May 1, 1917 - Prohibition went into effect in
Nebraska (almost two years before US)
1919 - Congress ratified the 18th Amendment
It ended in Nebraska in 1933 when voters repealed the states constitutional
prohibition
These are alcohol related cases found in the Buffalo County Court
records 1928-1931
A. Possession without a license 1. Illegal possession
A man was accused of (1) having in his possession 1 quart of liquor and (2)
intent to sell without a license
(Licenses issued for sale of liquor for medicinal, mechanical, chemical, or
sacramental purposes only)
Found guilty on the first count, fined $100 + costs. Had to stay in jail
until he paid
Second count dropped
2. A Ravenna man
Arrested for concealing intoxicating liquor in a building, not his
residence, on a lot in Ravenna.
[Kept it in the barn? Chicken house?]
Found guilty, fined $100 + costs
3. An Elm Creek
man Arrested on
three counts
I. being intoxicated;
II. possessing liquor 2 quarts of moonshine aka hootch, not in private
dwelling;
III. carrying the liquor in a Ford, on his person and in his clothing.
Counts
I and III dismissed, fined $100
Who was this Elm Creek man? He was a single man living on the family farm near Elm Creek
Depression years were not good to him.
By 1935 he was living in a CCC Camp near Scottsbluff
4. Stanley
Arrested for illegal
possession of ½ gal intoxicating alcohol not kept in a private dwelling.
[Did everyone hide their liquor in the outbuildings or in the car?] Plead
guilty; fined $100 + court costs of $10.57.
5. Ray Arrested on three counts
Count 1 Three days ago he illegally purchased intoxicating liquor from
George and others
Count 2 He was a member of Recreation Number Three Club which unlawfully
kept liquor to barter, sell,
and use as a beverage for delivery and distribution.
Count 3 He solicited an order for purchase and sale of liquor.
Arrested, bond set at $200. Court date set for July 14 [must have gone to
district court]
6. The case of Buck & Eddy Two
men, Buck & Eddy were arrested on Sept. 2 and charged with four counts
Count 1 possession of intoxicating liquor
several pint bottles and 2 kegs of corn liquor commonly known as hootch not
kept
in the private dwelling house
Count 2 transporting said liquor for purpose of sale in a Chevrolet
[Wyoming license #]
Count 3 transporting liquor in a vehicle for purpose of sale
Count 4 a Chevrolet [Wyoming license # and VIN given] was used for
transport of the liquor
An arrest warrant was issued for Buck. He must not have been present when
the police arrived.
Sept. 3
Eddy appeared in court. Bond was set at $200 which he paid; his trial set
for September 13
[Rescheduled??]
Oct. 2
Buck, who had been driving the car, did not appear
Oct. 11 Neither man appeared in court.
The auto was declared guilty of unlawful transportation of intoxicating
liquor and forfeited to the
State of Nebraska to be sold by the sheriff of Buffalo County.
The proceeds were to be used to pay court costs in the case and the rest to
go into the county school fund.
Oct. 28
The car was sold at a Sheriffs Sale on the courthouse steps
Purchased by a Chevrolet dealership for $71.
Nov. 25 Buck was arrested
Nov. 29
Buck appeared in court; pled guilty of Count 3, transporting liquor in a
vehicle for purpose of sale
Fined $100 which he could not pay so he went to jail.
Dec. 7 Eddy posted $300 bond [had he been rearrested?]
Dec. 11 Eddy pled guilty - $100 fine and 60 days in jail.
Jail sentenced suspended on condition of good behavior and no violations of
liquor law
B. A Case of Drinking and Driving Steve
was arrested on three counts Count 1 intoxication;
Count 2 wreckless driving at speeds over 35 mph;
Count 3 driving while intoxicated
Fined $10 for Count 1; $10 for Count 2; and $50 for count 3 plus he could
not drive for 1 year
C. Drinking Extracts In late
October 1928, police visited three grocery stores (with warrants) to
determine if intoxicating liquor was sold following the arrests of
intoxicated men who claimed they had been drinking extracts.
They made two arrests 1. Eldon was charged with
selling vanilla extract containing sufficient alcohol to be used for the
purpose of intoxication
Fined $100 Who
was Eldon?According to Kearney city directories, this man
was a neighborhood grocer who operated in southeast Kearney and lived at his
place of business.
2. Simon
was charged with selling vanilla and found guilty Who was Simon?A
grocer in the dcowntown area
In 1929 his wife died
In Sept. 1933 [3 ½ years later] Simon was sued by Joe for causing the
alienation of affection of his (Joes) wife, Mary, over the past 3 years.
Trial set for mid-Dec. 13.
On that date the court room was crowded with spectators.
Jurors returned a verdict favoring the defendant, Simon.