January, 1911
(The Washington Post)
FEARS FOR HER LIFE
Mrs. J. L. Sturgis Of Pocomoke City
Asks For State Aid.
RECEIVES BLACK HAND LETTER
Wife of Bank President, Ordered to Leave $100 "Under Doorsteps," Calls Upon Thomas Ewell, State Fire Marshal, for Protection- Friends of Men Sent to Jail Suspected.
Special to The Washington Post
Baltimore, Jan. 23- Fearing that life and property are in danger, Mrs. John L. Sturgis, of Pocomoke City, Md., wife of the president of the national bank of that town, has appealed to State Fire Marshal Thomas Ewell for protection.
Col. Ewell received a letter from Mrs. Sturgis yesterday, including a missive written in a disguised hand, and which Mrs. Sturgis believed was sent to her by "Black Handers." The letter reads:
"Mrs. Sturgis: You are here bye notified to leave $100 under the door steps Sunday night or you died with all property burnt."
Factions in the Town.
A skull and crossbones were roughly drawn under this, while the name "Secretary" was signed to the note. Mrs. Sturgis found the note under the door last week, and has been very much frightened ever since.
Col. Ewell is of the opinion the letter was sent by friends of the five men who were sentenced to jail about a month ago on charges of arson, at his instance. Pocomoke City, he says, is divided into two factions, and one of the factions is continually annoying the other. The incarcerated men belong to one faction, while Mrs. Sturgis lives in the part of the town where the other faction is located.
August, 1923
There was concern in Pocomoke City that at least several of six escapees from the Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia had been retained by lawless bootleggers to terrorize Pocomoke citizens. The escapees had reportedly been seen in the Pocomoke area while at the same time there was an increase in threats and fires around town. The home of Rev. J.R. Bicking, one of the leaders of a citizens committee waring against the bootleggers and crime, was burned. Many Pocomoke City citizens were carrying guns, raising prospects that there would be a clash between the vigilantes and the bootlegging lawbreakers.
October, 1923
(The Tyrone Daily Herald [Pennsylvania])
Barn Wrecked By Explosion
Pocomoke City, Md., Oct 11- Bootlegging vengeance was in evidence here again when another building was totally wrecked, this time the barn of Sylvester Messick, a retired lumber merchant, living on Walnut Street. A terrific explosion shook the neighborhood. Messick's barn had been blown to atoms. He is one of the special officers sworn in some time ago, and has been active in the apprehension of those who have been arrested for illicit liquor traffic. The barn contained nothing of special value. There is no clue to the perpetrator.
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4 comments:
Pocomoke has a long history of moonshining and some of it is fairly recent. I have a copper cooker found at a still site in the woods behind my house. Unfortunately, the ATF guys found it first; it still has holes in it from their axes.
Moonshiners needed a steady supply of water so they would locate a creek or large ditch in an area with sandy soil and dig a round hole about 20 feet from the creek. Water would percolate through the banks into the hole and the sandy soil would filter the water somewhat. Many of these water holes are still visible if you know what to look for.
Many a gallon of moonshine was made south of Pocomoke and dispensed in venues in the four mile stretch along Route 13 just north of the state line. I vividly remember one old fellow who rode his bicycle to Jimmy Abell's store almost every day to purchase a five pound bag of sugar and a small packet of yeast. I always wondered what he was doing with all the sweet corn muffins he must be baking.
Your friend,
Slim
How about a picture Slim? Or better yet an article along with your picture to publish on PPE.
The thing is, this isn't some dark history that is unique to Pocomoke, I believe it is true to most rural areas of the country especially during Prohibition.
We used to find small piles of this stuff that looked like coal in the woods in Marion-back in the late 60's early 70's. My grandfather said it was called "coke" and the bootleggers used to use it to make whiskey. These woods were on Rumbly Point Rd not far from the property owned by the bird watchers society. Very very deserted even to this day so a great place for bootleggers to set up an operation.
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