In 1920, the United States voted itself ‘Dry' and officially it stayed
that way for 13 years. The answer to America's drinking problem was
simple:
if you cannot keep people away from liquor, keep liquor away from the
people.
The good intentions of the Prohibitionists made for a major industry in
New Brunswick - the illegal transportation of alcoholic drink. It was
known
as rum-running.
All along the coast, ships came as ghosts in the night and dropped
cargoes of liquor which were shortly transferred to
cemeteries, outbuildings, hay mows and other out of the way places.
Subsequently powerful cars, roared through the back country roads,
bearing cans of liquor destined for the States.
‘
When Rum Was King' by B.J. Grant chronicles the days of
prohibition in New Brunswick in all its richness - the characters, the
intrigue and the political pay offs. Names are given of the law
enforcement officers, several owners and madames of the Bawdy Houses,
the rum-runners, ship owners and those
who became involved by the need to feed their families.
The
Appendix has
lists of nearly 400 bootlegging cases taken from New Brunswick
newspapers. Hundreds of names can be found in the index.
Many considered rum-running to be a lucrative adventure, a
way to outwit the authorities and not a genuine crime.
An out of print (1984) book that chronicles the days of
prohibition in New Brunswick in all its richness - the characters, the
intrigue and the political pay offs. And here too, are listed the names
of officers and men in the mighty army of King Rum. Appendix I lists
nearly 400 bootlegging cases taken from New Brunswick newspapers during
1920-1933. Gives source. Hundreds of names are mentioned
including several owners, madames of the Bawdy Houses, Law Enforcement
Officers. Partial Listing of Surname: Agar, Attis, Balmain, Baxter,
Bickersteth, Byrne, Colete, Cogger, Coolidge, Dugas, Dysart, Enslow,
Farnham, Fronczak, Garnett, Goguen, Hawthorne, Hyland, Jobs, Kane,
Laroque, LeBlanc, Lucas, MacBrien, McIntyre, Merrick, Nevers, Nowlan,
Oland, Paulin, Pinaife, Pugsley, Richard, Riley, Russo, Salt, Slattery,
Steeves, Talbot, Tucker, Tweeddale, Veniot, Walsh, Warnock, Wilmot and
Wright. A FEW PLACE NAMES MENTIONED: Andover,
Aroostock Junction, Bathurst, Cocagne, St. Andrews, St Pierre and
Miquelon. Appendixes, references, bibliography and index. 244 pages 6 x
9.
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