On a quiet April evening, a truck parked on a Fargo street drew the attention of bystanders, who called the police to investigate. On this date in 1930, four men woke up in the Fargo jail, charged with illegally transporting liquor. But the bigger scandal was that Fargo police chief E.J. Madison was also implicated.
State Attorney John Pollock said Madison had allowed the bootleggers to escape with a truckload of liquor. According to Pollock, Madison arrived on the scene to investigate. A bystander said he had taken a can of alcohol from the truck, which was filled with similar cans. After inspecting the truck, Madison told the witness he was mistaken and sent the truck on its way.
In addition to finding the alcohol in the truck, citizens heard suspicious noises in a nearby warehouse. Police discovered two men sawing a hole in the wooden floor. Under the floor, they found 582 gallons of liquor, said to be the largest seizure of bootleg alcohol ever in Fargo.
Pollock quickly launched an investigation into Madison’s actions based on eyewitness testimony. Police Commissioner A.T. Peterson said the matter would be brought to the attention of the city commission. City Attorney M.W. Murphy promised an immediate and thorough review.
Madison’s defense was that the truck contained wheat and some empty cans. The city commission exonerated him, but the Police Commissioner was not so forgiving. Peterson said publicly that Madison should be held accountable, and Madison resigned on May 16, citing poor health and differences with the Police Commission.
He may have thought resigning would put the scandal behind him, but it did not shield him from legal consequences. He was indicted on charges of aiding and abetting the bootleggers. On September 13, it was announced that he had been arrested. He was later released on bail.
Madison was a co-defendant with two of the bootleggers. Eddie Norris was sentenced to five years, and Lee Dillage to two and a half years in the penitentiary. The newspaper noted that the jury “disagreed in the case of Ed Madison,” which suggests the case resulted in either a hung jury or a verdict of not guilty.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Fargo Police Chief Charged With Letting Liquor Escape.” Bismarck ND. 4/3/1930. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Former Fargo Police Chief Under Indictment.” Bismarck ND. 9/13/1930. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Eight Held on Liquor Charges.” Bismarck ND. 9/10/1930. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Two Are Sentenced to Federal Prison.” Bismarck ND. 9/27/1932. Page 7.
