1925
Federal Prohibition Agents notoriously conducted raids on businesses and homes throughout Missouri. Raids became somewhat of a spectacle as agents publicly dismantled stills and poured beer and liquor out onto city streets.
In this handwritten log, Agent Paul Toelle documented a raid in St. Louis on 24 March 1925. Notice the detailed information Agent Toelle collected on Fred Pleggs who operated a clandestine bar. Besides confiscating minor amounts of wine and whiskey, Agent Toelle discovered more than 22 cases of bottled home-brewed beer (H.B.B.), some bottles on ice ready for customers. Agent Toelle also noted finding ten gallons of home-brewed beer mash (H.B.B.M.). This discovery indicated that Pleggs made the beer he sold. Remembered as “one of St. Louis’s crack Prohibition agents,” Agent Toelle conducted more than 100 raids to rid the city and county of illegal beer and liquor.
Object Details
Categories: Business & Economy, Politics & Government
Date: 1925
Subject: Prohibition
Contributing Institution: Missouri Historical Society
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Region: St. Louis Metro
Latitude: 38.614904
Longitude: -90.25763