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C.S.I. - Prohibition in New Jersey

C.S.I. - Prohibition in New Jersey.

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C.S.I. - Prohibition in New Jersey

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  1. C.S.I. - Prohibition in New Jersey As a result of the passage of the 18st Amendment on January 16, 1919 and the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages became illegal starting on January 16, 1920. However, Americans thirst for alcohol did not dry up and the void left by the new restrictions led to a rise in organized crime. We’ve all heard of crime figures such as Al Capone, Bugs Moran and Baby Face Nelson. These criminals, and cities like Chicago and New York, have become commonly associated with the violence between gangs and between law enforcement in movies like The Untouchables and The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. But New Jersey wasn’t immune from the criminal effects of Prohibition and arrogantly remained “as wet as the Atlantic Ocean.” In fact, New Jersey was home to a powerful organized crime leader who’s exploits many of you are probably familiar with even though you’ve never heard of him. Your mission is to investigate why New Jersey was a haven for the manufacturing, distribution and consumption of alcohol, who the powerful crime leader was, and why many of you may already be familiar with some of his exploits as a mobster.

  2. Case #: 01161920 Gov. Edwards Governor Edward Edwards, vowed to make his state "as wet as the Atlantic Ocean.” New Jersey state and local law enforcement agencies blatantly disregarded Prohibition laws, putting the problem of combating bootlegging, the illegal production and sale of alcoholic beverages, on the already over-stretched resources of federal agencies. In the fall of 1926, a teetotaling Army colonel named Ira Reeves showed up to take charge of the federal government's New Jersey district for Prohibition, Reeves thought or himself as a "Prohibition St. Patrick" chasing the snakes of demon rum out of New Jersey, and went to work with a vengeance, raiding several booze plants a day. It took him less than a year to figure out that he was failing -- that he had, in fact, the most impossible job in the world. Keep  Jersey sober? Might as well ask Jersey drivers to obey the speed limit. – Jon Blackwell

  3. Case #: 01161920 • On the night of Jan. 20, 1927, Col. Reeves dispatched three of his best men to check out a report of a beer warehouse at Market and Broad streets in Trenton. The dry agents had no sooner showed up when a mob of angry citizens surrounded them outside the warehouse and threatened to beat them up. One of the agents fired into the air to disperse the crowd; that alerted a nearby patrol cop. The cop's reaction was immediate: to arrest the federal agents for carrying guns without licenses! "If Col. Reeves can employ none other than gun-toting operatives, he had better keep them in Newark," Chief Walter went on to explain. "We don't want them here.” - Jon Blackwell • "There were just as many bootleggers, making bigger profits than before. There were doubtless just as many wildcat stills, cutting plants, breweries, ale plants, roadhouses, saloons and speakeasies (establishments where illegal liquor was sold) as before my ambitious crusade.“ - Col. Reeves

  4. Case #: 01161920 • Cities like Trenton were “melting pots” of immigrants such as Italians, Irish, Germans and Poles. These groups brought with them “Old World” traditions that included social drinking. • Trenton Police Chief William Walter was best friends with the “Beer Baron” of Trenton, Victor Cooper. Chief Walter estimated that there were over 800 speakeasies, and bribes for law enforcement officers kept most of them free from harassment. • Local residents remember one bustling place at South Broad and Bridge streets, where music and hilarity blared. Another speakeasy, popular with Paul Whiteman's jazz hand, operated on Chancery Lane -  across the street from the police station.

  5. Case #: 01161920 In The Simpson’s Episode “Homer versus the 18th Amendment, Homer (aka “The Beer Baron’) uses bowling balls instead of tomatoes. Ima Korps 123 Keg Lane One Quart Gin The Beer Baron • Idle factories were put to use as illegal distilleries. At the rail yards, cargo holds labeled "Jersey tomatoes" or "produce" were really carrying a different type of commodity. • It was still legal to buy alcohol with a doctor's prescription, which allowed the city's Municipal Colony hospital to stockpile gin and whiskey. Records would later show vast amounts of the stuff being prescribed to "patients" who were already dead and buried. • All charges were dropped against a dozen rum-runners caught red-handed unloading whiskey from a camouflaged barge in the Rancocas Creek. Prosecutors said there was a lack of evidence.

  6. Case #: 01161920 Evidence Analysis Based on the evidence gathered from this presentation, we will answer the following ESP question as a class. What were the economic, social and political factors that made New Jersey a haven for illegal alcohol manufacturing, distribution and consumption? Step 1: Develop a thesis statement for an introductory paragraph. Step 2: Develop a topic sentence for a paragraph on the economic factors. Step 3: Provide evidence to support the topic sentence for the economic factors. Step 4: Develop a topic sentence for a paragraph on the social factors. Step 5: Provide evidence to support the topic sentence for the social factors. Step 6: Develop a topic sentence for a paragraph on the political factors. Step 7: Provide evidence to support the topic sentence for the political factors.

  7. Case #: 18901994 Catch a Criminal Your next assignment is to gather evidence that will help you identify one of the most powerful organized crime leaders of the 20th Century who was right here from New Jersey. As you uncover evidence, record key information that will assist you in your own research. The first student “detective” to correctly identify the criminal will receive a bonus. Alias: Richie the Boot Ethnicity: Italian (born December 8, 1890 in Naples, Italy) New Jersey Residency: Moved to Newark around 1910 “The Boot” worked as a milkman in 1910 and used his job as a cover for a small bookkeeping operation, marking the beginning of his life of crime in the United States.

  8. Case #: 18901994 Informants and surveillance has shown that “The Boot” was a ‘”flashy dresser” and evenwore a diamond belt buckle that cost him$10,000. BLING! Former associates and competitors report that “The Boot” has a tendency to use violence to send messages and protect his territory.

  9. Case #: 18901994 Abner "Longie" Zwillman Excerpt of F.B.I. File The F.B.I. has accumulated a large file on “The Boot” and have shared excerpts with us to help you solve the case.

  10. Case #: 18901994 “The Boot,” during a power struggle with Zwillman’s gang, survived an attack in which he was shot 12 times!! “The Boot” later formed a relationship with “Lucky” Luciano, which eventually allowed “The Boot” to become a Capo in the Genovese Crime Family. Abner Zwillman was murdered(?) in 1959, giving “The Boot” complete control of Newark, New Jersey.

  11. Case #: 18901994 “The Boot” lived on a vast estate in Livingston, New Jersey. A 1970's Life magazine photo spread, described his home as "Transylvanian traditional." In addition to the features one would expect to find on a large estate was a trash furnace. It is Gangland lore that “The Boot” used this furnace as his private crematorium, to dispose of bodies of his enemies. Due to the inability to find a picture of “The Boot’s” mansion, a picture of Dracula’s Castle (Transylvania Traditional) has been used. As far as we know, “The Boot” never went here and was not a vampire (although that would explain surviving 12 gun shots).

  12. Case #: 18901994 Leesburg State Prison (now called Bayside State Prison) In 1969, “The Boot” was convicted of conspiracy to violate gambling laws and sentenced to 2 ½ - 3 years in Leesburg State Prison and fined $1,000.  His family's association with Newark's Mayor Hugh Addonizio led to Addonizio's conviction, in 1969 as well, on racketeering charges. This eliminated Addonizio as a top contender to become the next governor of New Jersey.

  13. Case #: 18901994 The Godfather’s Garden “The Boot” believed that he was the model for the character, Don Vito Corleone, in Mario Puzo's book The Godfather. “The Boot” would often point to similarities between his life and that of Don Vito Corleone. In 1974, he erected a sign in his vegetable garden that read, "The Godfather's Garden." “The Boot” died in November 1984 at the age of 95 of natural causes.

  14. Case #: 18901994 The first student to email Mr. DeTample with the full name (spelled correctly) of “The Boot” will win ddetampl@hcrhs.k12.nj.us

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