McGinnis, Tom, 1925-1987

Mr. McGinnis remembers three saloons in Bardstown before Prohibition: names several distilleries in Nelson County: the effect of Prohibition, distilleries closed, stored whiskey was sold as medicinal whiskey, some of the stored whiskey was stolen: moonshine whiskey production and bootlegging increased, large amounts from the Ball Town area, price of moonshine, transportation through Bardstown to Louisville, stopping of those transporting, delivery of kerosene to moonshine operations: comments on James "Jim" B. Beam and S. Lewis Guthrie, tells story of whiskey theft from the vault in the Guthrie home, what he and others witnessed when sheriff arrested thieves: mentions the attitude of churches toward whiskey: city and county officials as well as law enforcement officers were lenient with bootleggers and moonshiners, no hostile activity between them. .

From the description of Thomas McGinnis interview, January 18, 1989. (Kentucky Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 780190273

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