Where can I find the report about a prohibition arrest?

Hello Ms. Long,

Thank you for submitting your question to History Hub. One place to look is Record Group (RG) 60 -- General Records of the Department of Justice, 1790-2002. Under Class 23 (Liquor Violations), there are Litigation Case Files, 1910-1970, a series that consists of prosecutions under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. You can research these records yourself at our facility in College Park, Maryland or submit your question to the reference branch at archives2reference@nara.gov. A similar question was asked last year and goes into more detail albeit from the smuggling side. Another possible source would be the National Archives’ Federal Records Center based in the Bay Area, which has other Department of Justice Records.

Since states and localities often had their own prohibition laws and your subject was serving alcohol rather than running it, it may also be prudent to check the California State Archives or local newspapers. Ancestry.com, a subscription service often available for free in libraries or historical societies, has several digitized, southern California keyword searchable newspapers. It’s possible your subject’s arrest was reported.

Thanks again for submitting your question to History Hub! If you find something, don’t hesitate to tell us about it.