Prohibition Madness

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Prohibition Madness: Life AND Death in and around Long Beach, California, 1920-1933. 

Published 2013

2013-Prohibition MadnessABOUT THE BOOK: Throughout America cocktail parties sparkled defiantly through the dreaded first minutes of January 20, 1920.  With morning would come the official start of Prohibition.  It was easy, however, to keep the party going in Long Beach, California.  Though Long Beach had been “dry” throughout most of its history, illegal liquor distribution throughout the city was already perfected by the time the 18th Amendment, banning the sale of most alcoholic beverages, became law.  Already in place were underground booze operations, secretive speakeasies and bootlegging, the perfect staging ground for crime, corruption AND murder.

READ ABOUT:

  • Oil – The one discovery that made Long Beach different from the rest of 1920’s and 30’s America and would change the life of the city in many unforeseen ways.

  • Good vs. Evil – Murders, gun battles, lawlessness …the city was a battleground between the influences of good and evil.  Involved in the battle was the Ku Klux Klan, Communists, rum runners, bootleggers, gangsters, and corrupt politicians.

MEET:

  • Hollywood celebrities William Desmond Taylor, Fatty Arbuckle and other well-known figures who ended up dead, or their careers ruined, because of rampant corruption and illicit booze.

  • Gangsters such as Al Capone’s henchman Ralph Sheldon, who gunned down Long Beach policeman William Waggoner, and got away with it.

  • Bootleggers like Thomas Johnstone, murdered by his wife when  he refused to give up his nefarious profession.

  • Oil swindlers, many influenced by C.C. Julian and his Ponzi scheme that bilked thousands out of their life savings.

  • Murderers such as Bluebeard Watson, who killed most of his 15 wives until one of them became suspicious.

These are just a few of the individuals and matters discussed in this eye opening account of Long Beach and Southern California during the 1920’s and 30’s.

Here are links to a review by Eric Bradley and a review by Tim Grobaty.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

POLICING LONG BEACH

            Gone but Not Forgotten

            Politics, Religion and the Ku Klux Klan

            Cleaning House

            The Great Depression, Communism & A New Deal

ALCOHOL MADNESS

            Evils of Alcohol

            Rum Raids

            Remington Murder

            Murder of a Bootlegging Husband

            Moonshine       

            Dying for a Drink

            Tijuana Troubles

GAMBLING SHIPS

            Offshore Temptation

            Troubles at Sea

            Kidnapping and Vice

            Murder on the High Seas

            End of an Era

OIL FEVER

            Transformation

            Scams

            Greed and Murder

            Was God Angry?

LOVE & MURDER

            Bluebeard

            Killer Moms

            Revenge of the Wronged Wife

            Breaking Up is Hard to Do

            A Just Verdict?

            Torso Murder

MURDER MYSTERIES

            Unsolved Murder of Signal Hill

            Did He Know Too Much?

            Father Vraniak

            Murder on the Schooner Carma

INDEX

Abbott, Leland Wesley, 191, 192

Aber, Lawrence, 76, 77

Achata, John, 59

Adamic, Louis, 30, 31

African Americans, 17, 32, 36, 42, 218

Agua Caliente, Mexico, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 106, 107, 124

Ahlswede, H.F., 130

Alamitos Bay, 15, 66

Alamitos Heights (area of Long Beach), 136

Alamitos Land Company, 129

Alamitos Townsite, 57, 58, 59

Alaska, 217

Alcohol – Ethyl (grain), 63, 80, 81

Alcohol – Methyl (wood), 63, 80, 81

Alexander, Nicholas, 225

Alyea, Ralph, 20

American Civil Liberties Union, 50

American Legion, 47, 186

American Mortgage Company, 139

American Protective League, 29, 32

Ames, Edward, 94, 95

Amos, Earl, 51

Anaheim, CA., 32, 42

Anderson, Peggy, 120

Anderson, W.E.. See Bartell, Ernest W.

Andrewartha, Beatrice M., 164

Anti-Saloon League, 28, 59

Apartments – Eleanor, 140, 141, 142, 144

Apartments – Terry, 168

Arbuckle, Roscoe “Fatty”, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 220, 231, 232, 233

Ardan, Juan, 59

Arizona, 23, 108, 151, 175, 179, 181, 195, 200

Arkansas, 36

Armstrong, J.B., 165

Armstrong, Lee, 88

Arnold, John, 231

Arson, 119

Aslater, Carl, 85, 86

Atlanta, GA., 43, 126, 234, 236

Auditor. See Long Beach – Auditor

Austin, Marie, 166

Austin, Mary, 154

Austin, TX., 188

Australia, 161, 164

Aviators, 66, 70, 71, 235

Bailey, Joseph P. “Bill”, 114

Bailey, Rose, 171

Baker, Walter, 237

Bakersfield, CA., 182

Balboa, 11

Balboa Film  Studios, 211

Balboa Film Studios, 216, 217

Balboa, CA., 62

Banks, 23, 48, 99, 139

Baptists. See Religion – Baptist

Bara, Thea, 211

Barbee, James W., 227

Barber, Walter, 224

Barnes, John, 205

Barrymore, John, 104

Bartell, Ernest W., 66, 67

Barton, John J., 228

Baumgartner, John, 17, 18

Bay Hills Land and Oil Company, 135

Bay Hills Oil and Land Company, 135

Beck, Alexander, 6, 7, 38, 225

Beer, 11, 28, 36, 59, 81, 82, 91, 115, 156, 238, 239, 240

Behr, Edward, 28

Bell, CA., 193

Bellflower, CA., 42

Belmont Heights (area of Long Beach), 15, 66

Belmont Shore (area of Long Beach), 103

Bennett, Robert, 156

Bergen, A.J., 85

Berman, Jacob, 138

Bern, Paul, 230

Bernstein, M.E., 240

Besley, H.R., 204

Betts, Isabel, 70

Bialo, Vittoria, 78

Bibeau, Eva, 223

Bigamists, 186

Bigamy, 165

Bixby Knolls (area of Long Beach), 47

Bixby Park, 29, 43, 44

Bixby, John, 129

Bixby, Jotham, 129

Black Death. See Plague

Blacks. See African Americans

Blackwell, Catherine, 56, 57

Blackwell, John, 57

Blake, Helen, 93, 94

Bogges, Henry, 26, 27

Boies, Horace, 29

Bonner, James H., 6, 52

Bonner,Guy, 104

Bootleggers, 11, 18, 20, 21, 26, 31, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 53, 62, 63, 65, 66, 71, 72, 74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 91, 96, 103, 106, 124, 134, 150, 224, 225, 227, 238, 239

Borden, Thomas, 15, 24

Borrego, Jose Perez, 91

Boruff, Earl C., 206, 207, 209, 210, 212, 220, 222, 225, 226, 227, 229, 233

Boruff, Esther, 229

Bosley, George, 22

Boynton, Charles O., 223, 224

Bozeman, Charles M., 118, 119, 120, 121

Bozeman,, Charles M., 118, 120

Brazil, 237

Breakers Hotel, 109

Brehm, Marie, 28

Bribery, 45, 109, 138, 140, 230

Bridgeman, Arta, 23

Bridgeman, Orlando, 15, 23, 24

Briggs, A.M., 29

Bronson, J.H., 42, 44

Brooks, Clarence H., 51

Brooks, Walter R., 51

Brown, George T., 40

Brown, H.L., 73

Brown, Thad, 203

Brown, William, 144

Browne, Georgia, 113

Brualla, M., 152

Bruneman, George “Les”, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116

Buchler, Paul, 183

Buck, George L., 6, 150, 228

Buenos Aires, 234, 235

Buffum, Charles A., 6, 38, 131

Bullard, James M., 181

Burbridge, O.H., 11

Burgess, Norman, 122

Burglaries, 68, 71, 119, 121, 172

Burglary, 15, 41, 70, 170, 171, 179

Burnell, Charles S., 116

Burns, Ken, 12, 239

Busch, Mae, 209

Butterfield, James, 6, 32, 35, 36, 37

Buttram, Ernest A., 51

Caffee, M.D., 174

Caffee, Peggy, 173, 174, 176, 177, 178, 179

Cahill, Bill, 221

Caldwell Apartments. See  Apartments – Caldwell

Calexico, CA., 74

California –  Governor, 29, 139, 189

California – Governor, 31, 34, 43, 125, 189, 221, 228, 239

California Governor, 49

California Heights (area of Long Beach), 132, 133

California Supreme Court, 102, 147, 189, 197, 225

Callahan, Henry, 45

Callahan, Henry S., 6

Campbell, Willard C., 135

Camping, 159, 160, 161

Canada, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 72, 73, 80, 115, 136, 138, 164, 166, 208, 216, 237

Capone, Al, 107, 109, 116, 125, 126

Caress, Helen, 111, 112

Caress, Zeke, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 121

Carlton, David, 171

Carlyon, Lottie, 157

Carlyon, Marilyn, 157

Carlyon, Tom, 157

Carson, Jesse, 178, 179

Casterot, Frank, 183

Casterot, Joseph, 182

Casterot, Ruth Mooney, 182

Catholics. See Religion – Catholic

Cemeteries – Calvary, 232

Cemeteries – Hollywood, 213

Cemeteries – Municipal, 148, 205

Cemeteries – Rosedale, 205

Cemeteries – Sunnyside, 171, 181

Central Memorial Park. See  Cemeteries – Westminster

Chafin, Eugene, 28

Chambers, Velma, 40

Champion, Frank, 71

Chancy, George, 73

Chandler, Harry, 137

Chaplin, Charlie, 90

Chateau Thierry (area of Long Beach), 133

Chicago, IL., 29, 43, 49, 106, 109, 126, 137, 218

China, 63, 138, 237

Christie, Ralph C., 7, 228

Church, Frank H., 226, 228

Cincinnati, OH., 191

Civil War, 33, 56, 59, 171, 223

Clampitt, Oscar, 206

Clark, Charles H., 51

Clark, Ray R., 6

Clausson, John F., 182

Clayton, John, 195

Coast Guard, 61, 62, 67, 68

Cochran, Lee, 91, 92, 93, 95

Cochran, Marian, 92, 93

Cohn, Harry, 90

Cole, Charles C., 32, 35, 36, 37

Collier, Frank, 189

Colorado, 15, 161

Colson, Marty, 91, 92, 93

Colton, CA., 179

Communism, 49, 50, 51

Compton, W.W., 140

Condit, Fillmore, 6, 7, 44, 231, 232

Cone, Asa Randall, 40

Connelly, Della, 168

Connelly, Jewell Thomas, 168

Connelly, Lanier, 168

Conner, W.E., 118

Connette, H.C., 216

Constitution – California, 37

Constitution – United States, 28, 32, 35, 44, 49, 50, 59, 102, 120, 241

Conway, Oscar, 79

Coolidge, Calvin, 67

Cork, Ireland, 217

Cornero, Frank, 64

Cornero, Tony, 64, 65, 124, 125

Corney, Peter, 61

Cortes Bank, 61

Costello, James, 113

Costello,James L., 122

Crawford, Charles H., 140

Cronin, Bob, 175

Crossiart, Myrtle Wood, 97, 98, 99

Cummings, Percy G., 67

Cummings,Margie, 227

Curley, Jennie, 88

Curtis Corporation, 70, 72, 73, 75

Dance halls, 16, 19, 21, 148, 240

Daniel, W.R., 25

Daugherty, Earl, 71

Davenport, WA., 167

Dawson, Buell, 121, 122

Dawson, Charity, 70

de Bouchard, Hippolyte, 61

De Groff, Emerson, 193

De Larm, Eddie, 235

Deane, Doris, 232

Debs, Eugene, 49

Dellan, Marcel, 93, 94, 95

Dellan, Zelda, 94, 95

Delmont, Maude, 212

Deloney, Nina Lee, 160, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 199

Denton, Jacob C., 200, 201, 202, 204, 205

Depression, 1930s, 47, 48, 51, 83, 104, 124, 139, 238, 241

DeTar, George, 22

DeTarr, Margaret, 22

Dewey, E.P., 159

Dickle, Walter M., 153

District Attorney, Los Angeles Co.. See Los Angeles Co. – District Attorney

Dobbin, Edward S., 6, 7, 51, 228

Dodge, Clark, 80

Doheny, Edward, 121, 122, 128

Doolen, Jimmy, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116

Doran, William C., 112, 207

Dorris, Charles, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147

Dorris, Theresa, 144

Dorris, Therese, 140, 141, 143, 144, 146

Dovey, William, 66

Drugs, 38, 76, 82, 168, 207, 208, 214, 217, 220, 221

Du Puy, Frank, 24

Du Puy, Sarah, 23

Dudrey, “Blackie”, 72, 73, 74, 76

Dudrey, \Frances, 73

Duer, Joseph W., 181

Dunn, Clyde D., 51

Durfee, Minta, 209, 210, 211, 232

Durkle, Harvey, 223

Dyer, Rose, 181, 184, 185

Earl, David G., 48

Easling, Elmer, 185

Edison, Lester S., 183

Edmonds, Andy, 210

Ehat, Clarence, 73

Eighteenth Amendment, 11, 13, 28, 36, 37, 52, 59, 238, 240

El Centro, CA., 151, 161, 162, 163, 188

El Salvador, 178

Elliott, Dale H., 51

England, 63, 164

Erb, Marshall, 25

Estis, Gus, 181

Ethyl alcohol. See Alcohol – Ethyl (grain)

Evans, Ethel P., 143

Evans, William L., 225

Fairbanks, Douglas, 90, 104

Falcone, Bat, 83

Faulkner, Otto, 40

Faurote, Harry, 204

Fickling, Asa, 6, 7, 228

Fink, Eddie, 181

Finn, William Joseph, 38

Fire Department. See Long Beach – Fire Department

First Christian church. See Religion – First Christian Church

First National Bank, 139

Fitts, Buron, 138, 219, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230

Fleming, Ruth, 190

Flint, Motley, 140

Ford Motor factory, 47

Ford, L. James, 122

Forgery, 165

Forgie, Al, 68

Fort MacArthur, 47

Foster, Frank, 171, 172

Fox, Jimmy, 65, 114

Fox, William, 213

Frank, Clara, 113

Frank, Louis, 108, 109, 111, 114

Fratinno, “Jimmy the Weasel”, 116

Fraud, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 165, 166, 228

Fraud,, 136, 137, 166

Frazier, Eleanor, 166

Freeman, Alice, 166

Freeman, William P., 223

Fresno, CA., 186, 187, 188

Fussell, Betty Harper, 209

Gable, Clark, 90

gambling, 17

Gambling, 12, 17, 44, 45, 52, 78, 90, 91, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 115, 118, 119, 120, 121, 124, 131, 148, 178, 217, 227

Gambling ships, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108, 112, 118, 119, 121, 122, 124, 125

Gambling ships, 124

Gangsters, 30, 50, 63, 64, 65, 91, 92, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 116, 124, 126, 163, 200, 219, 220

Garcia, Rodolfo, 97, 99

Garden Grove, CA., 99

Gardner, Robert, 11

Gatewood, James. See  Doolen, Jimmy

Gerber, Neva, 210, 217

Germans, 28, 29, 144, 156, 234, 235, 236

Gibler, George M., 35

Gibson, Brooks, 15, 26

Gibson, Edith, 26

Gin, 11, 46, 62, 63, 80, 175, 212, 241

Giroux, Robert, 207, 215, 216, 218, 219, 220, 221, 230

Glendale, CA., 109, 235

Gloyd, Charles, 56

Goldwyn, Samuel, 209, 210, 213, 214

Goodnick, Bertha, 160

Gordon, Helen, 164

Green, Olive, 166

Green, Thomas, 220

Grump-Steele Company, 136

Guaranty Building and Loan Association, 139

Gun battles, 26, 27, 65, 106, 109, 110

Gunsul, Myrtelle, 6, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 228, 229

Guy, Vera, 234

Guy, William James “Curly”, 234

Haas, John, 175

Hahn, S.S., 75

Hall, Idris. See Wanderwell, Aloha

Halstead, Robert H., 15, 25

Hamer, S.H., 94

Harbor, 11, 12, 30, 47, 62, 68, 101, 102, 106, 154, 234, 240

Harding, Warren, 213

Harlow, Jean, 230

Harper, C.J., 21

Harrington, Bertram, 179

Harrison, Ethel May, 217

Hartman, Henry, 171, 172

Hartman, Mary, 170, 171, 172

Hartman, Nettie, 172

Hartman, Oluff, 170, 171

Hartman, Ruth, 170, 171

Hatch, Ira, 222, 223

Hauge, Oscar, 6, 7, 43

Haver, Richard, 171

Havers, Richard, 172

Hawaii, 151, 217

Hawkins, Carl V., 41

Haynes, Henry, 43

Haynes, Sam, 43

Hays, Will, 213, 232

Hayworth, Rita, 90

Hearst, William Randolph, 216

Heinsch, Herman, 144

Hellman, I.W., 129

Henderson, Charles, 6, 44, 45

Henderson, Frank G., 40

Henke, Edna, 122

Henry, Les, 219

Hess, George, 126

Hewes, Charles, 6, 34, 35, 224, 225

Hibbs, Bertha, 196

Hicks, Robert M., 225

Hijackers, 64, 65, 72, 103

Hijacking, 62, 65, 67, 72

Hildebrandt, Brandon O., 231

Hog farm, 150, 151

Holland, Clyde, 25

Hollingsworth, Marie, 166

Hollywood, CA., 72, 75, 90, 92, 104, 106, 107, 109, 111, 125, 165, 200, 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 216, 218, 219, 220, 221, 232, 234

Holt, Reuben H., 182

Homosexuality, 216

Honduras, 178

Honolulu, HA., 161, 164

Hoof and Mouth Disease, 149

Hoover, Herbert, 29, 47, 126, 236, 238

Horkheimer, H.M., 211, 216, 217

Horse racing, 107, 124

Hospitals – Community, 67, 169, 206

Hospitals – County, 152

Hospitals – Los Angeles General, 169

Hospitals – Patton, 172, 203

Hospitals – Seaside, 25, 26, 27, 67, 109, 156, 182

Hospitals – St. Mary’s, 84

Hospitals – St. Mary’s, 67

Hospitals – St. Vincent, 147

Houser, Todd, 52

Housing, 132, 133

Houske, Alfred, 15, 24, 25

Houston, TX., 173, 179

Howard, E.F., 79

Hubbard, Chelsea, 46

Hudson, P.J., 23

Huffman, Harry H., 98

Hull, John, 105

Hunt, Clarence, 185

Hutchins, Lucy, 21

Hyde, Edwin, 193, 195

Idaho, 97, 160, 161, 166

Illinois, 229

Immigrants, 30, 32, 36, 44, 80, 152

Imperial County, 162

Indianapolis, IN., 191

Inglewood, CA., 33

Insanity, 20, 55, 79, 112, 172, 176, 185

Inventors, 48

Inwood, Edwin, 66, 67

Inwood, Ruth, 66, 67

Iowa, 29, 130

Irwin, Mildred, 122

Islands – Channel, 61

Islands – Channel Islands, 62

Islands – Cortes Bank. See Cortes Bank

Jackson, Etta May, 178

Jahn, Matilda, 150

Japanese, 73, 75, 111, 112, 128

Jenks, Audrey L., 51

Jenks, Chester A., 107, 109

Jergins, A.T., 148

Jews. See Religion – Judism

Johnson, Ed, 178

Johnson, Fred L., 173

Johnson, Unaritas, 7, 20, 21, 22

Johnstone, Jewell, 78

Johnstone, Julia Lee, 78, 79

Johnstone, Thomas, 78, 79

Jordan, Harriet, 194

Jotham Bixby Company, 132

Judson, Lee Borden, 203

Julian Pete. See Julian Petroleum Corporation

Julian Petroleum Corporation, 136, 137, 140, 141

Julian, C.C., 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 143, 146

Juries, 20, 51, 76, 79, 86, 95, 109, 110, 113, 114, 115, 120, 121, 137, 138, 143, 146, 163, 176, 185, 187, 189, 195, 196, 197, 202, 205, 213, 224, 226, 227, 229, 231, 235

Kansas, 55, 56, 166, 201

Karst,, Mark, 177

Kearney, Grace, 92, 93

Kearney, Jerry, 92, 93

Keaton, Buster, 211, 233

Keaton, Frank, 140

Keaton, Joe, 211

Keller, Jack, 181

Kendall, Joe. See Keller, Jack

Kendrick, William T., Jr., 196

Kenner, John H., 223

Kentucky, 55

Keyes, Asa, 45, 75, 138, 179, 219, 229, 230

Kidnapping, 50, 97, 98, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 121, 122, 178

Kimmerle, H.J., 140

King, Ben, 195, 196

King, Waldo, 51

Kirkpatrick, Sidney, 210, 215, 218, 219, 221, 229, 230

Knight, Charles P., 135

Kniss, Clay, 231

Knowlton, W.E., 73

Kobota, Frank, 73, 75

Ku Klux Klan, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 50, 51, 139, 225

Kutz, Fred, 199, 200, 205

Labor unions, 36, 50

Lacey, James, 50

Laguna Beach, 99

Laguna Beach, CA., 62, 97, 98, 99

Lake Washington, 160, 164

Lanares, Jenaro, 40

Lanares, Jesus, 40

Las Vegas, NV, 90

Las Vegas, NV., 90, 125

Latham, Emily, 204

Lavine, Morris, 178

Leahy, Albert C., 70, 73, 76

Lee, Jean, 93

Lehrman, Henry, 212

Lewis, Claude C., 6, 7, 40, 73, 161, 228

Lewis, Sheridan C., 137, 138

Lilja, Christian, 26

Lilja, Lilja, 27

Lilja, Wilbur, 26, 27

Lincoln Park, 48

Lindberg, John, 51

Lippmann, Walter, 241

Liquor taxes. See Taxation – Alcohol

Loeb, Arthur M., 140

Logan, Arthur, 86, 87, 88, 121, 140, 203, 204

Logan, Margaret, 203

Lomita, CA., 25

Long Beach – Auditor, 222, 223, 226

Long Beach – City Attorney, 52, 101

Long Beach – City Council, 38, 45, 52, 53, 104, 105, 222, 223, 224, 225, 227, 228, 231, 232

Long Beach – City Employees, 23, 27, 34, 38, 225

Long Beach – City Manager, 7, 31, 34, 35, 41, 44, 45, 51, 52, 222, 224, 225, 228

Long Beach – City Prosecutor, 105

Long Beach – Earthquake, 51, 52, 155, 156, 157

Long Beach – Fire Department, 34, 157

Long Beach – Fire Department, 79

Long Beach – Mayor, 15, 31, 38, 43, 44, 45, 131, 134, 222, 223

Long Beach – Ordinances, 33, 38, 45, 47, 105, 108, 148, 222, 224, 240

Long Beach – Pensions, 27

Long Beach – Police, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 58, 66, 67, 68, 72, 76, 78, 79, 85, 88, 92, 96, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 111, 112, 118, 142, 162, 181, 187, 188, 206, 226, 227

Long Beach – Police, 51

Long Beach – Police, 200

Long Beach – Police Historical Society, 52

Long Beach – Police Purity Squad, 40

Long Beach – Public Library, 43

Long Beach – Public Library, 65

Long Beach – Recall of city officials, 52, 225

Long Beach – Recall of city officials, 53

Long Beach Land and Water Co., 29

Long Beach Law Enforcement League, 226

Long Beach Ministerial Union, 231

Long Beach- Police, 110

Long Beach Recall of city officials, 228

Long Beach, CA., 11, 17, 24, 25, 27, 30, 39, 41, 43, 50, 56, 71, 72, 73, 75, 78, 84, 86, 88, 95, 96, 102, 106, 108, 116, 131, 133, 143, 186, 211, 228

Loos, Anita, 208

Lord, Victor C., 70, 73, 76

Los Alamitos, CA., 183

Los Angeles – Mayor, 139

Los Angeles – Police, 76, 79, 153, 181, 203, 238

Los Angeles Co., 44, 57, 58, 62, 68, 74, 148, 149, 150, 151, 163

Los Angeles Co. – Board of Supervisors, 59

Los Angeles Co. – District Attorney, 44, 45, 75, 108, 138, 179, 205, 219, 221, 226, 227, 229, 230

Los Angeles Co. – District Attorney, 44

Los Angeles Co. – District Attorney, 108

Los Angeles Co. – Sheriffs, 37, 42, 78, 79, 85, 86, 110, 149, 191, 192

Los Angeles Co. Board of Supervisors, 57, 58

Los Angeles Co., CA., 43

Los Angeles River, 152, 190, 191, 192, 196

Los Angeles, CA., 15, 17, 25, 30, 32, 42, 45, 70, 73, 74, 75, 84, 90, 92, 94, 109, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 119, 122, 128, 129, 131, 135, 136, 137, 140, 144, 147, 151, 152, 154, 163, 165, 171, 173, 175, 177, 178, 179, 181, 195, 204, 205, 212, 219, 220, 221, 226, 229, 233,235

Los Cerritos (area of Long Beach), 15, 78, 85, 133

Los Cerritos Rancho. See Ranchos – Los Cerritos

Loujon, Francisca, 152

Lowell, Ina, 98

Ludvigsen, Alice, 160

Lund, Oscar, 72, 73, 76

Lybarger, Jay G., 56, 57

Lynwood, CA., 190, 191

MacDowell, Syl, 129

MacLean, Faith, 215

Madoff, Bernie, 137

Malibu, 62

Mandez, Jose, 58

Maner, George, 152

Manriquez, Ramon, 190

Marcy, Jessie, 204

Martin, Ray L., 191

Marx, Samuel, 230

Matteson, J.B., 18

Matthews, Blayney, 110

McAdams, Ralph, 19, 20

McAllister, Wayne, 90

McClelland, Joseph H., 6

McClure, J.H., 99

McClure, John Alexander, 97, 98, 99

McComas, Frank, 144

McCrary, Will, 56, 57

McDuffie, John, 135

McElroy, Julia, 176

McGann, Anna, 18, 19, 20

McGann, Frank, 18, 19, 20

McGann, Peter, 20

McGroarty, John Steven, 91

McKinley, William, 56

McLaren, Adelaide, 84

McLaren, Forrest, 84

McLendon, Ben, 6, 13, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 79, 224

McPhail, Addie, 232

McWilliams, Carey, 139

Meadows, Alberta Tremaine, 158, 174, 175, 176, 177, 179

Mendebles, Jose, 58

Merriam, Frank, 29, 43, 101, 102, 125, 189, 228

Methodists. See Religion – Methodist

Methyl alcohol. See  Alcohol – Methyl (Wood)

Mexicans, 22, 91, 93, 124, 152, 153

Mexico, 16, 61, 90, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 124, 153, 163, 178, 179, 188, 191, 208

Meyer, H.O., 142

Meyer, Henry, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147

Michener, Carlos B., 226

Milder, David, 50

Miley, John, 119

Miller, E.O., 241

Miller, Harry, 71

Miller, Henry, 17, 18, 71, 73

Miller, Myrtle, 17, 18

Millett, Robert, 118

Mills, John, 230

Minnesota, 43

Minter, Mary Miles, 207, 215, 216, 218, 219, 229, 231

Mississippi, 79

Missouri, 16, 114

Mitchell, Oliver C., 206

Mitchell, Steven, 35, 36

Money laundering, 118

Monroy, Nemesio, 91

Moody, Robert L., 122, 123

Moonshine, 12, 40, 62, 75, 80, 81, 82, 83, 86, 239, 241

Moore, Charles E.W., 210

Moore, John H., 36

Moore, Marian, 23

Moran, Harry, 65

Morgan, Blanche, 27

Morgan, James, 190

Morgan, Ralph, 15, 26, 27

Morrison, Fred, 23, 24

Moscow, 49

Motorcycles, 16, 24, 25, 26

Movie industry, 90, 209, 211, 213, 220, 221

Moyer, Clarence, 24

Muir, Florabel, 218

Municipal Auditorium, 34, 36

Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, 211

Munson, H.C.. See Schwartz, Harry

Murphy, Bertha Hindman, 188

Murphy, Cornelia Buttles, 186

Murphy, Frank, 126

Murphy, Lee Daniel, 186

Murphy, Maude McMay, 186

Murphy, Mildred Merrill, 186

Myers, Henry L., 213

Myers, Leon, 32

Nagai, K., 73, 74

Naples (area of Long Beach), 12, 24, 62, 66, 67

Nard, Bill, 64

Nathan, Jack, 196

Nation, Carry, 55

Nation, David, 56

Navy, 25, 155, 185

Needles, CA., 151

Nelson, Jessie Elwin, 134

Nelson, John. See Ames, Edward

Nelson, Zechariah T., 134

Nevada, 124

Nevens, Charles C., 224, 225

New Orleans, LA., 178

Newell, Ralph A., 6

Newlin, Neal D., 226

Newport Beach, 25, 62, 237

Newport Beach, CA., 155

Normand, Mabel, 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 215, 218, 220, 230, 232

North Carolina, 39, 81

North Long Beach, 79, 85

Norton, Marie, 48

O’Brien, A.R., 180

O’Conner,Dan, 118

O’Keefe, James, 118, 119, 120, 121

Oceanside, CA., 165

Oil, 11, 12, 20, 28, 47, 52, 79, 86, 119, 122, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 141, 146, 148, 149, 156, 157, 159, 172, 173, 174, 179, 183, 211, 212

Oil stock, 129, 137, 139, 140, 173

Oklahoma, 138

Olmstead, Roy, 46

Orange County, 62, 150, 206

Orsatti, Jesse, 113, 114

Outcalt, Warner A., 67

Pacific Electric Railroad, 15, 16, 17, 25, 133, 174, 181

Paddock, Merritt E., 6

Painless Parker, 16

Palos Verdes, 62, 67

Panama, 114, 140, 235

Papadakis, Nick, 82

Paragini, “Black Tony”, 64

Park, Arthur, 86

Park, Marie, 87

Park, Willis, 86

Pasadena, CA., 75, 141, 194

Peacock, Oliver S., 7, 228

Peavey, Henry, 215, 216, 218, 229, 230

Peek, William, 148

Peete, Betty, 202

Peete, Louise, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205

Peete, Richard, 202

Pensions. See  Long Beach – Pensions

Peoria, IL., 186

Pettibone, Tom, 193

Pettibone, Winton, 192, 193, 195, 196

Phillips, Armour, 158, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180

Phillips, Clara, 173

Phoenix, AZ., 23, 108, 188, 201

Pickford, Jack, 220

Pickford, Mary, 90

Piers – Pine Ave., 11, 16, 104

Pike Amusement Zone, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 38, 40, 98, 185, 210

Pine Ave. Pier. See  Piers – Pine Ave.

Pirates, 61, 103

Pittsburgh, PA., 180, 188

Plague, 152, 153, 154

Playa del Rey, 62

Plummer, Clyde L., 116

Point Fermin, 62, 92

Poisoners, 169

Police. See Long Beach – Police

Police Benefit Fund. See  Long Beach – Police Benefit Fund

Population, 52

Population, 43

Population, 131

Population, 148

Population, 211

Porter, George, 97

Porter, Harry H., 223

Porter, John, 139

Porter, Rose, 95

Portland, OR., 76, 171

Powell, Ralph, 25

Price, Lena, 196

Price, Thomas J., 179

Prior, Elizabethh “Betty”, 167

Prisons – Alcatraz, 126

Prisons – Folsom, 114, 116

Prisons – Leavenworth, 76, 121, 191

Prisons – McNeil Island, 126

Prisons – San Quentin, 27, 85, 95, 99, 114, 117, 166, 167, 179, 189, 197, 230

Prisons – Terminal Island, 125, 126

Procter & Gamble soap plant, 47

Prohibition agent, 68

Prohibition agents, 41, 64, 66, 67, 68, 73, 74, 239

Prohibition Party, 28

Protestants. See Religion – Protestantism

Pryor, Betty, 161

Puddifoot, Mary, 144

Quarantines, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154

Ranchos –  Los Alamitos, 129

Ranchos – Los Alamitos, 57

Ranchos – Los Cerritos, 57, 151

Rankin, David M., 222, 223

Rappe, Virginia, 209, 212, 213, 231, 233

Reckless Ross, 16

Recreation Park, 41

Redondo Beach, CA., 115, 116

Redus, Thomas, 20, 21, 22

Reese, Charles E., 138

Reese, R.M., 138

Reid, James K., 101

Reid, Wallace, 208, 220

Religion – Catholic, 32, 36, 42, 152

Religion – Judism, 30, 32, 36, 152

Religion – Methodist, 66

Religion – Presbyterian, 104

Religion – Protestantism, 31, 36

Remington, Earle, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77

Remington, Virginia, 70, 71, 72, 76, 77

Restaurants, 11, 17, 21, 82, 183, 240

Reynolds, John, 84, 85

Rheume, George, 25

Rice, George, 43, 169

Rice, Ila Mae, 169

Rice, Margaret, 169

Richardson, DeWolf, 124

Richardson, Joseph G., 135

Richfield Oil Company, 52, 139, 156, 183

Rivera, Santiago, 96

Riverside, CA., 237

Roach, Virgil, 118, 120

Robberies, 48, 165

Robberson, Claude, 38

Robbery, 68, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 99, 103, 119, 124

Robertson, Eloise, 168

Robinson, Carl, 156

Robinson, Clara, 211

Robinson, S.M., 150

Rockwell, John, 159

Roderiguez, Mildred Dyer, 184

Rodriguez, Lewis, 181, 184, 185

Rodriguez, Mildred Dyer, 181

Rolph, James, 49, 228, 239

Roosevelt, Franklin, 36, 51, 239

Ross, Lloyd, 150

Rourke, George M., 104, 105

Routt, Albert, 184

Routt, Carrie, 184

Routt, Edward, 184

Rowe, Homer, 84

Rucker, Edgar H., 88, 89

Ruggles, Charles, 145, 147

Ruggles, Wesley, 144, 147

Rum runners, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 73, 91, 103, 150, 154, 236

Russell, Gus, 25

Russell, James Henry, 51

Ryan, William J., 84, 85

Sacramento, CA., 49, 95, 102, 162, 163, 164, 167

Samarano, Guadalupe, 152

Samarano, Luciana, 152

Sampson,, Samuel J., 51

San Antonio, TX., 188

San Bernardino County, 75, 89

San Bernardino, CA., 75, 89, 126

San Diego, CA., 61, 90, 91, 92, 93, 99, 112, 124, 165, 180, 185, 187, 228

San Francisco, CA., 12, 64, 92, 104, 109, 113, 142, 154, 163, 186, 187, 207, 209, 212, 228, 232

San Jose, CA., 37

San Pedro, CA., 42, 43, 66, 68, 82, 83, 91, 92, 93, 102, 103, 110, 126

Sandberg Petroleum Company, 129

Sanders, Harry, 85, 86

Sanderson, Leroy, 230

Sands, Edward, 214, 219, 220

Santa Ana, CA., 42, 99

Santa Barbara, CA., 105

Santa Monica, CA., 122, 160, 163

Schools, 156

Schools, 47

Schouweiler, Melvin, 64

Schwartz, Harry, 65

Scotland, 61

Seal Beach – Police, 24

Seal Beach, CA., 24, 62, 66, 101, 103, 119

Seaside Hospital. See  Hospitals – Seaside

Seattle – Police, 46

Seattle, WA., 46, 138, 160, 163, 165

Security Trust and Savings Bank Building, 48

Selznick, Lewis, 213

Sennett, Mack, 209, 210

Sheffield, George M., 40

Shelby, Charlotte, 215, 218, 219, 220, 221, 229, 230

Sheldon, Ralph, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 116

Shell Oil Co., 134

Shell Oil Company, 12, 129, 150, 211

Sherman, James. See  Sheldon, Ralph

Shipp, Clara, 40

Shuler, Robert Pierce, 30, 32, 151, 153, 154, 155

Shuman, Lewis, 222, 223

Siegel, “Bugsy”, 116

Signal Hill, 11, 12, 50, 66, 88, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136, 140, 150, 151, 157, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 171, 173, 183, 199, 200, 203, 205, 211

Signal Hill – Mayor, 134

Sims, Ed, 23

Sinclair, Upton, 130

Slaughter, W.E., 107

Slaughter, Winford E., 110

Smith, Elmer, 193

Smuggling, 61, 62, 63, 68, 70, 73, 75, 90, 191

Socialism, 49

Socialist party, 49

Southgate, CA., 42

Speakeasies, 11, 12, 18, 68, 69, 129, 131, 173, 206, 221, 239

Special Delivery Oil Syndicate, 135

Spence, William, 191

Spencer, Herbert, 140

Spies, 234, 235

Spokane, WA., 164, 166

St. Helena, CA., 125

St. John, Al, 211

St. Johns, Adela Rogers, 216

St. Louis, MO., 112, 115, 118, 121, 166

Stakemiller, Ben, 7, 228

Stalin, Joseph, 49

Stauter, C.E., 151

Stearns, Owen J., 51

Steiner, Rudolph, 85, 86

Sterry, Nora, 153

Stewart, Alexander B., 70, 72, 73, 75, 76

Stewart,Joe W.., 199

Stewart,Marguerite, 76

Stock Market, 12, 40, 47, 107, 137, 238, 241

Stockdale, Carl, 219

Stone, S.S., 73

Stralla, Louis, 125

Suicide, 27, 47, 48, 78, 87, 88, 99, 104, 124, 138, 160, 165, 168, 169, 181, 184, 202, 204, 206, 230

Sun Oil Company, 173

Sunset Beach, CA., 62

Superior Court, 37, 102, 240

Sutton, Laura B., 193

Sweet, Raymond, 209

Tabernacle (building), 55

Tacoma, WA., 164

Talbot, Hazel, 73

Talbot, Larry, 73

Tapley, Paul, 112

Tarring and feathering, 50

Taubman, George, 28, 30, 31, 32, 62, 148, 149

Taubman’s Bible class, 30, 31, 62, 148

Taxation, 30, 134

Taxation, 165

Taxation – Alcohol, 59, 80, 214, 240

Taxation – Income, 28, 59, 126

Taylor, Edward L., 225

Taylor, M.E., 79

Taylor, William Desmond, 7, 17, 79, 207, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 229, 230, 231, 233

Temperance, 29, 55

Tennessee, 134, 221

Texas, 18, 20, 136, 168, 175, 177, 178, 180, 204

Tijuana, Mexico, 90, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, 101, 102, 107, 124, 178

Timm, Erma, 190

Tompkins, May, 144

Truman, Harry, 125

Tully, Walter Lee, 135

Turnball, Septimus, 104

Turner, Homer D., 51

Twenty-first Amendment, 52, 124, 239

Tygiel, Jules, 29

Tyler, A.P., 51

Underhill, Edward A., 95, 97

Valentino, Rudolph, 233

Van Boxtall, Ruth, 48

Vancouver, Canada, 72, 164

Vaudeville, 210, 236, 237

Vaughan, Jack L., 188

Venice, CA., 200

Venor, Laurin, 124

Ventura County, 68

Ventura, CA., 68, 194

Vidor, King, 215, 218, 219, 229, 230

Villegas, Celia Ortega, 83

Volstead Act, 17, 36, 37, 44, 82, 236, 238, 239

Waggoner, William H., 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113, 116, 118

Wagner, Ray, 7, 108, 109, 111, 114, 115

Wakabayashi, Tadashi, 111, 112, 113

Walker, Clifford, 67, 68, 80, 83

Wallace, William, 66

Walls, George A., 15, 25

Walsh, James, 121, 122

Walters, Gerald, 142, 144

Wanderwell, Aloha, 237

Wanderwell, Nellie Miller Clark, 236

Wanderwell, Walter, 234

Warner, Jack, 67, 90

Warren, Earl, 125

Washington state, 126, 160, 161

Washington, D.C., 51, 156, 207

Water taxis, 101, 102, 103, 105, 107, 108, 119

Waterstreet, Floyd, 193

Watson, James “Bluebeard”, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 199

Watson, Katherine Kruse, 166

Watt, M.A., 166

Waup, Harry C., 7, 228

Weaver, A.H., 180

Wegener, Alfred, 156

Weitz, Mrs. Fred, 173

Westcott, John, 32

Western Freighters, 64

Westlake, Frank P., 194

Westminster, CA., 25

Whaley, Constance, 84

Whealton, Louis N., 223

Whisky, 40, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 71, 72, 74, 75, 79, 81, 83, 86, 205, 240

Whitaker, Alma, 176

Whittier, CA., 184

Wiest, Otto, 168

Wilkinson, James R., 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22

Williamson, Elizabeth, 163, 166

Willmore, William, 241

Wilmington, CA., 15, 26, 62, 73, 83

Wilson, Agnes, 164

Wilson, Gertrude, 163

Wilson, Peter J., 58

Windham, Charles, 6, 15, 41, 225

Wine, 34, 36, 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 81, 82, 238, 240

Winston, David, 114

Woehlke, Walter V., 136, 137

Wolter, Oscar H., 7, 228

Wombacher, Kathryn, 164, 165, 166

Women’s Christian Temperance Union, 29, 59

Women’s Christian Temperance Union, 28, 56

Wood, Myrtle. See Crossiart, Myrtle Wood

Woodruff, Clifford, 34

Woolwine, Thomas Lee, 34, 35, 219, 221, 230

Work Around the World Educational Club, 236

Workmen’s Compensation, 23

World War I, 28, 30, 32, 61, 159, 208, 211, 212, 216, 228, 236

World War II, 124, 237

Wright Act, 36, 37, 239

Wright, T.M., 37

Wrigley District (area of Long Beach), 133

Wyoming, 20, 21, 213, 237

Yallop, David, 213, 233

Yancy, James, 6, 13, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 67, 109

Yancy, Robert, 52

Yeomans, Arthur. See Walsh, James

Young, C.C., 139

Yribarne, Cadet, 57, 58, 59

Yribarne, John, 57

Yuma, AZ., 151

Zukor, Adolph, 213

 

EXCERPT

Throughout America cocktail parties sparkled defiantly through the dreaded first minutes of January 20, 1920. With morning would come the official start of Prohibition. It was easy, however, to keep the party going in Long Beach, California.

            Though Long Beach had been “dry” throughout most of its history, illegal liquor distribution throughout the city was already “perfected” by the time the 18th Amendment, banning the sale of most alcoholic beverages, became law.  Already in place were underground booze operations, secretive speakeasies and bootlegging, the perfect staging ground for murder and crime.

            At the underground clubs, many centered around Long Beach’s amusement zone known as the Pike, inventive bartenders enjoyed new respect for disguising the taste of the day’s alcohol.  They created a new generation of cocktails heavy on fruit juices to mix with the bathtub gin.  There was the Bennett Cocktail (gin, lime juice, bitters), the Bee’s Knees (gin, honey, lemon juice), and the Gin Fizz (gin, lemon juice, sugar, seltzer water).  At least those were the kind of drinks served at Long Beach’s classier joints.  Down at the harbor or around the oil wells of Signal Hill seedier establishments might be serving a cloudy cocktail called Smoke, made by mixing water and fuel alcohol.  The drink was blessedly cheap, fifteen cents a glass, and just about pure methyl alcohol.

            Much of Southern California’s “best” liquor during the Prohibition era was smuggled in from ships anchored off the California coast.  Naples and the Long Beach harbor area were favorite sites to unload the illicit brew.  This “prime” cargo was expensive and catered to the wealthy, the powerful, the artists, and the politicians, giving illegal alcohol a kind of high-life image, an alluring, seductive glamour.  Most of the alcohol, however, was moonshine, made from either grain (ethyl) or cheap, poisonous, wood (methyl) alcohol. It was affordable to the “common” folk, the oil workers, shop clerks, and farmers. And, after the stock market crash of 1929, to all who saw the world they once knew end.

            As filmmaker Ken Burns pointed out in his film series on Prohibition:

            “Prohibition turned law-abiding citizens into criminals, made a mockery of the justice system, caused illicit drinking to seem glamorous and fun, encouraged neighborhood gangs to become national crime syndicates, permitted government officials to bend and sometimes even break the law, and fostered cynicism and hypocrisies that corroded the social contract all across the country.  Thugs became celebrities, responsible authority was rendered impotent. Social mores in place for a century were obliterated.  Especially among the young, and most especially among young women, liquor consumption skyrocketed, propelling the rest of the culture with it.”

             There was one component, however, that made Long Beach different from the rest of 1920’s and ‘30’s America.  Almost eighteen months after Prohibition had become the law of the land Long Beach was hit by a revolutionary discovery that would change the life of the city in many unforeseen ways.

            On Thursday, June 23, 1921, around 5 p.m., the Shell Oil Company struck oil at its well at Temple Avenue and Hill Street on Signal Hill. Oil fever quickly spread.  The lure of black gold brought countless newcomers to the Long Beach area, many eager for an illegal drink after a hard day working the oil fields.  Amid all of this oil Signal Hill, which had been renowned for its scenic grandeur, productive soil and magnificent homes, was transformed.  Building restrictions, paved streets and walks and curbs were supplanted by oil leases, oil stocks, derricks and drills.  Palm trees and rose gardens were removed to make way for boilers and tool houses and speakeasies.

            “Orgies of vice” catering to the oil industry, were said to fester around Signal Hill, the Los Angeles Times reported March 27, 1922.  A recent raid of several so-called “hotels” had confiscated quantities of liquor, several pairs of loaded dice, decks of marked cards, a roulette wheel and other gambling paraphernalia “that made life in the old days of San Francisco’s famous Barbary Coast look tame compared with the activities in the vice dens of Signal Hill,” according to the same reporter.  To make matters worse, at two of the places proprietors were armed with automatic revolvers, long-barreled rifles, as well as small-caliber pistols.  Police Chief Ben McLendon vowed to keep the houses closed:

            “Long Beach itself is clean and there is no excuse for permitting such places as these just outside the city limits. I shall raid them or bring about raids on such places whenever possible.” 

            McLendon and his successors certainly had their work cut out for them through the years of Prohibition.  As you’ll soon find out there was much going on in Southern California and Long Beach during the era of the Eighteenth Amendment.  1920-1933 was an exciting time, indeed.

 

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