Prohibition

I don't know how well this article will copy but I love it--classic example of Prohibition era corruption and collusion.  It from July of 1897 and it boils down to the Chief of Police periodically raids joints, the owners are thrown in jail and then they are released on bond.  The joint owners never show up to court and the city gets the bond money--a pretty neat system for everyone, until Chiles bucks the system and goes to court and fights the charges, he wants his $100 back.  Chiles claims that he is not running an illegal alcohol selling operation but it is an OMB lodge meeting place.  (I am not sure what OMB lodge is.  More to look up. )

I also love how the guys (and it does appear to be all guys although in reality I doubt that this was true, they had the larger more legit operations is my guess) who run the clubs or joints are called "joinists" --simple, clear, easy to understand name and not an acronym.   I wonder where all the stills were around town. I have heard that there was one back in Martin's hill (what later became SBG/then Menningers/part of the Governor's mansions trails) but there had to be more.  Interesting stuff.

More on prohibition from Lisa Sandmeyer;  " Ferdinand Poppendick thrived, I think Bogardus isn’t so strange. Poppendick left,by the way, when the liquor laws got too strict. His hotel and restaurant were top of the line in the day, and he hosted many legislators in town for the session."