[Detectorist]

https://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/couple-bootleg-whiskey-1920s-secret-walls-new-york-home

Who would have thought.

 

[Hoochrunners]

Two guys found 60 bottles of bootleg...

 

[Delndskyjmpr]

Wonder if a Thompson will be uncovered.

 

[thewitt]

Why does the title say wine if they found whiskey?

 

[sarge83]

I live just outside a small town in Kentucky that was called little Las Vegas during the 1920's and 1930's. From listening to stories from old timers and reading history this city was wild in one area. Main street was civilized area and no drunks, prostitution etc... was allowed on it, but the 19th st. and others were rife with saloons, whore houses, gambling, shootings, knifings etc... Lots of history. I actually worked with an old lady in the early 1990's who was a madam in one of the whorehouses in the 40's. She had got religion and married and lived a civilized life but would slice and dice you if you brought alcohol up in a positive way. I knew another old guy who passed in the early 80's who was essentially a loan shark. He was the foreman at a local industry and would loan the workers money for at a nice interest rate. The would get paid, go gamble or drink part of it away, get afraid to tell the wife and to to him for a loan. He was always present when the company paid and got his cut of the money they owed him when they were handed their payday.

Back in the 1980's there was a business who was located on the main drag through the city and had a back entrance in the alley in an area that was notoriously bad in the 1920's. This building had been bought and was being remodeled on the inside and at one point in the back they were removing a non weight bearing wall and tore into it and found a body and immediately called the police. They determined from the clothing it was probably 20's era but there were was no way to ID the body except that it was a male from the clothing. The people that owned the building in that era were all dead and gone. It was kept very quite and hushed up.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Back in the 1980's there was a business who was located on the main drag through the city and had a back entrance in the alley in an area that was notoriously bad in the 1920's. This building had been bought and was being remodeled on the inside and at one point in the back they were removing a non weight bearing wall and tore into it and found a body and immediately called the police. They determined from the clothing it was probably 20's era but there were was no way to ID the body except that it was a male from the clothing. The people that owned the building in that era were all dead and gone. It was kept very quite and hushed up.

Guess he should have paid the loan shark guy.

 

[aircarver]

So was the booze still good ? ... :supergrin:

 

[spork]

I love stories of people finding strange stuff in the walls, nooks, and crannies of a home.

The only things I ever found were asbestos, a stash of Hustler mags, and a collection of life-like porcelain dolls. Two of those things were in the same box.

 

[ranger1968]

I live just outside a small town in Kentucky that was called little Las Vegas during the 1920's and 1930's. From listening to stories from old timers and reading history this city was wild in one area. Main street was civilized area and no drunks, prostitution etc... was allowed on it, but the 19th st. and others were rife with saloons, whore houses, gambling, shootings, knifings etc... Lots of history. I actually worked with an old lady in the early 1990's who was a madam in one of the whorehouses in the 40's.

The only problem with that story is that in the 1920's and 30's Las Vegas was a spot on the map in the desert that no one had ever heard of; it didn't really take off as a destination for gambling and,vice until well into the 1950's so it's doubtful anyone in the city you are ralking about even knew of Las Vegas in the,1920s....

 

[sarge83]

That is the problem I have as well, I'm from here and have never heard that term for the city. I have always heard little Chicago myself, but the historians say little las vegas and it wasn't anything in the 20's and 30's. I can't find any local who's ever heard the term little las vegas. Little Chicago is all the locals say.

Interesting story that goes along more with the Chicago line. Back in the early 1990's I dated a girl who grew up on a farm just across the state line in Tennessee. When we were dating I commented on how her parents farm would be hard to find unless you knew how to get there and she said yes we know and then proceeded to tell me a story that her grandmother had told her.

Some how her great grandparents and grandparents were approached by shall we say a "family" out of Chicago with a proposition that if they needed to send a member to the farm to say hide and be out of sight for a while with the proviso, they are respectful to the family and cause no trouble they would be compensated for their hospitality and would be repaid with a favor anytime they needed one. Her relatives took the offer and said they had a few visitors in the 20's. This girls father confirmed the same story to me as well. Interesting...

The only problem with that story is that in the 1920's and 30's Las Vegas was a spot on the map in the desert that no one had ever heard of; it didn't really take off as a destination for gambling and,vice until well into the 1950's so it's doubtful anyone in the city you are ralking about even knew of Las Vegas in the,1920s....

 

[Caver 60]

Wonder if a Thompson will be uncovered.

It seems I recall an incident a few years ago, where a Thompson was found and had to be destroyed, because it hadn't been registered. Anyone else remember that?

 

[pittpa]

I wonder if it will get lead out of a barrel.

 

[Geeorge]

So was the booze still good ? ... :supergrin:

It wasn't Good when it was made, since it was prohibition it didn't have to be. Hell they were drinking alcohol based furniture polish

 

[buddyd157]

Jimmy Hoffa's body, along with Al Capone's safe, are still hidden there as well. wait till they check the basement

 

[Doc Holliday]

It seems I recall an incident a few years ago, where a Thompson was found and had to be destroyed, because it hadn't been registered. Anyone else remember that?

What a shame. Some people just can't keep quiet.

 

[mike from st pe]

It seems I recall an incident a few years ago, where a Thompson was found and had to be destroyed, because it hadn't been registered. Anyone else remember that?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...erman-rifle-destroyed-police-buy-program.html

A World War II assault rifle that belonged to an SS officer was handed in to a gun buy-back organised by police in Connecticut.

The rare find, which is worth up to $40,000, would have been sent home by an American soldier who had taken it from a prisoner of war or a German he had killed.

Officer Lewis Crabtree, of the Hartford Police Dept, said: 'The chance to see a piece of history - this - is absolutely unbelievable.'

Even better than a Thompson, sad to see it go to a buy back.

 

[Rotn1]

If you were to find anything of taxable value you should not tell anyone.

Why people feel the need to tell the world is beyond me.

 

[Caver 60]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...erman-rifle-destroyed-police-buy-program.html

A World War II assault rifle that belonged to an SS officer was handed in to a gun buy-back organised by police in Connecticut.

The rare find, which is worth up to $40,000, would have been sent home by an American soldier who had taken it from a prisoner of war or a German he had killed.

Officer Lewis Crabtree, of the Hartford Police Dept, said: 'The chance to see a piece of history - this - is absolutely unbelievable.'

Even better than a Thompson, sad to see it go to a buy back.

According to the article, the officers allowed the woman to sell it to a collector. I hope that was truly the case.

A lot of souvenirs were 'liberated' by American troops during WW-II. There weren't that many stupid gun control laws beck then. Except the two big ones in the thirties.

 

[bfg1971]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...erman-rifle-destroyed-police-buy-program.html

A World War II assault rifle that belonged to an SS officer was handed in to a gun buy-back organised by police in Connecticut.

The rare find, which is worth up to $40,000, would have been sent home by an American soldier who had taken it from a prisoner of war or a German he had killed.

Officer Lewis Crabtree, of the Hartford Police Dept, said: 'The chance to see a piece of history - this - is absolutely unbelievable.'

Even better than a Thompson, sad to see it go to a buy back.

I remember that story, STG-44. Officer refused to take the gun in and discovered that it was registered. As I recall the lady sold it for 40k.

 

[mike from st pe]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-couple-finds-10-million-in-rare-coins-while-out-walking-dog
The pair are choosing to remain anonymous, Kagin said, in part to avoid a renewed gold rush to their property by modern-day prospectors armed with metal detectors.

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/39
Spain called. It wants its tons of gold and silver back.