FROM OUR PAST By Allan MacRae

Big Captures of Booze Made by Crusier Margaret in Waters off North Cape, 1927

In the late 1920s Prohibition was in full swing. In fact, trafficking in the sale of illegal liquor was one of the major industries in Prince Edward Island waters, as prices for both farm products and fish were at rock bottom. But the year 1927 was a most successful one for Customs boats which seized many vessels with large cargoes of contraband liquor in P. E.I sland waters. This is the story of the Customs Crusier Margaret...The Pioneer, 21 January 1928.

“Last season (1927) was the most successful and also financially most productive in the case of custom Crusier Margaret under Captain Alfred Lecouvee. During the past few months the National revenue Office reported that the crusier had made the following seizures.”

“Four hundred and thirty-nine packages of liquor, valued at $100,000, seized on the schooner Noxall, five miles off North Cape, P.E.I. Two hundred and thirty-six packages of liquor valued at $4,000, seized on schooner Ronald B. in the vicinity of Bay Chaleur and a few weeks later the schooner, Ronald B, herself, valued at $2,000, was seized hovering off North Cape. One thousand, nine hundred and eighty packages of liquor, valued at $185,122, was seized on the schooner, Almedia, ten miles from the nearest land off P. E. Island.”

The seizures continued throughout the summer of 1927 with “one thousand four hundred and thirty-eight packages of liquor valued at $72,000, taken in the Gulf of St. Lawrence three and a half miles off the Magdalen Islands. Two hundred and sixty-two packages of liquor, valued at $3,000, seized on schooner, Petawawa, twenty miles off Point Light, Miscou, New Brunswick.”
In the vicinity of St. Anne des Monts on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, the schooner, Free State, was captured with liquor valued at $2,000 and a second seizure was made on the same vessel for two hundred and eighty-seven packages of liquor, valued at $17,850 in the same vicinity. And two thousand four hundred and eight packages of liquor, valued at $190,000 was seized on the schooner, Marion L. Mason between Escuminac, N. B. and North Cape, P.E.I.”

Palmer Road Church Gets New Bell, 1928....The Pioneer, 28 January 1928.

“A wide circle of friends and relatives will regret to learn of the death of Mr Norbert Poirier, which took place at St. Louis on January 18 (1928), after twelve months’ illness at the age of 78 years. Deceased was an experienced farmer and farmed until two years ago, when his health failed. He then went to live with his son, Peter, where he died. The late Mr. Poirier was married to Catherine Gallant, who predeceased him three years ago. Some time ago he had donated to the Palmer Road Church a bell weighing over a ton, which arrived only a few days before his death. It will be a grand memorial to him. He was frequently visited by his pastors, Rev. J J Johnson and Rev. P C Gauthier. His remains were laid to rest in Palmer Road Cemetery, Father Johnson officiating. He leaves to mourn one son and one daughter, Peter and Sister Melamie in Montreal; also six grandchildren and one great grandchild. The pall bearers were Messrs John Poirier, Fidele Gaudet, Joseph Poirier, Calixte Maillet, Sylvain Bernard and Romain Poirier. May his soul rest in peace.”