The Buckingham Whiskey Wars: Part X
Buckingham Courthouse, Courtesy Historic Buckingham
Court Days, 1903
On August 11, 1903, Aubrey E. Strode and Judge Alexander Hall (for the drys) faced Commonwealth’s Attorney Edmund W. Hubard (for “the whiskey men”) at Buckingham Courthouse.
According to The Times-Dispatch: “The case did not come up on its merits, the court reserving his decision until next time, whether or not he had jurisdiction.”
This continuance did not bode well for the temperance movement.
On October 15, 1903, a comparatively quiet headline ran in The Times-Dispatch: “Decided for Wets.” The article noted that Judge John R. Moss heard the case in Buckingham County.
The appellees principal point in the contest was the excluding of some non-resident voters, but they so clearly established their eligibility that the case was decided in favor of the wets.
The court decided that the contested votes had been legal, though the voters were not currently residing in Marshall District.
Thus the anti-saloon fight in Arvonia and New Canton ended with a whimper.
The victory for the wets, however, was short lived. In April of 1904, Judge Hundley declined a liquor license for Marshall District, leaving only saloon In Buckingham County at Warren Ferry. This decision would set the stage for the increased sale of illegal alcohol and the rise of crime associated with it.
Meanwhile, another Buckingham County liquor story was brewing.
Coming next: Buckingham County Distillery
Need to catch up? Click here: The Whiskey Wars, Part I
slate river ramblings . . . . 
The Pepsi ad is wonderful as Pepsi for many years has been my addicting drink of choice… (though aging and repeated remonstrance of health care providers has reduced my consumption considerably). So I am delighted to read that all along it was making my mind clear and my thoughts flow easily… 🙂
Many thanks for the comment. Having never been a Pepsi drinker, I now understand why my mind is muddled and thinking is so much work!
🙂