judge Taylor then suspended the sentence on certain conditions and revoked his driver's license for 30 days. Medford Mail Tribune, October 21, 1931, page 3 4 ARRESTED AFTER RAID ON LOZIER LANE 'SPEAKEASY'
Charged with the possession of intoxicating liquors, four men and one
woman were lodged in the county jail last night, after being arrested
at an alleged "speakeasy" on Lozier Lane about 8:30 by state, county
and city officers. About one-half gallon of wine and one quart of
moonshine were seized by the officers.John Taylor and Mrs. W. Aikson of Medford, H. L. Truax, automobile salesman of Grants Pass, L. C. Parkhurst, also of Grants Pass, and E. J. Putman of San Francisco were arrested. Charges were not filed against several others who were in the house at the time of the raid. A pitcher with a small amount of alleged moon, and another pitcher with which were several glasses and a bottle, were taken from the house as evidence. One of the arrested men had $220 with him at the time of his arrest. Truax presented his business card to the officers, when the names were placed on the record book. He was driving an automobile with [sic] a dealers' license, according to the officers. Medford Mail Tribune, October 25, 1931, page 8 LOZIER LANE PAIR RESERVE PLEA ON BOOTLEG CHARGES
Liquor possession, game violation and intoxication cases were in the
Monday morning grist of the city and justice courts today. One jail
sentence was administered by Judge Taylor, and in two cases defendants
reserved making their pleas until later.John Taylor and Wilma Kendall, two of the men arrested in the raid on an alleged Lozier Lane speakeasy Saturday night, were arraigned on the charge of each possessing a half gallon and a quart of moonshine, and through their attorney, Frank DeSouza, reserved making their pleas until next Thursday at 3:00 p.m., and the bail was set at $500 each. Taylor is the young man implicated in a Klamath Falls pool room murder of several years ago, who after serving some of his sentence was pardoned on condition that he stay out of Klamath County. Alfred A. Keaton, arrested yesterday on the charge of possession of two pints of moonshine by state policeman Baucom, was sentenced to three months in jail. Testimony was to the effect that Keaton has practically been continuously drunk and fighting for the past two years. This last arrest came about through someone phoning the state police that Keaton's car had been in an accident, and Baucom, who was sent to his home to investigate, found Keaton drunk and in a badly battered-up condition, with swollen face. Also two pints of booze were found in his possession. There was no accident, and no information came as to who had beaten him up. Bob Reimsburg, charged with driving while intoxicated on the Crater Lake Highway last Saturday, reserved making his plea until this afternoon. He also is represented by attorney DeSouza. Loyal Hartman, 30, of Jacksonville, was fined $50 and costs for hunting on enclosed lands. Hartman, with Louis Applebaker and Theron Babb, two 18-year-old Jacksonville boys, was cited to appear in court last Monday for hunting without permission on the Hanley-Hoover ranch. The two boys appeared and each was given a suspended jail sentence, but Hartman failed to appear or send any explanation of his absence. Hence a warrant was sworn out for his arrest, which was served by Ed Walker, state police sergeant in charge of game affairs in this district, who brought Hartman into court today. Another case disposed of today was the sentencing of Leon Brown, taxi driver for the Checker Taxicab Company, to 30 days in jail and a fine of $100, as related elsewhere in this newspaper. Medford Mail Tribune, October 26, 1931, page 5 COPS HERE PLAN HARD JOLTS FOR TAXI BOOTICIANS
The state police today planned to take drastic action against the
Checker taxicabs operating in this city, following the arrest Saturday
night of Leon Brown, a driver for the concern, for sale and possession
of liquor. It was the second arrest in a week of a driver for the taxi
concern. Brown is alleged to have sold two pints of moonshine to a
police agent.The state police served notice that they would confiscate the taxi used in the delivery, and that they further intended to ask the finance company to repossess the other taxis operated by the company. They alleged they have received a number of complaints relative to the alleged illicit liquor operations of the company. Charges of possession of liquor will also be filed by the state police against Buck Keaton, arrested Saturday night. The state police allege that Keaton is a persistent offender and heretofore has always forfeited his $10 cash bail given at the time of his arrest for his appearance in court. Leon Brown, 20, driver of the Checker taxicab company, who took the place of Harold Porter, another driver of the company, when last Monday the latter was fined $100 and sentenced to three months in jail, was himself given the same sentence in Judge Taylor's court this morning on the charge of possession of two pints of moonshine. The testimony showed that state policeman O'Brien Saturday night ordered by phone two pints from Brown which was delivered by him in his taxicab. Brown testified that he sold the booze at $2 a pint, of which $1.50 was to be turned over to the man from whom he got it. However, he refused to reveal the identity of the man who furnished him the moonshine. Medford Mail Tribune, October 26, 1931, page 3 GRIP OF POVERTY DISCLOSED WHEN COUPLE ARRESTED
Another batch of liquor law violation cases was disposed of in Judge
Taylor's court this forenoon, arising from activities of undercover
state policemen and their agents, and resulting in jail sentences and
heavy fines in some cases, and suspension of jail sentences in others.A pitiable case was that of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Smith, who have five children, ranging from 1 to 18 years of age, who took to beer making and selling at their home on Riverside Avenue when he and their 18-year-old son were only able to find spasmodic employment since the father lost his position with a local woodyard, where he had been employed for nine years. Last June Smith was arrested on the same charge of selling beer on Jackson Street and was paroled. Both pleaded guilty today, the wife to selling and the husband to possession. The state police charge that they had been selling beer for some time past. How to punish them and yet not have that punishment fall on the children and have the latter minus a mother's care was a perplexing problem to both Judge Taylor and Assistant District Attorney Neilson, and the former after giving them a severe lecture imposed on each a sentence of 30 days, which he suspended, conditional on future good behavior. Both parents said the family was broke, had only seven cents in the house and no fuel to burn. While the court was lecturing them on their duty to their children, who by the beer-selling operations were not being given a fair chance in life, Mrs. Smith interrupted with: "What are you going to do when you're hungry?" and then said, "When you are unable to get work and your family are hungry, you are willing to do almost anything." Smith was behind three months in rent payment, which he and his 18-year-old son have been trying to work out for the house owner by cutting wood at Jacksonville, walking the entire distance back and forth daily. Not only were the sentences suspended, but Judge Taylor and Assistant District Attorney Neilson said they would endeavor to find steady employment for Smith, by which he could support his family. Oscar Warren, who made the mistake of taking an order from a state policeman Sunday for a half gallon of moonshine, which he delivered yesterday from the Wheeler apartments, pleaded guilty to selling and was fined $100 and sentenced to 30 days in jail. Glenn Linnie Bellows, 19, who has been making his living for months past by selling half pints around town, also made the mistake of selling to an undercover state policeman. He pleaded guilty and was given a 30-day jail sentence. C. O. Brooks changed his plea of not guilty, made yesterday, to guilty this forenoon of transporting liquor and drew a $100 fine and jail sentence of 30 days. Warren McDermott also changed his plea, made yesterday of not guilty, to guilty today of possession of a large quantity of moonshine and alcohol, found in a raid on his home on Park Street. A jail sentence of 30 days and a fine of $100 was imposed. Medford Mail Tribune, November 3, 1931, page 5 SMITH RELEASED TO HELP FAMILY
Herbert Smith, who early this week was given a 30-day jail sentence on
a beer possession charge, was to be released from jail today on a
suspension of sentence order by Judge Taylor, as a week's work has been
found for him with the county, after which a citizen offered him work
for the winter at cutting wood.The authorities feel that such employment will enable Smith to support his wife and five children and no longer feel tempted, when unable to obtain work for himself and wife, to resort to the beer making and selling racket to keep the family from starving, as they claimed in the past. Mrs. Smith, who was arrested on a selling charge at the same time as her husband was on a possession charge, was given a suspended sentence when tried early this week. Medford Mail Tribune, November 7, 1931, page 5 BOOTLEGGERS OF CITY SELL CHEAP, EVIDENCE SHOWS
The usual Monday grist of business in Judge Taylor's court was light
today, as up to noon there was only one liquor violation case and one
intoxication case, indicating that state and local police business was
light over the weekend.Nye Matthews of Eagle Point was fined $10 for being intoxicated on Kings Highway here Saturday night. Otto Schuman of Eureka, Cal., and Pete Kyllo of Reno, Nev., and Eureka were each fined $100 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, the former on a transportation charge and the latter for possession. They were arrested Saturday in Ashland, when 10 gallons of alcohol was found in their car. The young men, it seems, were en route to Eugene, as a letter found on one of them stated that at Eugene alcohol could easily be sold at $65 per 5 gallons, which written statement caused Deputy Sheriff Ike Dunford to remark that the local bootleggers were big saps for selling alcohol so cheap here when at Eugene and other places north very high prices were to be obtained. Medford Mail Tribune, November 9, 1931, page 1
Old Bear Creek Is "Wet" Again
The prohibition law, although intended to make the country dry, keeps
Bear Creek near Medford running merrily, and fish come for miles around
to drink it and enjoy a real swim that would put Earl Carroll's bathtub
gin to shame.For Bear Creek has received another supply of liquor dumped by county and state authorities in the lower reaches last week, and now the fishes will celebrate instead of the customers of bootleggers, who had been looking forward to a gay armistice celebration. The supply is one of the largest ever dumped here, being the season's haul, and included 110 gallons of alcohol, nine cases of Hospitality bourbon, a 26-gallon keg of moonshine, six gallons of moonshine in gallon jugs, 25 gallons of wine and a case or two of beer. The retail value of the liquor dumped totaled about $2,000. All the liquor that remains in the jail now is what is being held for evidence for future trials. Gold Hill News, November 12, 1931, page 1 BOOZE FIGURES IN ARRESTS ON COUNTY ROADS
The grist of cases today in the justice of peace and city court of
Judge Taylor, arising from state and local police activities over
Sunday, included the disposal of a number of driving while intoxicated,
reckless driving, bottle breaking and plain intoxication cases.Wm. Lowry, 24, was fined $100 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for driving while intoxicated around the city streets after returning from the dance at Jacksonville late Saturday night. Five gallons of wine were in his car, which he claimed he had found on the Medford-Jacksonville highway a mile this side of Jacksonville. Ivan Brown and C. W. Perkins were fined $25 each for breaking bottles on the Jacksonville-Phoenix highway when stopped by State Policeman O'Brien while returning from the Jacksonville dance Saturday night. C. Williamson was fined $15 for reckless driving in the fog yesterday on the Jacksonville Highway. He was arrested by State Policeman O'Brien. J. M. Browl was fined $50 for reckless driving while returning from the Jacksonville dance at an early hour Sunday with several other young men or boys in his car, after he had crowded the car of State Policeman and one other car off the highway. The occupants of the car broke several bottles of alleged booze on the pavement when the officer approached. H. Van Scoyoc, who was in the rear seat of the Brown car, and who State Policeman O'Brien claims assumed a hard-boiled attitude toward him, was fined $25. Frank Curtis, 17, a local junior high school pupil, who was arrested by local police Saturday night on a charge of intoxication, was given a suspended jail sentence and a severe lecture by Judge Taylor, who warned him to stay at home nights and avoid evil companions, else the jail sentence would be enforced. Chief of Police McCredie also lectured the boy severely. W. W. Halstead forfeited cash bail of $10 because of failure to appear in court today to answer a charge of intoxication, he having been arrested yesterday by local police. Hardy Miller was fined $10 last Saturday for breaking a glass bottle on the Pacific Highway when his car was stopped by State Policeman Folsom. Medford Mail Tribune, November 16, 1931, page 8 FOUR ARRESTED WITH LIQUOR ON SISKIYOUS ROAD
Two hundred and thirty gallons of alcohol and six cases of bonded
liquor were seized by the "dawn patrol" of the Siskiyous this morning
and four persons--alleged owners of the liquor--are held. Federal
Prohibition Agent L .I. Moon made the arrests. Early Tuesday morning
two cars were halted, and 85 gallons of alcohol seized.Today's haul was the largest in several weeks and is thought to have been intended for the Thanksgiving trade upstate. Mrs. Mollie McAllister, 55, and Lawrence Boyd, 18, and Ray Carlson, 22, all giving their residence as Spokane, Wash., were arrested with 95 gallons of grain alcohol in a sedan. A half hour earlier, E. R. McGinnis giving his home as Seattle, Wash., was arrested with 135 gallons of alcohol and six cases of purported bonded goods, in a Ford coupe. Authorities say that it has been the custom of late for rum cars to travel over the Siskiyous between three and six o'clock in the morning, when the guard is relaxed, and expect that the arrests this week will result in a change of schedule. The quartet is scheduled to appear in justice court at Ashland this afternoon. Luke E. Osbood and Christ Burnhard, arrested yesterday morning by Officer Moon, will be taken to Portland this evening by Deputy United States Marshal Cal Wells. The two men have been bound over to the federal grand jury, with bail set at $1500, and at the present time are being held in the county jail. Medford Mail Tribune, November 18, 1931, page 7 WASH BOILER STILL OPERATORS TAKEN APPLEGATE REGION
Riley J. Norris, 34, and G. H. Workman, the same age, both residents of
the Ruch district, were arrested late yesterday afternoon by the state
police and sheriff's office, as they operated a wash boiler still in
the brush near the Girl Scout cabin in the upper Applegate section.Fifty gallons of mash, a gallon of first-run moonshine and a disreputable-looking homemade still were seized. When the law arrived, the two men are alleged to have been in the act of "running off the moonshine," but had not progressed far with the task. The raiding party, consisting of two state policemen and Deputy Sheriff Louis Jennings, knew the general location of the still, but not exactly. Yesterday, while on the search, they sat down to rest on a log. When they arose, they saw Norris and Workman and the still, under a full head of steam, not 30 feet away. The pair was placed under arrest and brought to the county jail and will be given a preliminary hearing this afternoon. According to the sheriff's office, Norris has been living in the Girl Scout cabin this winter. Medford Mail Tribune, December 9, 1931, page 1 RUNNER OF RUM GIVEN $500 FINE DESPITE EXCUSE
Chas. S. Shay, who was captured by J. S. Folsom, state policeman, on
the Pacific Highway near Central Point with an auto load of 194 gallons
of alcohol, was fined $500 in Judge Taylor's court this forenoon, on
the charge of transporting liquor, and his attorney, Gus Newbury, who
is busy trying to raise the amount of the fine, thinks it will be
forthcoming from Portland or San Francisco.The cargo of alcohol was en route from San Francisco to Portland when intercepted, and Shay in court put up a rather familiar rum-runner excuse as to how he came to be found with the illicit load. He claimed to be a railroad man out of employment and said that a man had hired him at San Francisco for $50 to drive the car to Portland, paying him $50 down, and he was to get the rest of the money on arrival in Portland. The car used is registered as the property of a Portland man and will be confiscated. Arthur Jones of Ager, Cal., who was arrested Wednesday afternoon with 30 gallons of unusually good moonshine in his car, was arraigned before U.S. Commissioner Florey yesterday afternoon and bound over to United States court under $1000 bond, which was furnished by two Medford men. This car will also be confiscated. Medford Mail Tribune, December 18, 1931, page 9 BARREL OF CHEER LAYS UNCLAIMED, SHERIFF TAKES IT
The sheriff's office has confiscated a ten-gallon barrel of extra fine
moonshine shipped from Montague, Calif., to "F. H. Burke" at Central
Point, via the Southern Pacific. There is nobody by the name of "F. H.
Burke" in Jackson County. A number of citizens called at the depot,
"spotted" the barrel, and when warned by the station agent that removal
was at their own risk, decided they were not "F. H. Burke."The barrel reposed in the depot for ten days with a state agent lurking behind a box car, ready to seize the party who removed it. He reported officially "there were plenty of nibbles, but no bites." The trouble started when the shipper labeled the contents as "shrubs." When the depot agent saw he had a barrel of shrubs on his hands, he advised the state inspection service and Inspector Howard Warner called to inspect the barreled shrubs and see that they had no weevil or Florida flies. From sound and smell emanating from the barrel, Inspector Warner knew full well there was nothing of a botanical nature within the staves. At this juncture the law started its watchful waiting policy. It had a half dozen near-claimants, but all were too proud to haul it away. The past week nobody even called to investigate, and the barrel became an "unclaimed shipment," as it had no return address, so the sheriff removed it, to be included in the next batch of liquor dumped into Bear Creek. Otherwise, all was quiet on the rum front as Christmas was heralded again. Medford Mail Tribune, December 24, 1931, page 5
PROSPECT PAIR JAILED ON RUM RUNNING CHARGE
C. C. Ingram, released from the county jail 13 days ago for
liquor violation, was arrested late yesterday afternoon by the state
police and sheriff's office and is held in the county jail again,
charged with transportation of liquor. Ingram, the authorities
alleged, is "one of the Prospect bootleggers." His auto, which was
confiscated, contained a 10-gallon keg, partially filled with
moonshine, and several pint bottles.Lee Addington, also of the Prospect district, was arrested and charged with transportation of liquor. The authorities allege that Addington threw a gallon jug of moonshine on the pavement when arrest neared, and that another gallon was found in his auto. The car was seized for confiscation. Addington last July was an occupant of one of the cars wrecked on the Crater Lake Highway when one man was killed and four others injured. Medford Mail Tribune, January 13, 1932, page 7
PROSPECT PAIR GIVEN FINE FOR RUM POSSESSION
The liquor charges against C. C. Ingram and Lee Addington, both
of the Prospect district, and said to have resided together there,
were partially disposed of in Judge Taylor's court here yesterday
afternoon and today, and hence both are now serving county jail
sentences, with still another charge pending against each. They were
arrested by the state police Tuesday.Addington pleaded guilty today to a charge of possession of a gallon of moonshine and was given a sentence of 30 days, but reserved making his plea on the charge of hurling the gallon container on a public highway until a further date. Ingram, who recently completed a jail term for bootlegging, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon to a charge of possessing five gallons of moonshine, receiving a 30 days' sentence for this offense, but not guilty to the additional charge of transportation against him. The date for the hearing on the latter charge has not yet been set. Medford Mail Tribune, January 14, 1932, page 5
BOOTLEGGER GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE
A sentence of 30 days in jail on a possession charge imposed
Friday in Judge Taylor's court on Wm. Lee Addington, who until
recently had been employed at Prospect, but who since had turned to
bootleg activity, was changed yesterday to a six months' jail
sentence, which was then suspended in order to enable Addington to
support his family and remove with them to Klamath Falls, where he is
well known and feels confident he will quickly obtain employment.
In that city he has a son whom he says will help support the family
until he lands a job.In accordance with this suspension another charge pending against Addington, in whose car parts of a still were found, alleging that he broke a jug of booze on a highway, was continued indefinitely. Medford Mail Tribune, January 17, 1932, page 4
Depression Hits County Whoopie Says Sheriff
Sheriff Ralph Jennings of Jackson County reported Saturday a decline in
roistering in Medford and Jackson County the past month, also a decline
in attendance at dances--country and city. The law aide figures that
the "people are too hard up to buy moonshine." An alleged bootlegger
nabbed last week with three gallons of whiskey retorted: "You people
might as well have it--you can't sell the stuff anymore."Federal Prohibition Agent L. I. Moon last week also reported a drop in liquor activity with few, if any, rum cars coming over the Siskiyous. He said "the boys are scary, and the public broke." Only a few arrests for minor infractions of the liquor laws have been made the past three weeks. Gold Hill News, January 28, 1932, page 1
SALES OF LIQUOR BRING ARREST OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
Because B. E. Powell, one of two men arrested in raids on their
homes late Friday, and who owns property in Medford and dabbles in
real estate a little, did not cease selling moonshine at his home on
Tripp Street soon enough, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and
fined $100 in Judge Taylor's court yesterday on his plea of guilty
to illegal possession of liquor.The other man arrested was B. F. Boggus, at whose home on Ross Lane was found 12 pints of beer and 8 empty bottles. Boggus, 30 years old, a carpenter out of work a week, and who has a wife and child, also pleaded guilty to possession, claiming he made the beer for his own use. He was given a sentence of 30 days in jail and fined $50, but because his family would be without support if he was sent to jail, the jail sentence was suspended during future good behavior and he was allowed three months in which to pay the fine. Testimony in court showed that the homes of both Powell and Boggus were visited prior to the raids by an undercover agent, after the authorities had received complaints from neighbors about the many visitors to them. The undercover agent purchased whiskey at the Powell house and a bottle of beer at the Boggus home. However each man, while pleading guilty to possession, denied that he had made any sales of liquor and the officers found no liquor-making equipment in either house. Powell claimed he bought his whiskey supply of a mysterious "Buck," who drove a red car, and Boggus asserted that he borrowed equipment to make beer. Powell told in court that he was just about to quit the moonshine business, as he had a deal on for the purchase of his home on Tripp Street, in which the raiders had found 9 pints of whiskey and a broken jug in the bathroom from which about one-fourth the moonshine contents were saved, and locate on a ranch on Williams Creek. Medford Mail Tribune, March 20, 1932, page 4 ALLEGED MOONSHINER NABBED ON ELK CREEK
Julius Pool, a laborer residing on Elk Creek, was arrested late
yesterday by state police and federal prohibition enforcement officers,
charged with the "possession of mash fit for distillation." Pool is
held in the county jail awaiting a preliminary hearing.The raiding party, which is said to have had the spot under surveillance for some time, also seized seven gallons of liquor and 50 gallons of mash just prepared. Medford Mail Tribune, March 31, 1932, page 7
BEER AND BATTLE LAND LOCAL TRIO IN POLICE COURT
In the city court Saturday Joe Hanna was given a suspended
sentence of 30 days on the charge of beer mash possession, a fine of
$15 was imposed on Wm. Schaffer for being intoxicated and Franklin
Robinson was sent to jail for 10 days on the charge of disorderly
conduct because he raised some rough house in a Main Street
establishment.The cases against Hanna and Schaffer were linked to the former having a supply of beer and beer mash at his place on Tripp Street. A disturbance took place there and neighbors called the police, who found Schaffer intoxicated on beer, which he claims was given him by Hanna, and eight quarts of beer mash on Hanna's premises. Hanna claims he made beer for his own use, and there was no evidence of sales having taken place. Hanna is making a large garden, from which he expects to live off of until he obtains employment. Outside of having three-odd dollars for the purchase of seeds, he said he was broke. Hence the jail sentence was suspended pending future good behavior. Schaffer also claimed he is broke and out of work, having had no work for about two years, except occasional orchard jobs and two weeks' work on the highway. He has a wife and child in La Grande. His $15 fine was also suspended contingent on good behavior hereafter. Franklin Robinson, who will spend the next 10 days in the county jail, has been in trouble with the authorities several times before, and only last February was given a suspended sentence on a similar charge in the city court. He was found guilty of raising a disturbance last Friday while drunk in a Main Street card room and tobacco store, and with resisting officers when arrested. He had some liquor in a bottle when arrested. Medford Mail Tribune, April 3, 1932, page 3
OFFICERS SEIZE APPLEGATE STILL
State police and federal prohibition officers at midnight last
night swooped down upon the cabin of Walter Wyant, 58, in the
Applegate district and seized a complete and modern still, 200
gallons of mash and 20 gallons of liquor. The still was located
between Waldo and O'Brien in Josephine County and was reputed to be
the main source of supply of liquid refreshments for Grants Pass.It was one of the largest liquor seizures in Southern Oregon in several months. The "pot," officers said, has been under surveillance for some time. Wyant is held in the Josephine County jail awaiting decision as to whether he will be tried under the federal or state law. Medford Mail Tribune, May 10, 1932, page 1 RAID BEER JOINT IN JACKSONVILLE
State police, the sheriff's office and federal prohibition aides early
last night raided the home of Mrs. Mark Finney, 40, Jacksonville, and
seized 275 bottles of beer, two crocks full of beer mash and a number
of empty bottles. William Deathread, 29, was also arrested. Mrs.
Finney, a widow, is held in the women's ward of the county jail. The house is classified by the authorities as a "beer joint," and has been under surveillance for several weeks. The building is located in the rear of the pioneer Beekman Bank building, and a short distance from the Jacksonville dance hall. The couple are scheduled to be given a preliminary hearing this afternoon. Medford Mail Tribune, May 27, 1932, page 1 OFFICERS LAUNCH LOCAL OFFENSIVE ON RUM SELLERS
Federal, state and city enforcement agencies staged a liquor raid early
Sunday morning that resulted in the arrest of seven alleged
bootleggers--three of the lot listed by the authorities as "persistent
offenders," with previous convictions against them.The arrested men are: Otto C. King, Clarence C. Criswell, Doc Ayers, J. F. Stroud, James (Blackie) Marr, Lee Hamilton and Glen F. Jones. King was arraigned before United States Commissioner Victor Tengwald this morning and bound over to the federal grand jury at Portland with bonds fixed at $1500, which the defendant was endeavoring to furnish. Sale and possession is the specific charge filed against the men. King, a "minor campaign issue" in the last primary, will be charged under the federal prohibition laws. King last spring figured in an episode on the east side, which was cited as "law breakdown incident." Confronted with arrest, King is alleged to have attempted flight, to stop only after a bullet had punctured one of his rear tires after a long chase. It caused considerable ado at the time. Further raids and arrests of Jackson County liquor violators were scheduled as a part of a wholesale cleanup in the city and county. Clarence Criswell and Doc Ayers were arrested in a house on Lozier Lane and are charged with the operation of a beer joint. In the place, which was equipped with a cleverly semi-concealed bar with a brass rail, 235 quart bottles of beer were seized, officers report. The authorities allege that some of the arrested men were selling liquor in pint lots. When he appeared before Judge Glenn O. Taylor in justice court this afternoon, Criswell was sentenced to sixty days in jail and fined $250. Arthur V. "Doc" Ayers pleaded not guilty in justice court, and his trial was set for Thursday morning. J. F. Stroud, who allegedly sold one pint of liquor to state and federal officers, James W. Marr and Lee Hamilton were scheduled to appear in justice court at Ashland this afternoon for a hearing, officers stated. Medford Mail Tribune, June 20, 1932, page 1 TWO MORE TAKEN IN RUM ROUNDUP; DRIVE TO SPREAD
The roundup of alleged liquor violators in this city continued last
night, resulting in the arrest of Lloyd Denham, 32, charged with sale
and possession of liquor, and Harold Thacker, 21, taxi driver, charged
with sale. State, federal, county and city authorities participated.
The cleanup is predicted to spread to the rural districts.In the nine arrests made in this city the past two days the evidence was gathered over a two weeks' period by prohibition agents. Otto C. King of this city, described as a "persistent violator," and who came close to being a primary campaign issue when a deputy sheriff allegedly fired a shot at his hind tire to stop his flight after an alleged attempted sale, yesterday filed $1500 bonds for appearance before the federal grand jury, to which he was remanded by U.S. Commissioner Victor Tengwald. His father, W. J. King of Gold Hill, and Hazel Wolff and Lulu Doren of this city appear as sureties. King is a property owner here. In the justice court at Ashland yesterday afternoon, J. F. Stroud, arrested early Sunday morning, was sentenced to serve 30 days and pay a fine of $50. James (Blackie) Marr, said to have operated on Front Street in pint lots, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $150. Prohibition agents assert that most of the purchases were moonshine, but in one instance they bought "bonded gin," put up in tissue paper and dimpled bottles. Glenn F. Jones, arrested Saturday night when he sold state and federal officers a gallon of alleged moonshine, appeared before Judge Glenn O. Taylor in justice court yesterday afternoon, and pleaded not guilty. He was represented in court by Thomas J. Enright, his attorney. Bail was set at $500 and trial announced for June 28 at 10 o'clock. Medford Mail Tribune, June 21, 1932, page 1 BERRYDALE BEER JOINT IS RAIDED
Lynn Shepherd, 59, is in the county jail charged with operating a "beer
joint" in the Berrydale district as a result of a raid on his quarters
last night by the sheriff's office and federal prohibition agents.A large tub of 20 gallons of beer mash, 170 pint bottles of beer and 100 empty bottles were seized. Shepherd is well known in this city and county. According to the authorities he has been under surveillance for some time. He will be charged with sale and possession. Medford Mail Tribune, July 17, 1932, page 1 POLICE MOP UP CITY WET SPOTS; QUARTET JAILED
City, county and federal officers yesterday cooperated in a series of
arrests when two men and one woman were arrested on liquor charges.
Another arrest, charging possession, and the seizure of a 15-gallon
still, were made Friday night by Federal Prohibition Agent Cyrus A.
Herr.Shortly after nine o'clock last night, city, county and federals arrested Frank Goodman at his home, 534 South Fir Street on a charge of illegal possession of intoxicating liquor. One and a half gallons of alleged moonshine were secured as evidence. Goodman has been arrested previously on similar charges. Mrs. May Murry, 61, was arrested yesterday by officers of the city, county and federal forces when 104 bottles of alleged beer were seized at her home, 145 North Ivy Street. A third of a pint of alleged moonshine and 50 empty bottles were also taken by the officers. According to their report some beer mash was brewing at the time the arrest was made. The possession of a half gallon of alleged moonshine whiskey caused the arrest Saturday of A. E. Lindsey, 45, at 302 East Ninth Street. City, county and federal officers figured in the arrest. Friday evening Officer Herr arrested Martin Wilkinson, 32, of Central Point, near that town. As evidence he obtained a 15-gallon still, complete, three and a half gallons of alleged whiskey and a sample of mash. Medford Mail Tribune, August 14, 1932, page 1 W.C.T.U. LEADERS OF COUNTY BAND TO FIGHT REPEAL
Organization of a county committee to fight repeal of the 18th
amendment was completed here last night at the meeting at the new
county courthouse, addressed by Miss Maud Aldrich of the motion picture
department of the Women's Christian Temperance Union.Officers named to head the campaign for maintenance of the prohibition law are: Walter Leverette, chairman; Colonel W. H. Paine, vice-chairman at large; Rev. E. A. Oldenburg, secretary; Mrs. B. H. Bryant, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. H. G. Wilson, treasurer. Colonel Paine presided at the meeting last night and E. E. Gore was temporary secretary. Vice-chairman to represent the various churches of the city were elected as follows: A. W. Shepherd, Methodist Episcopal; Walter Frazier Brown, Presbyterian; John C. Mann, Episcopal; S. C. Ludwig, Baptist; E. E. Gore, Christian Science; E. R. Cobb, Christian; Harry Lyle, Nazarene; F. M. Rodman; Seventh Day Adventist; E. E. Nelson, Free Methodist; D. J. Steiner, Full Gospel; Dr. Frank Roberts, South Methodist; Frank Metcalf, Mormon. There were no representatives present from the Catholic, Lutheran, Missouri Synod Lutheran, the Apostolic Faith churches and the Salvation Army. The pastors will be called upon by the committee and asked to appoint representatives. Miss Aldrich, in a stirring address, stated that "America in the midst of her depression is better off than any rum-soaked nation of the world and that sober brains are helping her solve her problem." A solo was sung by Mrs. Merriman and invocation was read by Rev. W. H. Eaton. Medford Mail Tribune, October 4, 1932, page 1 DRY ADVOCATES BAND TO BATTLE REPEAL OF LAWS
Organization has been completed this week by the Jackson County Civic
League, purposes of which are "to defend the Eighteenth Amendment and
national and Oregon state laws against its annulment or mutilation at
elections or in any other way. To do all in its power to advance the
benefits of national and Oregon state prohibition enactments and to
advance in every way the moral prosperity of Jackson County."Walter Leverette presided at the meeting, which was attended by 30 interested persons. Prayer was led by the secretary, Rev. Oldenburg. The audience included representatives of churches of Medford and Ashland, the latter group including F. L. Nutter, president; Homer Elhart, vice president; Mrs. Grace Andrews, secretary, Mrs. Walter Herndon, treasurer of the Ashland unit; also Mrs. Augusta McCormick, president of Ashland W.C.T.U. Mrs. Giffen of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, addressed the meeting and described government control of liquor in Canada as a failure and more nearly defined as government sales. She also stated that if Oregon is lost, it will be the loss of another stronghold. She also said that she believed President Hoover will be sympathetic concerning enforcement measures. The local organization is expected to act as a clearing house through which those interested in the betterment of conditions in Jackson County may find expression, one of the leaders stated today. It will not die on November 8, but continue as a permanent organization. Members of the league will be members of the county churches and other Christian organizations. Meetings will be held frequently until after election. The meeting this week was described as "characterized by dignity, calm deliberation, definite aims, enthusiasm and harmony." The Medford Ministerial Association was reported to have gone on record as standing behind the Jackson County Civic League in all its undertakings. Medford Mail Tribune, October 12, 1932, page 1 DRYS TO PRESENT RADIO 'WEDDING'
"Mr. and Mrs. Medford Citizen" are cordially invited to be present this
evening at the marriage of "Miss Eighteenth Amendment, daughter of Mr.
Good Government and Mrs. W.C.T.U., to Mr. Patriotic Citizen, the Right
Reverend Columbia officiating."The ceremony will take place at 7:45 p.m. at the Medford radio station, KMED, and will be preceded and followed by appropriate nuptial music. Some of the best talent in the city will take part, and members of the "wedding party" are popular young people of Medford. It is understood that members of the Jackson County Civic League are "godfathers and godmothers" of the contracting parties, and if a few "dry" arguments creep into the responses, guests at the wedding are promised a novel presentation of facts. Tomorrow night, beginning at 7:30, the Jackson County Civic League will present Susanne Homes Carter in a 15-minute address on the subject of state and national prohibition. Medford Mail Tribune, November 3, 1932, page 8 EMPHATIC VOTE REPEALS STATE PROHIBITION LAW
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 11.--(AP)--The unprecedented vote by which Oregon
crashed into the Democratic camp in the presidential election appeared
more overwhelming today when Associated Press tabulations disclosed
that Roosevelt carried the state by a majority of more than 77,000.Only a few minor precincts in southeastern and southwest Oregon have yet to be tallied. They contained a mere handful of ballots. However, while the Oregon voters were giving this tremendous majority to the Democratic candidate for President, Senator Frederick Steiwer, Republican incumbent, was rolling up a 50,000 lead over his Democratic opponent, Walter B. Gleason. The secretary of state, state treasurer and attorney general all were returned with substantial majorities, and Justice Henry Bean had little difficulty in eliminating Roy Hewitt, Salem attorney, for position No. 2 in the supreme court. James W. Mott built up a lead of more than 22,000 over his Democratic opponent, Harvey Starkweather, for congressman from the first district; General Charles H. Martin, Portland Democrat, was easily reelected from the third district and Walter Pierce of LaGrande, ex-governor, won by a majority of more than 4,000 votes over Congressman Robert R. Butler of The Dalles. The Oregon state prohibition laws were repealed by close to the same majority by which the electorate in nearly every precinct accounted for chose Franklin D. Roosevelt. With the majority for repeal approximated 70,000. The greatest display of voter activity in the entire election took place in the balloting on the proposal to consolidate University of Oregon and Oregon State College. This plan was completely buried under a "No" majority of about 200,000. The plan to revise the income tax provisions was lost, as was an attempt to tax butter substitutes. Medford Mail Tribune, November 11, 1932, page 1 COPS KNOCK OVER BIG 'MOON' PLANT
Federal Prohibition Agent Cyrus A. Herr and state police Friday
afternoon arrested Ralph Criteser, 21, at Leland, Ore., and seized a
50-gallon still, 100 gallons of mash, seven gallons of alleged whiskey,
three empty gallon jugs and two mash testers. A loaded .22 pistol was
taken from the young man when he was arrested, according to the
officers.Criteser was taken before U.S. Commissioner E. W. Madison at Grants Pass Saturday, where he was arraigned, given a preliminary hearing, and bail was set at $2000. Criteser's plant was located at Leland, about 30 miles up the mountains from Grants Pass, Officer Herr said. The still and other articles seized were brought to the Medford headquarters. The case of James B. Williams of Oakdale, Cal., arrested by the state police about the first of November near Grants Pass, was turned over to federal authorities for prosecution on the charge of transporting 50 gallons of alcohol. Williams was taken before Commissioner Madison in Grants Pass Saturday, and his bond was also placed at $2000. Medford Mail Tribune, November 14, 1932, page 6 STATE POLICEMEN PASS RUM DUTIES TO FEDERAL COPS
Enforcement of the prohibition laws in this and other counties of the
state, insofar as transportation, manufacture and sale are concerned,
now rests with the federal enforcement agencies, according to
information received here today from Salem.It is reported, but not confirmed officially, that the state police will dispense with the services of eight state liquor agents. One man in the Southern Oregon district would be affected. There are a number of involved legal points seen in state aid in federal enforcement, which will be governed by an opinion to be issued by the attorney general. Captain Lee M. Brown, head of the state police for the Southern Oregon district, said today that his department would continue activities against drunken driving, public drinking, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, maintaining of nuisances and other violations prohibited by state law. All cities and towns have ordinances and laws against public drunkenness and kindred offenses. The drastic drunken driver law is a part of the state motor law, and the dryness or the wetness of a state has nothing to do with its enforcement because it comes under the head of public safety. At a Klamath County dance last Saturday night there was considerable liquid rejoicing over the repeal of the state prohibition law. A number were arrested for drinking and "passing the bottle" on the dance hall floor. Authorities report that the prohibition law repeal made no noticeable difference in this county and city. A few expressed their joy, liquidly, but in a decorous manner. Medford Mail Tribune, November 15, 1932, page 1 Mr. Perry and the Klan.
To the Editor:In one of Art Perry's recent Smudge Pots we find an article dealing with a raid the K.K.K.s made on some communists of Long Beach, Cal., who were peaceably assembled in one of their homes. When we were afflicted with the Klan in these parts a few years ago, no virtue whatever was found in them, and we were surprised that praise should be given them for their activities in the land to the south of us. Mr. Perry does not believe in using them only for special occasions. Of course not, none of us do. If the recent breakdown of everything in Jackson County could only have been accompanied by the activities of such a bunch of self-appointed bigots--w't-a-mess! Were it not for the fact that sauce for the goose usually proves to be sauce for the gander also, this theory might be more palatable. We are told they are the cat's whiskers in dealing with the bomb-throwing, government-cussing bolsheviks. California should not need their assistance to enforce their bomb-parking ordinance, judging from the way they handled Tom Mooney, the notorious bomb-thrower, which he was not. As for cussing the government, that seems to be the most popular outdoor sport at present. "Everybody's doing it, doing it, doing it," at least prior to November 8, A.D. 1932. We all, no doubt, have moments when we are so overcome with righteous zeal that we would be willing to turn things over to Tom, Dick and Harry, or even the shirttail gang, provided they agree to always work on the other fellow and not us, and our pet notions and cravings. We have a national law that has given us considerable concern. It has almost been decided that we, a great race of red-blooded, two-fisted he-boys, can't enforce. So we have started to wipe this one off the books before the public discovers our weakness and they try violating some of our other laws. If the Klan can cope with the reds so efficiently, before we throw up the sponge, why not sic them on our gangsters and bootleggers who have been giving our wet friends so much worriment? BERT HARR.
Medford Mail Tribune, November
29, 1932, page 4Jacksonville, November 27. CAN QUENCH BEER THIRST AT GROTTO;
With the announcement that beer will again flow freely April 7, Chris
Jorgensen, local confectionery proprietor, has made all arrangements to
be the first local dispenser here. Mr. Jorgensen has been assured by
wholesalers that he will have a supply for sale sometime next Friday,
and he has already prepared his cabinet and cooler for the sale of
draft beer.COUNCIL PLANS REGULATING ORDER The cabinet is the same one which saw heavy duty in pre-prohibition days, and Chris says it is rarin' to go again. Mr. Jorgensen carries a beer ad in this issue of the News, and so far as we have noticed is the first one in the state to announce the sale of this new-old beverage in this manner. With the coming of legalized beer, a new problem has arisen for the city council. So far, there is no regulation of beer licenses except through a federal law, and according to members of the Gold Hill council, some local measure is planned to regulate sale within the city limits, and to secure revenue for the city treasury. The regular council meeting is scheduled for Monday night, when this problem will be threshed out by the city dads. Gold Hill News, March 30, 1933, page 1 CITY PLANS BEER LAWS
Steps to regulate the sale of beer in Gold Hill were taken by the city
council at their regular meeting Monday evening. The ordinance cannot
be put into effect at once due to legal procedure which must be
complied with, and until then, the council agreed that local dealers
can handle beer subject to their approval under the federal law
effective April 7.ALLOW SALE HERE UNDER FEDERAL LAW UNTIL ORDINANCE IS DRAWN Attorney Gus Newbury of Medford was chosen to draw up the ordinance in legal form. The measure will provide: Licenses of $20 must be paid by dealers selling draft beer, or for consumption on the premises. Ten dollars will be the license fee for dealers selling only in the package or original container and not consumed on premises. Licenses are payable semi-annually. Other provisions which will be incorporated into the ordinance are that beer shall not be sold to anyone under 21 years of age. (The federal law sets the age limit at 18 years.) Nothing stronger than 3.2% beer can be sold, and the sale is prohibited in dance halls in the city. The ordinance will further provide that no blinds shall be placed so that the view into the place of business selling beer shall be obstructed. Gold Hill News, April 6, 1933, page 1 BEER TO FLOW HERE TODAY; FEE IS SMALL
Jacksonville's part-way return to the "good old days," when men were
men and had need for steadying brass rails, was to be ushered in today
with practically no commotion and darned little beer, the first-day
supply being limited.$10 Per Year, Payable Quarterly, Assessment Here; Three to Retail The old town, which used to boast of more than a dozen saloons, had been dry since 1915, when the state banished quaffing, and had moved the corner saloon into the kitchen and under the sink--if there was room enough for a sizable crock. That is, in many instances. The city councilmen, who met in regular session Tuesday night to consider a licensing ordinance and to lick their chops in anticipation, agreed that $10 per year would be enough to tax retailers, whether in bottles or shoved over the counter in glistening schooners, and even went so far as to permit quarterly payment. No ordinance was passed, however, the city attorney not having been present. A later meeting, some night this week, was scheduled to be called to pass the ordinance. It was expected that sale would be unrestricted here until such time as an ordinance governing light wines and beer could be enacted, provided a federal license was obtained. The Nugget confectionery, where Ray Wilson will pour, the Marble Corner and Amy's Place are expected to cater to the parched-gulleted customers. The Marble Corner plans both schooner and bottle sale, while the other two merchants probably will confine distribution to bottled suds. The usual restrictions are expected to be written into the ordinance. Gardeners, however, report that the country went wet in the wrong way to make spading any easier, as the surface soil has become solid. They see little relief, too, in the allegedly weak beer on hot afternoons. Jacksonville Miner, April 7, 1933, page 1 Beer Ordinance Gets First and Second Readings Friday
At a special meeting of the city council last Friday evening the newly
drawn beer ordinance was given its first and second readings. The
ordinance will be read for the third time at the next regular meeting
of the city fathers which will be May 1. Any changes to be made will be
brought up at that meeting.Meanwhile beer dispensers of the city are operating under the federal law and will not be required to take out a city license until the ordinance has been passed. The first shipment of the golden 3.2 percent fluid arrived in Gold Hill shortly after noon Saturday at Chris Jorgensen's Grotto, and by sundown the bulk of it had been consumed. Another shipment arrived early this week, however, and the drought was again ended. Old-timers say the beverage has all the good qualities of the olden days, and many an old memory was revived while hoisting the first glasses here Saturday. Gold Hill News, April 13, 1933, page 1 Beer Causes Little Stir in Jacksonville
The arrival of beer--of the pre-prohibition vintage--was marked in this
city by very little noise and fury. This may be traceable to the fact
that beer at no time has ever become a novelty in this old mining camp,
and that legal or not, suds have continued throughout the years to
quench the parched throats of hard rock and placer miners after a long
day's tussle with mother nature.Although appearing in a modest quantity of few cases of bottled product, it was lapped up eagerly by connoisseurs of malt extract and curious townspeople, and pronounced "just as good as ever." And Jacksonvillians should know, for this was one of the last towns to surrender to prohibition in Oregon, waiting until the state went dry to close its dozen-odd saloons. But two establishments, the Nugget confectionery and the Marble Corner, catered to the thirst of quaffers while the supply lasted. The latter, still fitted with saloon-day equipment, sported a brass rail dignified by age and experience, and almost extinct swinging doors. Temperance, however, was the keynote of guzzling, the beer appearing to have a very cheering, but not intoxicating effect on happy gulpers who blew suds off steins with a faraway and reminiscent look on their faces. It is thought that history, to many who have appetite for the amber fluid which had been outlawed here for 18 years, will now be dated A.D. Beer, 1933. At least, much of the legal history will commence from that date, it is reported. Not that Jacksonville is different from any other community in the nation, however--just a bit more frank and honest about her thirst and familiarity with liquid tidbits. In fact, the only pomp and celebration of the arrival of the allegedly wicked spirits occurred Sunday, when many Southern Oregon pulpits resounded with sermons on temperance, the awfulness of the liquor traffic and its kindred evils. Impetus has been given to W.C.T.U. organizations, and they are forming rapidly as beer permits are being issued on every hand. Jacksonville Miner, April 14, 1933, page 1 Waal, I Reckon She's As Good As Ever, Say
A hit-and-miss survey of Jacksonville, following the advent of legal
beer, resulted in a rather varied result, but for the most part the new
3.2 percent brew has been welcomed.Jacksonvillians As New Beer Samples Arrive The general complaint has been, among the judges of the finer aspects of malted suds, that the supply was too limited to permit expert testimony. "You just supply us with plenty of the new product and we'll give you some of the expertest beer drinking and sampling testimony you ever heard of," was the general response to a reporter's inquisitiveness here this week. Several scattered statements were collected, which will show a cross-section of the general impression the "non-intoxicating" beer has made in this old mining camp: Punk Dunnington: Haven't tasted any of the new beer yet, dern it! Got any samples? Jimmy Guin: Haven't had enough to tell. And anyway I'd just eaten a hearty meal. John Knight: I'll be better able to tell you later. And as for home brew, that just depends on what neighborhood you're in. Jim Littell (city marshal): Tastes all right to me, but I didn't have enough to pass final say. Charlie Dorothy (tonsorialist who hasn't cut a throat yet): Dang right it's a mighty good drink--just as good as before prohibition. Mrs. Ray Wilson: I don't generally care for beer, but I like the new legal brew. Ray Wilson: Just like in the good old days. Alice Hoefs (postmaster): Don't drink--a teetotaler. Mrs. Vivian Beach: My husband gave me a tiny sip of the new beer, but he doesn't know I poured half of that out. Don't like beer. Duke Lewis: Not much of a judge of such things, but I don't think the new beer will set the world on fire. Harold Reed (bartender at the Marble Corner): There just ain't enough of it--that's my only complaint. Chris Keegan (who once stole enough powder from grown-up pranksters to save the town from a tragic end): Don't know what to think yet, but I'm getting mighty impatient to voice an opinion. Tom Dunnington (a butcher, and of course meat cutters and printers never drink): No can find very much, but very good, I'd say. Vivian Beach (jeweler, fisher, prize fight timekeeper, trapshooter, etc., etc., and beer authority): The new brew is all right by me. Ray Coleman (justice of the peace--this verdict is official): If you want my reaction, you'll have to wait until there's enough of the new beer for me to get a reaction. Tastes good. H. C. Mechem: Haven't been one of the fortunate yet--no, haven't sampled the legal brew. Daniel (Boone) Shuss: I'd certainly like to pass judgment, but I was too long at work in my yard to get downtown before the other gluttons had exhausted the supply. I believe in patronizing home industry, anyway. John Norris: Can't tell you about the kick, but it certainly is a nice drink. Emil Britt (who has the old city brewery in his back yard): If the new brew tastes as good as the old Jacksonville beer it's all right. M. O. Beaman: Home brew still tastes better to me. The legal beer is too new yet if you ask me. Didn't count high enough before they bottled it. Harry Luy: We'll probably get real beer in several months. The first samples were just rejuvenated near beer. S. W. Clogston: Not enough beer to go around, and if there was, my budget is too slim to include more than a teaser. Mrs. G. W. Godward: I don't like beer of any kind--or other stimulants. I don't believe in its use, nor do I plan to learn to like it. However, everyone to his own liking as far as I'm concerned. Ernie McIntyre: What, was there any new beer in Jacksonville?' Frank Zell: I haven't started on the new beer yet--I'm still into the old supply and got enough to do for some time. (There was a great rush in Zell's direction when the above statement was made, and casualties were not determined at press time.) George Wendt: Well, now, you know I'm selling milk for a living; what do you expect me to say? You might drop off a spare bottle someday, however. Halftruth Exaggerate (Miner reporter who gathered the above opinions): Hashn't tashted any of thish here new (hic) beer yet. Never drinksh a dropsh (hic)! There oughta be a law, by (hic) (hic) (hic)--aw, jash let it go. Jacksonville Miner, April 14, 1933, page 1 Opposed to Dry Repeal
To the Editor:The Bible tells us that "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." This is true; it is also true that out of the abundance of experience the mouth speaketh. My experience of the evils of drink has not been confined to one county nor to one state alone, but has been nationwide. Near all the army posts the saloon men plied their disgraceful traffic. These men made it their business to know when the paymaster was due to pay off the soldiers, then they were enticed into the saloons and given drugged whiskey and robbed. Nothing could be done, for these saloonkeepers were licensed to sell liquor. Since prohibition became a law this has all been done away with. True, prohibition has not been as great a success as we had hoped, but I know from my own experience that it has not been a failure. We need a change, new and more drastic laws, but we must not do away with prohibition. Many tell us that conditions are wore than they have ever been. I know positively that this is not true. People seem to think that the speakeasies came in with prohibition. This also is not true; these we have had always with us, but they were operated under another name. In the days of the open saloon they were known as "blind pigs." Here is an example: In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, there were 2000 blind pigs. Saloons were running wide open, but the men who operated the blind pigs were selling liquor without a license. This is authentic information--think it over. Let us hope that the thinking people of Oregon will not vote for the repeal of the 18th amendment. Do away with prohibition and just as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west we will have again the open saloon, an evil most truthfully portrayed by the following poem: "THE SALOON BAR
"A bar to heaven, a
door to hell--
"Communications," Medford Mail Tribune, June 11, 1933,
page 6Whoever named it, named it well! A bar to manliness and wealth, A door to want and broken health. A bar to honor, pride and fame, A door to sin and grief and shame; A bar to hope, a bar to prayer, A door to darkness and despair. A bar to honored, useful life, A door to brawling, senseless strife; A bar to all that's true and brave, A door to every drunkard's grave. A bar to joy that home imparts, A door to tears and aching hearts; A bar to heaven, a door to hell-- Whoever named it, named it well!" --Anon.
J'VILLE DANCERS GET FREE BEER
While the rest of the world has been waiting for nickel beer, the
Jacksonville chamber of commerce has gone them one better by offering
free beer--all one can drink--tomorrow night at the Jacksonville dance.Through cooperation of the local El Rey beer distributor, free suds to all customers has been made possible, and first kegs will be tapped promptly at 9 p.m. in the newly created beer garden in the famous old U.S. Hotel building. Chamber officials are preparing for the busiest night of the entire season and announced there will be no increase in prices. Medford Mail Tribune, September 22, 1933, page 5 Seven 'Ask for Louie' Dens Near Medford
A brief survey this week disclosed the well-known fact there are seven
so-called speakeasies in and around Medford, ranging all the way from
semi-respectable, well-managed places to dirty hovels of filth and
vice, where victims have been known to be drugged, robbed, and thrown
out when they have been cleaned.At least five of these establishments maintain women of disreputable character, according to information, and serve home brew under 3.2 beer labels. All serve moonshine, of varying quality, and minors have been patronizing practically all the houses. One interesting sidelight came following the death of one man who was returning from a roadhouse when the proprietor of the establishment approached a Medford newspaper office with the request that the name of his place be deleted from the news--the unfavorable publicity was ruining his business! The law, today, is unable to touch any of these places unless some private citizen is willing to swear to a public nuisance complaint. Jacksonville Miner, October 27, 1933, page 1 City and County Officers Would Curb Liquor
While speakeasies of the county, state and nation hum with gaiety and
dispense hard liquor, beer, wine, and what-have-you with all the
abandon of pre-prohibition days, while officials look on practically
helpless, heads of government in Jackson County are studying the
problem seriously, in an attempt to curb any possible resulting tragedy
or wholesale crime.Judge Day, Mayor Wilson Give Views on Speakeasies and Drunken Driving Problems Judge Day, cooperating with law enforcement officials, has drafted a plan which will be submitted to the legislature which convenes November 20. This plan proposes a license on speakeasies outside city limits so high that it will be prohibitive, and leaves the control of speakeasies inside city limits to the cities themselves. The officials also propose to put a stop to speakeasies selling liquor to minors, as this is entirely contrary to existing laws. To do this they plan to see that any minor found in a speakeasy is brought to the stand to testify, and they warn that parents who do not want their children testifying should see that they do not frequent such places. Medford city officials, too, favor strict regulation of liquor-selling, and in addition will carry on a drastic campaign against drunken driving, which, they point out, is one of the greatest evils to be contended with under the new regime. Mayor Wilson has made plain that drunken driving in the county seat will not be tolerated, and he suggests that a law be passed making it mandatory to publish names of those found guilty of driving a car after drinking. Such publicity he feels will be more effective, even, than a fine. He also favors a law which makes it a misdemeanor if officials can prove that a person was driving with liquor on his breath. According to present laws it is almost impossible, he states, to prove drunkenness, even though a driver has crashed into another car and is reeking with liquor when he is arrested. Who shall be allowed to sell liquor is still another problem that has to be solved, and concerning this the Medford mayor says that he personally favors a state liquor house for the county, with no other place being allowed to sell it, and hopes that this will be included in whatever laws the legislature passes. The League of Oregon Cities, each city represented by its attorney, will meet soon to determine the stand cities will take on liquor control and licensing, and county courts and sheriffs of the state will also meet to consider their future course. Both groups will no doubt pass on recommendations which will be presented to the legislature. Gold Hill News, November 16, 1933, page 1 State Liquor Control Not Popular; Cities May Fight
The Knox liquor control bill, providing for the sale of hard liquor
through state-owned stores, was passed by both houses of the Oregon
legislature Saturday and is now ready for the signature of Governor
Julius L. Meier, who advocated the measure.Under the bill hotels and restaurants would be permitted to sell wines and beers of not more than 14 percent of alcohol by volume. The measure had passed the house by a 6-to-1 vote and the senate passed it by even a larger majority after making several amendments. Differences between house and senate views were ironed out in conference and the bill as reported out of conference was quickly passed by the two houses tonight. Even before the measure was to become law, however, several cities served notice they intend to fight the act in court on the grounds that it is a violation of the home rule provisions of the state constitution. Later the senate passed a sales tax bill by a vote of 17 to 13. The measure, similar to the California sales tax plan, calls for a tax of 1½ percent on sales of personal tangible property and in addition provides for the same rate of tax on gross earnings of public utilities. Recommended by Governor Meier as a means of bringing financial relief to schools, the bill had already passed the house. It was to be returned immediately to the house for concurrence in minor amendments. The Portland city council today instructed the city attorney to launch a legal attack upon any liquor control measure adopted by the state which might attempt to abrogate the home rule provisions. The city council of Klamath Falls had already stated it would take "every legal step" to prevent the state from taking over control of liquor in that city. Gold Hill News, December 14, 1933, page 2 Oregon Isn't So Dumb
Oregonians are accustomed to listen by the year to how California and
Washington do this and accomplish that. Constantly are the laws of
neighboring states thrown up to the electorate as a shining example of
how we should do this or that.But there is one development in Oregon which, we believe, far overshadows wisdom of the sunny state to the south. We refer to Oregon's handling of the liquor situation. More or less temperate and old-fashioned, our own green state has injected far more good judgment and common sense into the handling of spiritous liquors than has California, as even native sons of that proud domain will admit. Beyond the Siskiyous the retailing of liquors is made a frenzied, gaudy business remindful of the ridiculous days of peewee golf. Every cigar store, every hat shop and clothing emporium has its partitioned storeroom of whiskeys and wines. Liquor signs dominate the streets, and cutthroat competition is the rule in disposing of spiritous wares. California's way bespeaks indulgence, frenzy, confusion and extreme commercialism, and a decided overemphasis of liquors and wines. Staid old Oregon, with her timbered mountainsides and lush meadows, is taking the liquor business more sedately and with far more becoming reserve. Here the imbiber must seek out an unpretentious, unobtrusive state liquor store which conducts the quiet, orderly business of selling intoxicants only to those who have qualified under the law and who have liquor permits. The state liquor control commission sells its wares at the lowest possible price, but does not tolerate price competition, too much sales effort or foolishness. The Oregonian who wants his spiritous liquors knows where he can get them, but those who do not care for the products of fermentation do not have them constantly flung in their faces every time they step onto the street. The Oregon method of handling liquor is as dignified and quiet as such a business can be, while California has become raucous and common through her permission of noisy, garish selling methods, with every merchant a liquor dealer. Competition may be the life of trade, but too much of it in the handling of intoxicants leads to trouble every time, and Oregonians should be well satisfied and even proud of their liquor control. Jacksonville Miner, September 21, 1934, page 2 CONVICT FLORES OF MAINTAINING
MOONSHINE STILL
Joe
Flores, former Front Street lunch counter operator, was found guilty
yesterday afternoon in circuit court of the possession of a moonshine
still, found by officers in an abandoned mine tunnel on Blackwell Hill
last September. Flores' case went to the jury late in the day, and a
verdict was returned in less than 30 minutes.
Flores claimed he knew nothing of the presence of the still and hardly ever visited the tunnel, but officers claimed there was mash brewing and saw a fairly well defined path between the tunnel and a cabin, where the defendant is said to have spent a portion of his time. He was arrested shortly after the attempted holdup of the Central Point State Bank during activities of the sheriff's office to locate a green sedan that had been used by the bandit in making his escape from Central Point. Medford Mail Tribune, November 6, 1940, page 4 Last revised November 14, 2024 |
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