A Blind Pig Brought to Light

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The Roper building, later known at the American Trust & Savings Bank building, was (and still is) on the northeast corner of Main and Third in downtown Hobart.
(Image courtesy of Bonnie.)

Among the occupants of the ATS building in early January 1919 was a man known to history only as "Casey" Wilkerna. Casey had suffered some kind of injury and was taking a few days' rest in one of the rooms. He was apparently a well loved man, for he had many visitors to coming to condole with him — many, many visitors, and as time passed they went from condoling to carousing. Two days of noise and hilarity provoked the neighbors to complain to Marshal Fred Rose, Sr., and on January 8 the Marshal himself came to condole with Casey.

It turned out that the source of all the hilarity was liquor smuggled in from Illinois. Casey was hosting a "'blind pig' joint," as the Gazette termed it.

The Gazette's report did not state exactly what penalty Casey and his friends suffered, but commented: "There seems to be plenty of booze in Hobart for those who want it, and violations of the liquor law are on the increase."

A few days later, down in Indianapolis, the Indiana legislature considered the proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would make prohibition nationwide. On Monday, January 13, the senate voted overwhelmingly to approve it. The vote was 41-6, with one of the six being Lake County's Senator James Nejdl. The next day the house likewise ratified the amendment, voting 87-11 in favor (with Lake County's representatives equally divided for and against). On Wednesday, six more states ratified the amendment, bringing the total to 31 of the 36 states required.

A couple of weeks later, over in Gary, a government agent happened to be in a store when he noticed another customer ("a foreigner") making an odd purchase: $80 worth of raisins. He trailed the man to a location on Rhode Island Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. When officers later raided the location, they discovered a large still in which brandy was brewing, made from raisins and other fruits. The Gazette stated: "This is the first still located in Indiana since the state went 'dry.' The punishment will be a federal prison term for about 20 years."


Sources:
♦ "Government Locates Still." Hobart Gazette 31 Jan. 1919.
♦ "Indiana Legislature Ratifies Prohibition Amendment." Hobart News 16 Jan. 1919.
♦ "Indiana Votes Dry." Hobart Gazette 17 Jan. 1919.
♦ "Rout 'Blind Pig.'" Hobart Gazette 10 Jan. 1919.