"Catch One and Two Take Its Place"- Enforcing the Volstead Act, 1924

Last week I mentioned how the New Kent area was a popular location for bootlegging during Prohibition. Lest anyone think I was exaggerating these articles are from 1924, two years after the previous piece, which gives you some idea of the scale of the problem.

  

                                                                QUINTON 

Farewell, old March of 1924, you have not been so bad, after all; yet we can spare you for another twelve months and will not shed a tear over your departure. You left us a reminder of your visit of thirty-one days, rheumatic pains, swell heads, hacking coughs and our lungs filled with the deadly germs; and many who suffered by your cruel presence will not be here to greet you on your return in 1925, but will have passed on to that beautiful home of the soul.

 With it go for a little while the moonshiner and bootlegger, as several were caught near this place a few days ago. They left for us a reminder of their fine work 80 gallons of fine 100-proof pure corn juice that is under the lock and key in the county jail by Sheriff E.F. Gill. We wish they would turn it loose to kill those terrible germs left by heartless old March. New Kent jail is in a dilapidated condition and will not hold prisoners and it is doubtful if it will hold old John Barleycorn, for if it cannot get out any other way it will get lonesome and run out if it comes up my way I will run the risk of being shot and will arrest the old man. If he knocks me down, which will not be hard to do—if he spits on me I will fall, or would except that I am already down. So if you can run out, old John, head for Bottom bridge.

 This fine still was located by some spotters near Mountcastle’s, one of the most perfect ever located here. All foreigners, could hardly speak English, but they were masters of their trade; all Swedes. They were taken to Richmond for safe keeping. One colored man was arrested for having several boxes of fruit jars but he is out under bail; no one thinks he was in any way connected with the still crew.

 Near Bottom bridge was located a small still by Prohibition Agent Glascoe. Three men were seen running from the still but no arrest was made. The names are not known, but they proved they are entitled to championship as fast runners. There is no way to break up the stills. Catch one and two take its place. Those stills are financed, many believe, by capitalists of Richmond and other cities. It is a problem hard to solve. 

                                                     TRUTHFULL JEEMS

-West Point News, 4 April 1924

DRY AGENTS HIT AT LOCAL SUPPLY 

. . . 

 Inspector K. J. Glasco reported capturing a 250-gallon steam still in the Black Stump neighborhood of James City county, two 200-gallon steam stills in York county, and a fifty gallon still of the same type near Bottoms bridge in New Kent county.

. . . 

-News Leader, 12 April 1924

Happenings - 1925

 

 QUINTON

Tuesday was regular term of court for New Kent. Judge Robertson presided¹. The court was in session two days it being regular grand jury term. There were three indictments brought in for prohibition violations. One was fined $50 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, but jail sentence was suspended. Others were acquitted. One colored boy was indicted for breaking into the store of Goode Brothers² near Quinton. Case continued until next term, Sept. 15. A large crowd was present from Providence Forge, interested in the case of a young merchant, Mr. Charlie Hughes³of Providence Forge, who was indicted the last term of court for selling groceries on the Sabbath. Mr. Hughes is a hustling young merchant, doing a fine business, has beautiful property, beautiful dwelling, fine hotel, and is a fearless plunger in any enterprise where the vision of an extra dollar is in sight. He is on the job, and when he puts out a dollar there is soon another to keep it company. In a few years he will be wealthy, another New Kent millionaire. Another hustling merchant there is young Lem Binns.⁴ He is doing a fine business, as also are R. F. Mountcastle and R. E. Richardson, all in this growing little town of 500 inhabitants (soon will reach 1000).

Another at this place is Dr. Parker⁵, a retired physician. He is now on Easy street, has a beautiful home and happy family. Doing an immense business at his large garages and selling automobiles, trucks, and tractors. He has sold more cars and trucks than all others combined. Wealthy he is, yet plain and sociable. Across the street is the beautiful home of Sheriff E. F. Gill⁶, one of the happiest homes of the village. Electric lights, porcelain bath tubs, running water in every room, cold or hot as needed. Several years ago he married the beautiful operator Miss Cammie Robertson⁷, one of the four beautiful Robertson girls. Unusual to see, yet it was a family off operators, they having learned under their devoted father, who served as such for the C. & O. for 30 years. All these sister operators, yet all of these sisters decided to get married and have homes of their own and now they have them. “While we are young we have a position as long as we want it, but the day will come when younger ones will take our places.” So all decided, as wise girls will, to marry young, and often if need be, for they would say we have no time to wait for time is flying, the rose that blooms today tomorrow may be dying.                                                                                TRUTHFUL JEEMS.

 

-West Point News, 7 August 1925

 ¹ Judge Thomas B. Robertson of the Hopewell corporation court who was sitting on the bench due to the illness of Judge D. G. Tyler.

² I have not been able to find a thing about any "Goode Brothers" store.

³ Charles Evans Hughes, but not that Charles Evans Hughes. He owned the wreath factory in Providence Forge as well as the general store. 

⁴Leonard Binns the postmaster?

⁵Dr. J. Russell Parker(Nov 20 1880- Dec 10 1964) owned Woodberry and Sycamore Springs

⁶Sheriff Edward Franklin Gill (b. 1879) would be killed in a hit and run incident in 1929

⁷Camilla J. Robertson one of the seven daughters of Junius Edward Robertson.