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Run the Rum In: Rumrunners, Bootleggers & Stills - South Florida During the Prohibition
Discover the tricks of the smuggling the liquor and evading the law. Learn of the dealings of "the Real McCoy." In this history of Prohibition in south Florida, author Sally J. Ling explores the impact of bootleggers and moonshiners on Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties, presenting tales of rumrunning and lawbreaking as told through personal and written accounts.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2007
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About the author
Sally J. Ling
29 books3 followersSally J. Ling, Florida’s History Detective, is an author, speaker, and historian. She writes historical nonfiction, specializing in obscure, unusual, or little-known stories of Florida history and mysteries with a Florida connection.
As a special correspondent, Sally wrote for the Sun-Sentinel newspaper for four years and was a contributing journalist for several South Florida magazines.
Based upon her knowledge as well as excerpts from her books, Sally has appeared in three feature-length TV documentaries—“Gangsters,” the National Geographic Channel; “The Secret Weapon that Won World War II,” and “Prohibition and the South Florida Connection,” WLRN, Miami. She served as associate producer on the latter production. She has also appeared in and served as a production consultant for several short documentaries on South Florida history produced by WLRN, Miami.
Sally has been a repeat guest on South Florida PBS TV and radio stations, guest presenter at the Lifelong Learning Society at Florida Atlantic University, and guest speaker at numerous historical societies, libraries, organizations, and schools.
As a special correspondent, Sally wrote for the Sun-Sentinel newspaper for four years and was a contributing journalist for several South Florida magazines.
Based upon her knowledge as well as excerpts from her books, Sally has appeared in three feature-length TV documentaries—“Gangsters,” the National Geographic Channel; “The Secret Weapon that Won World War II,” and “Prohibition and the South Florida Connection,” WLRN, Miami. She served as associate producer on the latter production. She has also appeared in and served as a production consultant for several short documentaries on South Florida history produced by WLRN, Miami.
Sally has been a repeat guest on South Florida PBS TV and radio stations, guest presenter at the Lifelong Learning Society at Florida Atlantic University, and guest speaker at numerous historical societies, libraries, organizations, and schools.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 30, 2023
A short history of prohibition smuggling in Southeast Florida and the Bahamas. It was an easy read. A lot of the obvious topics are there: Bill McCoy, the Ashley Gang, Cap's Place, Al Capone. I was left wondering about some of the anecdotes though. It seems like a difficult subject to find out the truth because most of the participants were unabashed criminals and inveterate liars. It's fine, but felt unfulfilling.
February 25, 2024
Very much enjoyed this history of Prohibition and S Florida. Another great title from The History Press. A good take on aspects of the illegal liquor trade during the 1920s. Variety of participants in the trade. Covers several aspects of how it was done. Gives one the incentive to search for additional materials on the subject. Great starting point.
Easy and quick read. Read in one sitting today (3 hours).
Easy and quick read. Read in one sitting today (3 hours).
December 3, 2017
A very quick and fun read. At 147 pages the writer didn't waste space with "filler". She backed up her stories with facts and provided just enough information to keep it interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone interesting in rumrunning, prohibition, the Coast Guard, and South Florida history.
November 27, 2020
This was really fun and well-researched little book for anyone interested in Florida history.
April 11, 2011
Concise Summary Backed Up with Smaller Anecdotes Makes A Winning ‘Cocktail’
I’ve read several books on Prohibition, but I approached Sally J. Ling’s RUN THE RUM IN: SOUTH FLORIDA DURING PROHIBITION with some trepidation. It’s a shorter work than some others that have focused on the most controversial social experiment in America’s history, so I wasn’t sure how in-depth the research would be. Also, it appeared rather narrowly focused – even the title specifies that Ms. Ling wanted to hone in on Prohibition activities as they related to a single state – again underscoring the risk as to how much material could be provided. I’d read a few other books by authors who’d undertaken specific geographic reviews of Prohibition, and, frankly, I wasn’t all that impressed; those works concentrated more on weakly substantiated peoples, places, and events, and, as the time period in question is nearly a century old, I would imagine that some verifiable facts associated to some possibly dastardly undertakings by equally reclusive (if not deceased) people might be hard to come by. I’m happy to report that I came away from RUN THE RUM IN fairly elated.
To my surprise, Ms. Ling’s book had far greater balance of major and minor events that contributed to a greater understanding of Prohibition as a multi-national phenomenon. From my reading, I was personally aware of Canada’s involvement in providing manufactured liquor; I was familiar with the fact that several islands in the Bahamas also housed alcohol that was provided to America during these ‘dry days.’ What I learned was to what extent citizens living and operating in certain areas – such as south Florida – went to profit greatly by circumventing the law and continuing to provide folks with their favorite drinks, the risks they took, and the prices – both financial and lethal – they paid for their spoils. Ling underscores national events – such as the U.S. government’s eventually increase of manpower and materials to the Coast Guard – and then gives them local focus, something I’d found missing from other regional explorations of Prohibition.
It’s clear that she’s done her research. LET THE RUM IN spends time with such national figures as Al Capone, Mabel Walker Willebrandt, and even Al Capone while healthily balancing out south Florida’s participation with the Ashley Gang (first time I’d read about them!), “Cap” Theodore Knight (first time I’d read about him!), and the Coast Guard’s Base 6 (knew of the Guard’s prominence in curbing illegal liquor imports, but this was the first time I’d read of the Florida connection). Also, this was the first time I’d read of the famous rum-running ladies – Gertrude Lythgoe and “Spanish Marie” Waite. Actually, I found much of RUN THE RUM IN to be filled with some pleasantly surprising (and downright evil) new faces that help one to further understand the mindset of folks willing to put their lives and fortunes at risk against what they had to gain during this era.
As I said before, Ling’s research provides great balance between the national phenomenon and how regional players – the “little folks” – dealt with Prohibition, and the book certainly deserves to be more widely read. I’ve learned through my reading on investigative journalism into this era that it’s been extremely difficult for authors to get people willing to go on record to discuss their families and friends involvement in the illegal manufacture and sale of alcohol, and I can only imagine how many anecdotes have been sadly lost to history. That’s not the case here, or, at least, it hasn’t appeared to have hampered Ms. Ling. While some of her players wished to understandably remain anonymous, she’s clearly backed up the lion’s share of the facts through research into public records. It’s a handy little look into one area’s dabbling into unlawful activities, and she backs it all up with a winning cocktail of facts and legends.
I’ve read several books on Prohibition, but I approached Sally J. Ling’s RUN THE RUM IN: SOUTH FLORIDA DURING PROHIBITION with some trepidation. It’s a shorter work than some others that have focused on the most controversial social experiment in America’s history, so I wasn’t sure how in-depth the research would be. Also, it appeared rather narrowly focused – even the title specifies that Ms. Ling wanted to hone in on Prohibition activities as they related to a single state – again underscoring the risk as to how much material could be provided. I’d read a few other books by authors who’d undertaken specific geographic reviews of Prohibition, and, frankly, I wasn’t all that impressed; those works concentrated more on weakly substantiated peoples, places, and events, and, as the time period in question is nearly a century old, I would imagine that some verifiable facts associated to some possibly dastardly undertakings by equally reclusive (if not deceased) people might be hard to come by. I’m happy to report that I came away from RUN THE RUM IN fairly elated.
To my surprise, Ms. Ling’s book had far greater balance of major and minor events that contributed to a greater understanding of Prohibition as a multi-national phenomenon. From my reading, I was personally aware of Canada’s involvement in providing manufactured liquor; I was familiar with the fact that several islands in the Bahamas also housed alcohol that was provided to America during these ‘dry days.’ What I learned was to what extent citizens living and operating in certain areas – such as south Florida – went to profit greatly by circumventing the law and continuing to provide folks with their favorite drinks, the risks they took, and the prices – both financial and lethal – they paid for their spoils. Ling underscores national events – such as the U.S. government’s eventually increase of manpower and materials to the Coast Guard – and then gives them local focus, something I’d found missing from other regional explorations of Prohibition.
It’s clear that she’s done her research. LET THE RUM IN spends time with such national figures as Al Capone, Mabel Walker Willebrandt, and even Al Capone while healthily balancing out south Florida’s participation with the Ashley Gang (first time I’d read about them!), “Cap” Theodore Knight (first time I’d read about him!), and the Coast Guard’s Base 6 (knew of the Guard’s prominence in curbing illegal liquor imports, but this was the first time I’d read of the Florida connection). Also, this was the first time I’d read of the famous rum-running ladies – Gertrude Lythgoe and “Spanish Marie” Waite. Actually, I found much of RUN THE RUM IN to be filled with some pleasantly surprising (and downright evil) new faces that help one to further understand the mindset of folks willing to put their lives and fortunes at risk against what they had to gain during this era.
As I said before, Ling’s research provides great balance between the national phenomenon and how regional players – the “little folks” – dealt with Prohibition, and the book certainly deserves to be more widely read. I’ve learned through my reading on investigative journalism into this era that it’s been extremely difficult for authors to get people willing to go on record to discuss their families and friends involvement in the illegal manufacture and sale of alcohol, and I can only imagine how many anecdotes have been sadly lost to history. That’s not the case here, or, at least, it hasn’t appeared to have hampered Ms. Ling. While some of her players wished to understandably remain anonymous, she’s clearly backed up the lion’s share of the facts through research into public records. It’s a handy little look into one area’s dabbling into unlawful activities, and she backs it all up with a winning cocktail of facts and legends.
June 20, 2013
This was good for what it was. Granted, to say it was concise is an understatement. With it being such a niche book, though, it's hard to get upset about the length, because what was in it was very well done. I would like to read more about Florida during prohibition, because this book was a great introduction. I know there's more history there. Finding it is the hard part.
November 3, 2015
I had high hopes for this book, looking forward to reading about specific situations in south Florida locations since the title on the spine is Run the Rum In: South Florida During Prohibition. With a few exceptions, I was disappointed. I also felt that the writing jumped around, not completing stories.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews