The 18th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified by Congress on Jan. 16, 1919, and came about because of a century of reform movements. It prohibited the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors…”

A year earlier, the North Dakota Legislature approved that the state ratify the 18th Amendment on Jan. 25, 1918. In 1923 the N.D. Legislature wrote into the statutes virtually all the provisions of the federal prohibition enforcement laws, insuring state prosecution of liquor cases independently of federal action. It also adopted a clause permitting each physician in the state to have five gallons of liquor a year for prescription use.

In North Dakota, a number of people were making moonshine and trying not to get arrested for doing it.

Sheriff Nedreloe and Deputies Kent Morgan and B.J. Anderson along with States Attorney O. B. Herigstad staged a raid on the outskirts of Minot. They were successful in unearthing 630 pints of imported Blue Ribbon Whiskey and about 200 gallons of moonshine whiskey that had been manufactured right in an underground still which evidently had been in operation for 6-8 years. William Kelley, better known as “Kill Hooley” oversaw the place, was arrested and taken to jail for violation of the state prohibition laws. The raid was the most successful in the history of Minot. When the officers arrived at the place, a farm reached by passing a winding road through the north hills of the Minot Normal, they found the still in an underground room, dug from the underside of the residence. The place was filthy and thousands of insects had fallen into the vats. But whiskey is always clean so the presence of a few insects couldn’t make much difference.

A Minot business sustained damage to the property upwards of $1,000 as the Minot bakery building had an 80-gallon cooper still, owned and operated by Fred Grams, exploded. The explosion blew several doors in adjoining rooms out of their casings and blew out 10 windows.

Inebriated carp, paralyzed by home brew and moonshine whiskey that had been dumped into the Cannonball River at Mott, were crawling out of air holes to get a breath of fresh air. Several prohibition agents had been raiding places where home brew and moonshine were being produced. They dumped hundreds of gallons into the river from Mott to Fort Lincoln. It was said the river was “One Gigantic Cocktail.” Three Mott residents were poisoned by drinking the home brew and one dozen deaths occurred due to moonshine.

“If you value your health, don’t drink moonshine!” That was the advice of F.L. Watkin, state enforcement officer, who, with federal agents, raided about 15 places in McLean County. In one case, they found a barrel of mash with hundreds of dead flies and others had chicken entrails, rotten pumpkin refuse – anything that will sour had been used.

Many arrests had been made throughout the state and nearly all offenders had large families with up to 10 children. One offender admitted making moonshine but would not promise to quit unless the county took care of his family of five children. A Beulah man was supporting 10 minor children ranging in age from 2 to 16 years. The defendant’s wife admitted to making moonshine alcohol for home use only. Nestor Kouintz of Dogden confessed that he made and sold moonshine because he had crop failures for four years and that he would rather take a chance of getting caught and jailed for moonshine than having his six children suffer from want. Because of his confession and the mitigating circumstances connected with his case, he was only fined $100.

There were those who liked to help the “runners” who came down from Canada. Gasoline was put in quart canning jars and buried in a specific spot. They, in turn, would put silver coins in oil-soaked rags for payment. Many people preached prohibition, but did it to support their families.

When the Great Depression hit, potential tax revenue from the sale of alcohol became appealing to cash-strapped governments.

Congress passed and ratified the 21st Amendment on Dec. 5, 1933, ending national Prohibition.