100+ Years Ago
1919 Leader, #1999.36.91, JCHS collection
1923 Leader, #1999.36.103, JCHS collection
Friday, May 23rd, 1919
BOOZE DUMPED OVER BLUFF
Over Seventy Cases Destroyed by Sheriff’s Office.
WAS ACCUMULATION OF MONTHS
Value of Booze Estimated at $14000 at Prevailing Prices.
Something like $13,000 or $14000 worth of “booze” went to waste at the city dump yesterday, and it is predicted that the clam cocktails, made from the bivalves of the beach in the vicinity, with be very popular for a time. It is understood that several searching parties visited the dump yesterday afternoon, in the hope of retrieving a bottle or two which had escaped the defiling hands of the sheriff and his deputies, but this quest was altogether in vain, as the officials made sure that no a single drop remained before they retired from the field. While the air in the neighborhood was of a fragrance which can be appreciated by the devotee of John Barleycorn who has refused to become reconstructed, any satisfying of a deep longing had to stop there.
The big cache was a constant source of worry to Sheriff Herstrom, who is frequently compelled by his official duties to be absent from his domicile during the night, and it was recently concluded that the only thing to do was to smash the stuff, making a clean-up of all the seizures made…
When the dump was reached the sheriff took personal charge, keeping all his workers under his eagle eye. A pick quickly opened the cases and the bottles were thrown against the rocks on the beach, any misses receiving summary attention from the trusty pick. That a thorough job was done has been attested by those who visited the scene as soon as the word got out.
Friday, December 14th, 1923
MOONSHINE MAKERS TAKEN BY SHERIFF
Lindsay of Tarboo Peninsula and Coates, Tennessee Expert, Taken,
There is little Christmas cheer in sight for the Jefferson County members for the Moonshiners Union, for Sheriff Chase has decided to bring his captured still total to forty by New Year’s Day, 1924.
Stills 35 and 36 were added to the trophy room in the county court house last week. Mr. Lindsay, a new comer on Tarboo peninsula and F. H. Coates, Tennessee moon expert, now of Brinnon, were apprehended and brought to trial.
No. 35 came from Walter Lindsay’s ranch on the Tarboo bay side of Tarboo peninsula, near Fisherman’s point, where Mr. Lindsay, a new comer made fine applejack for family and friends. Mr. Lindsay had never met Sheriff Chase until Monday of last week when the county officer and aid visited the Lindsay ranch after a five-mile hike from the “Shorty” Smith ranch, and introduced themselves. After exchanging pleasantries Sheriff Chase examined the premises and found a modern, clean ten-gallon still and several gallons of fine applejack.
On plea of first offense and non-sale Judge Biles released Lindsay with a $100 fine and suspended sentence of sixty days, pending good behavior in the future.
Tennessee Expert Taken.
Mr. F. H. Coates, said to be an expert moonshine manufacturer from the mountains of Tennessee, was taken at this place between Brinnon and the O’Connor logging camp last Saturday afternoon.
Sheriff Chase found a fine new still, 100 gallons of mash and about two gallons of extra fine 90 proof hooch. The arrest proved to be Mr. Coates’ second offense, the first occurring in April of this year
Judge Biles assessed a fine of $300 and 30 days, which Mr. Coates has decided to serve at $3 per day, a total of 130 days. He served his previous sentence of $250, which was shortened because of good behavior and merit work. Sheriff Chase declares he shall serve the entire sentence this time.
Note: Prohibition laws were ratified in Washington on January 13, 1919, a year and a few days before the Eighteenth Amendment of the United State Constitution was enacted nationally, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, and transport intoxicating liquors. The Prohibition era lasted through December 5, 1933 when it was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment.
The city dump during this time was near Morrison Park, which was in the vicinity of where North Beach County Park is today. One of the benefits of prohibition bottle smashing is that some of the wave-worn gems of beach glass collected by today’s beachcombers may be from that time period. (The 1919 article was shortened for brevity.)
Stories, ads, photos and other information were retrieved from Port Townsend Leader archives from the Collection of the Jefferson County Historical Society. Additional on-line and library resources were also used.
