What’s Happening in Golden Today?
10AM-3PM Brunch at the Rose @ Buffalo Rose
1PM Wild West Short Tour (1 hour)
1PM Wild West Pub Crawl (3 hours)
10:15AM Family Time @ Golden Library
12-2:30PM Walk With a Geologist @ Dinosaur Ridge (except for 11/5)
12-12:45PM Quick Class: Almond Flour Power @ Natural Grocers
12PM CSM Football vs Fort Lewis @ Marv Kay Stadium
1PM and 7PM Too Fabulous to Fail @ Mines Little Theater (map)
It’s a tale as old as time: an aspiring actress from a small town arrives in New York City to pursue her goal of performing on Broadway. Along the way, however, she somehow finds herself temping at a financial firm and chasing after the man of her dreams. Also, she happens to seize control of that company and run it into the ground while fleeing from the police, immigration officials, and guys dressed up in Elmo costumes. A wild and crazy almost-musical comedy about the dangers of reaching for your dreams. Tickets (available at the door) $7 for Students * $10 General Admission
1-3PM PAWS for Reading @ Golden Library
1:30PM Nature Journal Club: Sketching Mammals @ Lookout Mountain Nature Center
Live Music
11AM-2PM Jon Farmer @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
12PM Derek Dames Ohl @ Tributary Food Hall
2PM Alane Duo @ Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
5-8PM Bottlerocket Hurricane @ Goosetown Station
5-8PM Seeing Stars Band @ Over Yonder
7-10PM Conal Rosanblam @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
9PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern
Golden History Moment
Prohibition came early to Colorado: it began here in 1916. The rest of the country rolled out Prohibition in 1920. By 1931, people were souring on the whole experiment, and it shows in the newspapers of the time.
91 Years Ago
The November 12, 1931 Colorado Transcript announced that “Prohibition Cases Fill Court Docket – Next Week to Be Given to Trials of Booze Violators.”
If it weren’t for the prohibition law there probably would be no necessity of a term of district court in Jefferson County at this time. Of the 15 persons docketed for criminal trials, 14 are alleged violators of the liquor laws.
The public was also tired of the heavy-handed actions of federal prohibition officers. This editorial appeared in that same November 12, 1931 Transcript:
ANOTHER PROHIBITION MURDER
If the prohibition law is ever repealed it will be due to such enforcement tactics as those used at Englewood Sunday. A 20-year-old youth, alleged to have in his possession a small quantity of wine, was brutally beaten by a prohibition agent, refused medical attention and thrown in jail, where he subsequently died.
Possession of three ounces of wine is a crime—our laws make it so. But it is not a sin—Biblical writings prove that. But it cannot be a crime of sufficient magnitude to warrant the taking of a human life in so inhumane a manner.
The statement of John C. Vivian*, federal prohibition director, as quoted in the press, seems particularly callous and in itself does the prohibition cause no good. Vivian completely whitewashes his agent killer, evidently without giving the least credence to eye witnesses who tell a story much different from that of the prohibition agent. Vivian says: “The affair was very unfortunate. No one figured on anything like that happening.
“The officer certainly did not intend to injure him fatally. He must have struck him just in the right place.“
There is only one true version.
“That is the one told by my men. I have absolute confidence in them, and I do not have a man on my staff who would give a wrong report.
“Their story of the unfortunate affair is absolutely true.”
We cannot believe that the most ardent dry will condone such enforcement methods. Unless they would make the taking of human life a lesser crime than the possession of liquor they can only join in the demand for punishing the alleged killer under due process of law.
* Note: I think “John C. Vivian” was an error. John F. Vivian, father of John C., was the prohibition director. Son John C. Vivian went on serve two terms as governor of Colorado. Both John F. and John C. are buried in the Golden cemetery.
A search of subsequent Transcripts showed that John F. Vivian resigned a month later. The agent who killed the young man was suspended two months after the assault. The incident was summarized in the January 11, 1934 Colorado Transcript as follows:
Melford G. Smith…was struck on the head with a pistol by Prohibition Agent Henry Dierks, during a raid on an Englewood hamburger stand.
The case took more than 2 years to come to trial, but in January of 1934, Agent Dierks was given a one year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
In a letter to the Denver News, Chester Smith, the father, says: “Our hope is that our great sacrifice may be the instigating of a new era a sane law enforcement in our state and nation and that as a result others may be spared the same great sorrows that have been ours.”
The Walsenburg World – November 24, 1931
Prohibition was repealed in 1933.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
