The Unintended Consequences of Prohibition
A raid on illegal spirits near Ritzville leads to a bizarre and unfortunate end for the local livestock.
Deputies Buehlei and Oestreich went out to the Greenwait place near Ritzville recently to dispose of a quantity of corn and fruit mash. They poured part of the stuff in the hog trough and scattered some of the cracked corn about. Soon the hogs were in high ecstacy and the roosters commenced crowing. Later the hogs succumbed to the lethargy of intoxication. The distressing sequel, however, was the fact that several of the hogs died.
“Soon the hogs were in high ecstacy... The distressing sequel, however, was the fact that several of the hogs died.”
This oddity highlights the absurdity of Prohibition-era enforcement, where the destruction of property frequently led to ecological or agricultural waste, reflecting the broader tensions of the era's dry laws.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.