Rieker's, Raids, & Reforms: Prohibition in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
The story of a bootlegger, police chief, judge, and lawyer from 1931-1932 in Lancaster County (Part 1 of 2)
Panorama of Lancaster City (1930)LancasterHistory
The Start of Prohibition
The United States government ratified the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on January 17, 1919. One year later, it became illegal to manufacture, sell, or transport “intoxicating liquors” throughout the country.
The most notorious case to come out of Prohibition in Lancaster County involved the intertwined stories of Rieker Star Brewery, Police Commissioner Daniel B. Strickler, Judge John M. Groff, and a lawyer named Edna Hurst.
Rieker Star Brewery (1927)LancasterHistory
Rieker Star Brewery
Frank A. Rieker founded Rieker Star Brewery in 1867 after immigrating from Germany to the US in 1863. He built the brewery on West King Street at the present-day location of Crystal Park and Rieker Bottle Works. After his passing, his son Frank J. Rieker took over management.
Empty Barrells during Prohibition (1925)LancasterHistory
Introducing Max
During Prohibition, the Rieker family owned the Lancaster Security Real Estate Company and leased out their brewery. Morris (Max) Hassel owned the Rieker Star Brewery during this time, and Mike Benedict served as his ‘lieutenant’ who led day-to-day operations.
Max Hassel was a beer baron from Reading, PA who immigrated to the United States from Latvia as a child. He started out selling newspapers and cigars before getting involved in the illegal alcohol business where he made his fortune. Although Prohibition is often associated with violence amongst bootlegging gangsters, the public knew Hassel for his nonviolence and entrepreneurial spirit.
Rieker's Brew Kettle during Prohibiiton (1925)LancasterHistory
Brewing
The Rieker Brewery had a permit to manufacture cereal beverages (“near beer”) that were legal since they had less than 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). However, as would soon be discovered, Rieker Star Brewery continued illegally producing beer with much higher alcohol content.
Rieker Brewery’s permit to manufacture cereal beverages expired on January 1, 1931. During an inventory inspection, federal agents found thousands of barrels of illegal beer at the plant. Government inspectors and state police raided Rieker Star Brewery several times throughout 1931 following this discovery.
Rieker Brewing Company vats (1925-12-28)LancasterHistory
A Beer Pipeline Discovered
The dramatic highlight of the brewery’s story took place in March 1932 when a Lancaster City Streets Department employee found an underground beer pipeline in the sewer at the intersection of West King and Pine Streets.
Caught in the Act
A hard rubber hose line led from the Rieker brewery to a warehouse 3,000 feet (0.6 miles) across town. Two legal cases unfolded from the beer pipeline discovery. First, government authorities sought to padlock Rieker’s and shut down its operations for good.
Daniel B. Strickler Scrapbook June, 1932 Rieker Star Brewery newspaper clippingsLancasterHistory
Pour One Out
Mike Benedict (the manager) and the brewery petitioned Judge John M. Groff to halt the padlocking of the brewery. Nevertheless, Rieker Star Brewery lost the court case and government officials destroyed 3,194 barrels of beer in October following the long legal battle.
Visit LancasterHistory's Thieves and Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice in Lancaster County (opening November 13, 2023) to learn more.
Credits for items donated to LancasterHistory:
- Proceedings of the thirteenth annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Temperance Union: Gift of Chester County Historical Society
Created by Kayla Stevens, LancasterHistory Education & Exhibition Planning NEH Intern, 2023.
Any views, content, findings, opinions, etc... expressed in this Story do not necessarily represent those owners of the media found or used in this Story.
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