Saturday, July 11, 2015

Rankin Grand Jury moves to shut down Gold Coast of East Jackson.

Rankin County authorities claimed they had had enough of the free-wheeling and bootlegging Gold Coast and took steps to shut it down in January 1937.  The Jackson Daily News blared "Rankin Opens Vice War With Arrests" as the grand jury issued indictments on several Gold Coast operators.  The Gold Coast was an area of Rankin County that was bounded by the Pearl River and traversed by Casey Lane, Fanin Road, and Old Highway 49.  Numerous juke joints, nightclubs, casinos, and other dens of iniquity populated what was known as East Jackson.  It was a world of hard drinking, gambling, jukin', raunchy music, and violence.




Rankin County Sheriff T. B. Spann arrested Charlie Warren, the operator of the Silver Moon No. 2, on a Saturday night at his club.  The grand jury returned fifteen indictments.  The grand jury actually urged Governor White to "rid our county of these wholly unnecessary evils".  The rest of the indictments were not revealed as the capiases had not yet been served by the Sheriff.   The newspaper stated that if actual indictments were served and prosecutions were actually made, a "new precedent will have been set in Rankin County." The newspaper reported:

the gambling resorts of Rankin drew most of their patronage from Jackson and Hinds County and 19 of the 21 persons who obtained federal liquor licenses to sell whiskey in that county gave their mail address as Jackson, Ms." 
The grand jury noted that little fact and said "it appears that our county is victimized in as much as those who promote, and those who are fleeced and support these evils, are not indigenous to the county" (KF Note: Does this mean that Rankin County had a problem with Jackson crime nearly 75 years ago?)




Note: To enlarge photos, place cursor on photo, then click.  Photo should appear alone on another page.  Place cursor on photo again and click.  The photo should enlarge.  It should work in either FF or IE. 

Other Gold Coast posts
Rankin Sheriff beaten on Gold Coast 
Rankin Constable killed in Gold Coast shootout (1946) 
Governor sends troops into Rankin County  (1939)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm too young, 73, to know much about the 30's and 40's on the Gold Coat but even in the 50's it was the go to spot for liquor. Red Hydrick and the Muses were two of the better know distributors. As an 8 year old I took a ride with Red and several young girls down the river in a fancy wooden inboard. You didn't mess with Red he was always packing a Colt 45 and used it on more than one occasion

Anonymous said...

My grandfather owned a cabinet shop on what is now Medger Evers Blvd. I worked for him after school(Bailey Jr. High). Red was one of our best customers. We built the insides of the Gold Coast building where he dispensed his product. My Granddaddy got paid in merchandise. He used to go outside and shoot the stop sign just to let folks know not to break into his establishment. It must have worked.

Anonymous said...

Interesting bit of information to add to this article. A book was written in the mid to late seventies about Red Hydrick and his business by his daughter. I can't remember the name; but, if you can find it, it's an interesting read. Hydrick was a colorful figure.

Kingfish said...

I found the book on Ebay. It should be titled "Ode to Daddy".

Let us just say it is very and embarrassingly one sided. For example, Daddy was the best friend the blacks ever head but strangely, his attending the Woolworth sit-in to egg on the mob was somehow left out of the book.

Anonymous said...

The book is GW Big Red Hydryck by Willie Mae Bradshaw. Book is a collectors item author is deceased. Very rare



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.