Michigan
On April 3, 1933, Michigan voted to repeal Prohibition—by a margin of almost 75%. That decision was ratified one week later on the 10th. A number of interesting stories come from Prohibition era Michigan.
Michigan had the honor of being the first state in the Union to vote to repeal Prohibition.
Somewhat amusingly, a number of
Detroit bootleggers publicly declared that they would kill anyone
bringing poisonous liquor into the area, as they didn't want their
business to be hurt.Prohibition laws in Michigan were draconian. A newspaper article from 1927 described it as “safer to kill and rob in Michigan than it is to peddle moonshine.”
Despite this strictness, Michigan did not have a death penalty. The federal government, however, had no qualms about putting two Michigan rum runners to death by firing squad in 1929.
Sources:
RUM RUNNERS MAY FACE FEDERAL FIRING
SQUAD, Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1857-Current
file); Mar 26, 1929; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York
Times (1851 – 2004), pg. 2
Safer to Kill and Rob in Michigan Than
It Is to Peddle Moonshine, ORVILLE DWYER, Chicago Daily Tribune
(1872-1963); Dec 1, 1928; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago
Tribune (1849 – 1986), pg. 8
THREATEN DEATH PERIL TO POISON LIQUOR
MEN, Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1857-Current
file); Nov 9, 1928; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times
(1851 – 2004), pg. 3
Newspaper clipping courtesy of The New York Times, accessed via ProQuest.
