S3E4: Trust Issues

Summary

SNAFU with Ed Helms – Season 3, Episode 4: "Trust Issues"

Release Date: April 2, 2025

Introduction

In Season 3 of SNAFU with Ed Helms, titled "Formula 6," host Ed Helms delves into the tumultuous period of Prohibition in America, uncovering how the government's war on alcohol spiraled out of control, ultimately leading to corruption and the poisoning of its own people. Episode 4, "Trust Issues," focuses on Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt's relentless battle against bootleggers amidst widespread institutional corruption.

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Background: Prohibition's Chaotic Enforcement

The episode begins by setting the stage of Prohibition's enforcement challenges. With limited resources and rampant corruption, the government's efforts to curb illegal alcohol distribution were faltering. Historian Dan Okrent remarks, "She was a lone worrier" (06:05), highlighting Willebrandt's solitary fight against the systemic issues plaguing the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Mabel Walker Willebrandt: A Determined Leader

Mabel Walker Willebrandt emerges as a formidable figure committed to enforcing Prohibition laws. Despite her dedication, she faces immense obstacles:

• Corrupt Leadership: The president and Attorney General were implicated in heavy drinking and corruption. Historian Dan Okrent notes, "Harding drank a lot. Harry Doherty... was a drunk and corrupt" (06:14).

• Inadequate Resources: With only 2,600 prohibition agents covering vast borders and coastlines, the enforcement was grossly under-resourced. Okrent emphasizes, "The fact that there were only 2,600 prohibition agents covering the entire Canadian border, the Mexican border, and both coasts, it's ridiculous" (07:07).

• Ineffective Agents: Many agents were either corrupt or insufficiently trained, rendering enforcement efforts ineffective. Okrent states, "Hundreds of agents were being dismissed around the country for brazen corruption" (07:16).

The George Remus Trial: A Turning Point

Mabel Walker Willebrandt targets George Remus, a prominent bootlegger, lawyer, and pharmacist whose illegal empire rivaled that of Al Capone. Historian Garrett Peck describes Remus as "enormously charming" and deeply connected with high-ranking officials (09:54).

Willebrandt's strategy hinges on exploiting tax laws to prosecute bootleggers for income tax evasion, a novel approach at the time. During the Supreme Court hearing, Willebrandt passionately argues:

"The tax penalties outlined in internal revenue laws are highly important in the enforcement of Prohibition. The government isn't giving its stamp of approval to an illicit business by taxing them. An illegitimate business should not be exempt from paying taxes that legitimate businesses should pay. They must pay up, too." (13:11)

Despite her compelling case, the Supreme Court rules that Remus's arrest was flawed due to a timing loophole in the tax statutes, resulting in his acquittal. However, the ruling acknowledges that bootleggers owe taxes on their illicit income, setting a precedent for future prosecutions.

Internal Corruption: Jess Smith's Downfall

The episode takes a darker turn as Willebrandt uncovers corruption within the DOJ. Jess Smith, a DOJ official and Jess's colleague, is revealed to be deeply entrenched with bootleggers, including Remus. The discovery comes after a suspicious death in the Attorney General's apartment, initially ruled a suicide but riddled with inconsistencies.

Willebrandt learns from Assistant Attorney General Darney that:

"Jess was in the pockets of every big-time bootlegger in America, running his operations from out of his DOJ office right next to Mabel's." (30:04)

This revelation devastates Willebrandt, who realizes that the very institution she's fighting within is compromised. Attorney General Daugherty offers her the option to resign, acknowledging the DOJ as "a big old shitshow" (30:53). Undeterred, Willebrandt vows to continue her fight against corruption and bootlegging.

The Aftermath: Temporary Victories Amidst Ongoing Struggles

Willebrandt eventually secures convictions against Remus and Willie Har, another major bootlegger. However, Remus's influence persists even in prison, where his luxurious accommodations and connections allow him to continue his illegal activities unabated. Historian Garrett Peck illustrates Remus's continued dominance:

"He was enormously charming... He knew how to put all the Congressmen at ease" (23:37).

Willebrandt's efforts, though initially thwarted by legal technicalities and internal corruption, mark a significant shift in Prohibition enforcement. She recognizes that to effectively combat bootlegging, more stringent and creative measures are necessary.

Conclusion: The Relentless Pursuit for Justice

"Trust Issues" portrays Mabel Walker Willebrandt as a tenacious figure striving to uphold the law amidst pervasive corruption and limited resources. Despite setbacks, her innovative use of tax laws lays the groundwork for future prosecutions, exemplifying her unwavering commitment to justice. The episode underscores the complexities and moral ambiguities of Prohibition enforcement, highlighting how well-intentioned policies can be undermined by systemic flaws.

Notable Quotes

• Dan Okrent on Willebrandt's Solitude:

  "She was a lone worrier." (06:05)

• Mabel Walker Willebrandt on Tax Law Enforcement:

  "The tax penalties outlined in internal revenue laws are highly important in the enforcement of Prohibition... They must pay up, too." (13:11)

• Assistant Attorney General Darney on DOJ Corruption:

  "Jess was in the pockets of every big-time bootlegger in America..." (30:04)

• Dan Okrent on Prohibition Agents:

  "The fact that there were only 2,600 prohibition agents covering the entire Canadian border, the Mexican border, and both coasts, it's ridiculous." (07:07)

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This detailed summary captures the essence of "Trust Issues," providing listeners with an in-depth understanding of Mabel Walker Willebrandt's challenges and strategies during the Prohibition era. By highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes, the episode illuminates the intricate dance between law enforcement and corruption in a time of national turmoil.

Transcript

[Ed Helms]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Holly Frye]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Frye and Maria Tremarchi, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrars, known as the Wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jake Hanrahan]

OpenAI is a financial abomination, a thing that should not be an aberration, a symbol of rot at the heart of Silicon Valley. And I'm gonna tell you why on my show, Better Offline, the rudest show in the tech industry where we're breaking down why OpenAI, along with other AI companies, are dead set on lying to your boss and that they can take your job. I'm also going to be talking with the greatest minds in the industry about all the other ways the rich and powerful are ruining the computer. Listen to Better offline on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you happen to get your podcasts.

[Ed Helms]

Hey there, it's your host Ed Helms here. Real quick, before we dive into this episode, I wanted to remind you that my brand new book is coming out on April 29th. It's called SNAFU the Definitive Guide to History's Greatest Screw Ups. And. And you can pre order it right [e-mail] Trust me, if you like this show, you're gonna love this book. It's got all the wild disasters, spectacular face plants we just couldn't squeeze into this podcast. And here's the kicker. I am also going on tour to celebrate. That's right, I'm coming to New York, D.C. boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and my hometown, Los Angeles. So in if you've ever wanted to see me stumble through a live Q and A or dramatically read about a kitty cat getting turned into a CIA operative, now's your chance again. Head to snafu-book.com to pre order the book and check out all the tour details and dates. Or just click the link in the show notes. That'll work too. Okay, that's it. On with the chaos. This is Snafu Season three, Formula six. Previously on Snafu. The head of Prohibition enforcement cracked down on bootleggers.

[Dan Okrent]

Mabel Walker Willebrandt was a very serious woman. If she woke up every day. The first thing she did was take an ice cold bath.

[Ed Helms]

World War I soldier George Cassidy became the top bootlegger to Congress.

[Paul Holes]

He was a dapper dude. You would have thought he was a general of the most powerful army in the world or something.

[Ed Helms]

And as deaths from alcohol began to rise, American drinkers kept right on drinking. This acceptance of risk that came with.

[Dan Okrent]

Prohibition at these levels is kind of.

[Ed Helms]

Horrifying, but it was there and it was real. On a November afternoon in 1922, Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt takes a trip to the Capitol building. I imagine her with a bulging briefcase, maybe a couple of clerks scrambling along behind her, trying to keep up. Ms. Willebrandt, slow down. They're carrying everything she needs for the case she's about to argue. She climbs the stone steps and crosses into the shade of white stone columns, then enters a red carpeted two story chamber with a domed ceiling. It's the old Senate chamber, which in 1922 was home to the Supreme Court. And today, Mabel is presenting her case before the nine Supreme Court justices. It's her big moment. The gallery is packed for a court case that's made national news. The United States versus George Remus. So far, Prohibition enforcement wasn't going so well. It wasn't going well in the liquor capital of America, New York City, where the bodies were piling up at Alexander Getler's lab. And it wasn't going well in the nation's actual capital, Washington, D.C. where speakeasies were popping up on every corner and business was booming for the bootleggers. And no bootlegger was making a bigger profit than George Remus. Remus wasn't just a bootlegger. He was a lawyer and a pharmacist too. A trifecta that made him one of the richest men in America. Since the start of Prohibition, Remus had been building an illegal alcohol empire that rivaled Al Capone's, which made him the target of Mabel Walker Willebrandt. When she faced George Remus in court, Mabel was determined that this would be a turning point in her war. Remus was a big fish and Mabel was gonna gut him with the whole nation watching. I'm Ed Helms and this is Snafu, a show about history's greatest screw ups. This season, a dark tale from the heart of the Prohibition era. Formula 6 How Prohibition's War on alcohol went so off the rails, the government wound up poisoning its own people. Today, we'll follow Mabel Walker Willebrandt in Washington, D.C. as she faces one formidable challenge after another. Her bosses are drunks, her agents are incompetent, and she's about to realize that across the government, her, and even within her own department of justice, she can't trust anyone.

[Dan Okrent]

She was a lone worrier.

[Ed Helms]

That's historian and author Dan Okrent.

[Dan Okrent]

And she really had an uphill battle for a bunch of reasons.

[Ed Helms]

As you may remember, Mabel was surrounded at her job by straight up drunks, Starting with the president.

[Dan Okrent]

Harding drank a lot. Harry Doherty, the attorney general who was the immediate boss to Mabel Willebrandt, he was a, a drunk and b, corrupt.

[Ed Helms]

And again, like we said before, the guy leading the treasury department and supervising the prohibition bureau owned a whiskey company. So when it came time for Mabel to do some basic stuff like hire clerks for legal research, well, she a wall.

[Dan Okrent]

She didn't have much in the way of financial support. And one of the things that was indicative of the attitude of the dries is that they passed these laws but gave no money for enforcement.

[Ed Helms]

She didn't have anywhere near the manpower she needed to stop the alcohol coming across two borders and 60,000 miles of open coastline.

[Dan Okrent]

The fact that there were only 2,600 prohibition agents covering the entire Canadian border, the Mexican border, and both coasts, it's ridiculous.

[Ed Helms]

And as for that army of agents, even that manpower was quickly dwindling. Hundreds of agents were being dismissed around the country for brazen corruption. And even the ones who weren't corrupt were pretty much useless. Sure, they were given guns and cars, but little or no training to do the actual job.

[Dan Okrent]

Someone said about the Canadian border, you know, you can't stop a liquid from leaking through a dotted line. That dotted line on the map.

[Ed Helms]

So what could Mabel actually do from behind her barge sized mahogany desk in room 501 at the Department of justice?

[Dan Okrent]

Well, she had the power to bring indictments, the power of the courts.

[Ed Helms]

And as you may remember, her job was to work with the bespectacled accountants at the irs. A group of agents supremely qualified to crack down on inflated tax deductions. But maybe not so much collecting the evidence of illicit bootlegging.

[Dan Okrent]

Open up.

[Paul Holes]

Irs.

[Ed Helms]

No one's here. Oh, shit.

[Jake Hanrahan]

Look.

[Ed Helms]

There's a whole case of chartreuse. We should collect that. Can't let good evidence go to waste. I like the way you enforce the law. But Mabel was undeterred. And in the fall of 1922, she decided to get creative. She came up with a plan to round up every last bootlegger. And she was going to start by Going after the biggest bootlegger of all, George Remus. Yes. You're under arrest for violating Title II of the Volstead Act. You ever watch Boardwalk Empire? When the show's writer, creator Terry Winter, began researching George Remus, he couldn't believe what he found. Here's Terry. George Remus, one of the craziest stories you hear about, like, an incredibly successful defense attorney becomes, like, the biggest bootlegger ever.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

You're making a mistake.

[Ed Helms]

No, you can't do this. Remus doesn't get arrested. In the show, Remus is a large, bald, rich weirdo who, yes, you heard it right. Refers to himself in the third person. And if I made that up, you'd be like, come on. And this absolutely all happened. Yeah, all of that's true, including the third person thing. His parties were so over the top that people think he may have been the inspiration for the Great Gatsby.

[Paul Holes]

The whole city packed into automobiles and.

[Ed Helms]

All weekend, every weekend, ended up at Gatsby's. In 1922, no one in America owned more of the illegal alcohol trade than Remus. At one point, he controlled 30% of the liquor making its way into America.

[Garrett Peck]

Because he had bought up a whole bunch of huge Rick houses full of whiskey.

[Ed Helms]

That's historian Garrett Peck. Remus warehouse stored $25 million worth of alcohol, which he sold and distributed using a prohibition loophole for medicinal alcohol.

[Garrett Peck]

And then he bribed people so he could have three or four times as much as that he could distribute than he was legally allowed to. So he made a fortune, you know, just by. By being able to sell alcohol without any taxes on it.

[Ed Helms]

Since Remus did all the illegal selling without paying taxes, obviously Mabel saw an opportunity. Maybe she could actually use tax law in her favor. He could exploit loopholes in Prohibition law, but maybe she could finally bust Remus through the unforgiving tax code. And this wasn't just about Remus. She wanted to send a message to all of the bootleggers across the country. One way or another, she was coming for them. With those black robed justices staring down from their tufted leather thrones, the room can be an intimidating place. But for Mabel, Nah. She's unflappable. So cool in the courtroom that people joke she has ice in her veins. All that is to say, Mabel is tough. And it was a good thing, too. The New York papers lined up against her in their coverage of a Supreme Court hearing. One newspaper reported that Mabel wasn't, quote, exactly pretty because her features were too large and too serious for that. And she suffered from a, quote, suggestion of plumpness, which is what I might call a suggestion of shitty, misogynistic journalism. And to top it all off, they couldn't even get her job title right. One paper called her the woman assistant of the Attorney General, but she's actually assistant Attorney General. These things matter. Just ask Dwight Schrute. I am now sempai, which is assistant sensei.

[Garrett Peck]

Assistant to the sensei.

[Ed Helms]

That's pretty cool. Assistant sensei. Mabel wasn't shy about her disdain for how she and other women in the working world had to deal with what she called girly, girly stuff. She once sat down for an interview with a literary magazine called the Smart set, basically the 1920s version of an Instagram live.

[Mabel Walker Willebrandt]

A boy must do the job well and develop personality. A girl must do the job well and develop personality. Personality plus, break down skepticism about her ability. Walk the tightrope of sexlessness without loss of her essential charm. Make the hard choice between giving up children and home life in order to advance or having them in the face of increased prejudice.

[Ed Helms]

So when Mabel faces down bootleggers like George Remus in court, she knows the guy in front of her isn't her only opponent. But she's undaunted. She's got to get shit done. And now, before the Supreme Court, she makes a stirring case where other prosecutors might have overlooked tax law as a hammer. I mean, let's be honest, it's pretty boring, obscure stuff. Mabel saw nothing but potential. Her approach was ingenious and her arguments impassioned.

[Mabel Walker Willebrandt]

The tax penalties outlined in internal revenue laws are highly important in the enforcement of Prohibition. The government isn't giving its stamp of approval to an illicit business by taxing them. An illegitimate business should not be exempt from paying taxes that legitimate businesses should pay. They must pay up, too.

[Ed Helms]

George Remus, he was making a fortune because he was selling liquor without paying taxes on it. This was bold. No one had the audacity or imagination to prosecute any major crime figures for income tax evasion. But Mabel determined unflinching. Mabel decided that if it was going to take tax law to enforce Prohibition, then so be it. After arguments concluded and the justices began deliberations, Mabel was on edge. Because this trial clearly wasn't just about Remus. This was about all the fat cat bootleggers in America, including a fella named Willie Harry. Remember him? Leader of the massive bootlegging operation the Savannah Four down in Georgia. And also captain of the vaunted and audaciously meta recreational baseball squad. The bootlegger team. Well, Har and his whole gang were anxiously following Remus trial from Savannah, knowing that their fate was tied to Remus. This is because Mabel had also charged Har with the same crime, having determined the Savannah Four owed $2 million in unpaid taxes from their illegal bootlegging. If the Supreme Court ruled in Mabel's favor and decided bootleggers had to pay taxes, well, that could be the ball game for Haar and the bootlegger team. Of course, a few days later, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes renders the court's decision. First, some bad news for Mabel. Remus's arrest in this case had occurred a year earlier, in October 1921. The tax statutes that Mabel was resting her entire case on, they had passed a month later, in November. So Remus is exempt. The law Mabel was trying to slap onto him didn't even apply. She missed her shot by a month. For now, Remus was still a free man. That might seem like a setback for Mabel, but she's a creature of the law. She knows that hidden under the surface of a defeat, victories can be won piece by piece. And in this case, there was a surprise twist. Even though Remus got out on a technicality, the Justices decided that Mabel was actually right. In addition to all their other crimes, bootleggers also owed taxes on their ill gotten revenue. And if they didn't pay up, it was another mark against them. One that came with serious jail time. And that decision reverberated all the way down to Savannah. And that is a win for Mabel, because she sees the potential of this ruling to dramatically change prohibition enforcement. So even though George Remus is acquitted, Mabel emerges from the old Senate chamber, ecstatic. Think about this. She's having trouble locking up bootleggers because it's virtually impossible to catch them red handed. But this gives her a whole new angle of attack. If she can prove they've been doing business and not paying taxes on the income, she can lock them up without ever having to enter a keg into evidence. Boom. And even though Remus had just gotten off the hook, he was bound to keep bootlegging. And he probably wasn't going to just start paying taxes. So it wouldn't be long until Mabel would see him in court again. Mabel can feel the tide beginning to turn. I can picture Mabel now striding out of that capitol with a bounce in her step, bursting with pride. Which is sadly ironic, because somewhere across town, a man is strolling along carrying a suitcase. With a smile, he tips his green hat to the people. He passes he's on his way to make a delivery and casually undermine everything she's fighting for.

[Holly Frye]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarchi, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Hear the story of the gentleman robber, the romantic darling of the ladies, and a tale about a wager over a sack of potatoes. But you'll have to tune in to learn who won that one. Some highwaymen were well mannered or faked it. People were concerned about the romanticism of robbers, but most were just thugs. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Call them robbers or bandits. Some are legendary figures. Listen to stories about historical crimes on Criminalia now, plus the cocktails and mocktails inspired by each. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Paul Holes]

I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world. Live from the underground, you'll discover no rules fighting, Japanese street racing, Brazilian favela life, and much more. All real, completely uncensored. This is unique access with straightforward on the ground reporting. We're taking you deep into the dirt without the usual airs and graces of legacy media. A way that it showcases what the mainstream cannot access. Real underground reporting with real people. No excuses. For the past decade, I've been going to places I shouldn't be, meeting people I shouldn't know. Now you can come along too. Listen to the Uwaydai's podcast reporting from the underbelly on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

A murder happens, the case goes cold. Then over a hundred years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator.

[Jess Smith]

And I'm Kate Winkler Dawson, a journalist and historian.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

On our podcast Buried Bones, we re examined historical true crime cases using modern forensic techniques.

[Jess Smith]

We dig into what the original investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm, when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

Unless this person went out to shoot squirrels. They're not choosing a.22 to go hunting out there.

[Jess Smith]

These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like, well, he's the last one who saw her alive. So how did they eliminate him?

[Jess Smith]

Join us as we take you back to the cold cases that haunt us to this day.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

New episodes every Wednesday on the exactly right network. Listen to Buried bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ed Helms]

This green hatted fella would be George Cassidy, merrily strolling through the halls of Congress because business is good. George is averaging two dozen deliveries and a day. A bottle of sweet red vermouth to a congressman. Two bottles of Red Star gin to a junior senator. A case of Duncan Harwood's Canadian whiskey for the House Speaker. Yep, those are some big ass suitcases that George hauls around. His delivery's done. He now takes the stairs down to the basement and finally arrives at an unassuming door. George takes out his keys, unlocks the door, steps in and flips on the lights. The windowless room has a mahogany poker table, swivel chairs, and lots and lots of bottles of booze. Welcome to George's office. You see, a few months ago, one of George's clients, a congressman, hooked George up with an office which quickly became the warehouse for some of the best liquor in town. Not that his clients could tell the difference between a Macallan 1878 and a George's bathtub 1922. These politicians may have considered themselves connoisseurs, but they had no idea. They were just drinking a cheap blend with some food coloring at the time. Only George himself knew just how much water he was using to cut the imported alcohol. The congressman start marching in. One of these men of high taste is one of George's most loyal customers. When he walks into George's tavern, hopefully in a straight line, his colleagues joke, get out the corn and put up the rye. He's known around the capital as a bottle a day man. George serves him a tall glass of his special elixir all the way to the brim. And the crazy thing, rumor had it that he was one of the most eloquent speakers on the House floor. I would like to make an inquiry to the Senate for the purpose of understanding just the scope of this resolution. John Nance Garner. He would later become speaker of the House and then Vice President of the United States under fdr. Add this guy to the list of lushes that surrounded Mabel Walker Willebrandt as she tried to do her job back in George's office. The boys are getting comfortable. This fully operational speakeasy is home to a Secret Congressional Drinking Club. They even have a name for themselves, the Barflies association, or BFA for short. Washington sure loves a three letter bureau.

[Garrett Peck]

He had a whole closet full of alcohol there. He'd sell it to everyone. And also that people could come down and play cards with him. Mind you, this is a guy with a third grade education and yet he was enormously charming.

[Ed Helms]

That's Garrett Peck again.

[Garrett Peck]

He was on a first name basis with all these different congressmen and they liked him. He knew how to put all the Congressmen at ease. They didn't have to sit there and talk politics. They could just come down and shoot the breeze with him and play some poker.

[Ed Helms]

At George's office. The nights are late. Sometimes George comes home, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes the party continues elsewhere, outside the Capitol. Like on this particular night as we follow George from the House Office Building to a Victorian townhouse on a tree lined street just blocks from the White House. This is K Street and the house is made of green limestone with one big magnolia tree out front. It has a nickname, the Little Green House. Every night the Little Green House is full of men smoking, playing poker and you guessed, guessed it, drinking. There's always plenty of liquor on hand, the best stuff. Thanks to cases streaming in on Wells Fargo wagons driven by armed guards. The regulars were men in high places. George's lawmaking pals, sure, but also the Prohibition Commissioner, the Attorney General, and even on occasion, the President himself. George didn't supply the Little Green House, but he was a welcome guest, along with several of his bootlegging compatriots, including the most notorious bootlegger of all, the bald guy in the resplendent suit, George Remus. The Little Greenhouse was where guys like George Remus could ask for favors, like for a big stack of permits that gave them access to some booze. You see, under Prohibition law, there were still allowances made for a few kinds of alcohol. It was permitted for sale for religious ceremonies and medical purposes as long as you had a permit. And there was one regular at the Little Greenhouse who had bags stuffed with those permits and could fix it up for bootleggers. He was in fact one of George Remus pals. He was the man with black wire glasses and a bushy mustache standing in a corner of the room. It was a face that Mabel Walker Willebrandt would have known well because he was a DOJ man named Jess Smith. See, Jess was the right hand man of the Attorney General, a fixer for the entire Department of Justice. And his office was literally next door to Mabel's, and Jess was always happy to oblige the fellows he met in the little greenhouse. It seemed like Jess almost relished undermining Mabel's work. He was happy to give out permits and even make promises of immunity to loads of bootleggers like Remus, happily handing him wads of cash in return. But all this wheeling and dealing was about to catch up with Jess Smith, and it was only a matter of time before Mabel caught wind of all his shenanigans.

[Holly Frye]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarke, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the Wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s, her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Hear the story of the Gentleman Robber, the romantic darling of the ladies, and a tale about a wager over a sack of potatoes. But you'll have to tune in to learn who won that one. Some highwaymen were well mannered or faked it. People were concerned about the romanticism of robbers, but most were just thugs. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Call them robbers or bandits, some are legendary figures. Listen to stories about historical crimes on Criminalia now, plus the cocktails and mocktails inspired by each. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Paul Holes]

I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world. Live from the Underground you'll discover no rules fighting, Japanese street racing, Brazilian favela life, and much more. All real, completely uncensored. This is unique access with straightforward on the ground reporting. We're taking you deep into the dirt without the usual airs and graces of legacy media, a way that showcases what the mainstream cannot access. Real underground reporting with real people. No excuses. For the past decade I've been going to places I shouldn't be, meeting people I shouldn't know. Now you can come along too. Listen to the Away Days podcast, reporting from the underbelly on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

A murder happens, the case goes cold. Then over a hundred years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator.

[Jess Smith]

And I'm Kate Winkler Dawson, a journalist and historian.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

On our podcast Buried Bones, we re examined historical true crime cases.

[Jess Smith]

Using modern forensic techniques, we dig into what the original investig investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm, when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

Unless this person went out to shoot squirrels, they're not choosing a.22 to go hunting out there.

[Jess Smith]

These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like, well, he's the last one who saw her alive. So how did they eliminate him?

[Jess Smith]

Join us as we take you back to the cold cases that haunt us to this day.

[Kate Winkler Dawson]

New episodes every Wednesday on the exactly Right network. Listen to Buried bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ed Helms]

In May of 1923, a few months after her big legal win, Mabel Walker Willebrandt had big plans. She was going to take a vacation and she deserved it. Mabel was still on cloud nine over her Supreme Court win. She wrote to her parents.

[Mabel Walker Willebrandt]

It was a gorgeous victory and one of which I am prouder than of anything I've done so far.

[Ed Helms]

And months after the Supreme Court decision, Mabel actually went after George Remus again. And this time she nailed him on the tax evasion charges. This case had been a simple one, conviction in no time flat. Yep, George was headed to the slammer. And not only him, Willie Har had been convicted of breaking tax law too. Willie was also going to prison. It had taken some careful maneuvering and some patience, but Mabel had lined him up and knocked him down. So she was in a mood to celebrate. Her bags were packed. She was headed west for a few days of R and R. You know, a little me time in those ice baths. Mabel was just about out the door.

[Garrett Peck]

When.

[Ed Helms]

Her phone rang. The Attorney General on the line with news about her colleague Jess Smith. Oh yeah, that guy at the office with the weird mustache. What about him could possibly warrant a call from the Attorney General? Well, she recalls that the Attorney General and Jess are pretty buddy, buddy. They even share an apartment at the Wardman Park Inn. It's the swankiest place in town with its white gloved bellhops, chandeliers the size of merry go rounds and gold plated atrium. It was a hotel hotspot and home to DC's upper crust. A place where meetings and soirees would go on into the night. He tells her that in the wee hours of last night, May 19, 1923, a gunshot rang out across the hotel's sixth the floor. It came from a corner suite, the Attorney General's own apartment. The very one he shares with Jess Smith. As fate would have it, directly below Daugherty's sixth floor suite lives the director of the Fed's brand spanking new Bureau of Investigation, which is the predecessor to the FBI. Moments after the gunshot, the director of the Bureau is on the scene with, I'm assuming, a very bad case of bedhead. The Bureau director enters the suite to find a body twisted on the floor. The man on the floor is wearing black rimmed glasses and a bushy mustache. It's not Attorney General Dougherty. The guy is in his pajamas, lying on the blood soaked carpet. There's a hole shot through his right temple and his head is in a garbage can atop ashes of burned papers. The man isn't famous. He isn't even a politician. And his death is quickly ruled by the Bureau director as a suicide. But things don't really add up. Like how on earth could a man shoot himself and have his head end up inside a wastebasket? Why was the weapon, a gun, missing from the scene when the cops arrived? And why was Jess carrying around his will in his pocket to be magically discovered by police hours later like a gift on Christmas morning? To an analytical mind like Mabel's, the pieces weren't adding up until as the cops dig deeper into Smith's stuff, they discover evidence that Jess Smith may have been at the center of something quite criminal. Turns out Smith was carrying a long list of bootleggers from across the country. George Remus. Yep, he was on there. Also, Jess Smith had something that was a little unusual for an employee of the Department of Justice. Wads and wads of cash. Back at the doj, rumors are flying around the office about what exactly was behind Smith's quote unquote suicide. Maybe Smith and someone at the Department of Justice had a falling out. And maybe Smith threatened to expose the corruption that was going on behind closed doors. Maybe George Remus was getting back at Smith after his arrest. A hit job by a big bootlegger wouldn't be out of the question. Now, Mabel and Jess, they weren't tight. Even though Jess office was right next to hers at the doj, she knew that Jess pushed papers and dealt with permits, but she didn't know what Jess did with those permits. And Mabel certainly didn't know that Jess was chummy with George Remus. Her mind was reeling. After the phone call, Attorney General Daugherty summoned Mabel to his office. He was probably smelling a bit suspicious himself after a late night at the little greenhouse. Was that A hint of oak aged corn whiskey under the reek of cigar smoke. I imagine him dramatically spinning around in his chair to pass along some unfortunate news. Yes, it was true. Jess was in the pockets of every big time bootlegger in America, running his operations from out of his DOJ office right next to Mabel's. Not only that, Jess was involved in another totally different but equally massive bribery scandal for completely different crimes. Turns out there was a lot of corruption under that mustache. Yep, Darney admitted to Mabel that the DOJ was one big old shitshow. Which is why he said he would totally understand if Mabel wanted to hand in her resignation. And as you can probably imagine, Mabel went bananas. Vacation totally canceled, basically. While she had been fighting Remus in court, her office neighbor had apparently been at Remus beck and call. And now Daugherty was asking her if she wanted to step down. Mabel had no intention of quitting. And she told her boss exactly that. Her war was just beginning. She had her Supreme Court win. And she had this, too. George Remus was headed to a federal penitentiary in Atlanta. So was Willie Har. The country's biggest bootleggers were going down. And Mabel was going to make sure both were going to do hard time like any other criminal. As Remus was making furious attempts to get his conviction overturned, Mabel went straight to President Coolidge to smash Remus hopes.

[Mabel Walker Willebrandt]

Writing, I am of the emphatic opinion that no respite should be given George Remus or any of the defendants convicted with him. George Remus and his group of co conspirators are defiant, dangerous lawbreakers. He has exhibited a rare ability to surround himself with seemingly respectable and unimportant citizens while he hides behind their operations. In my opinion, it would be a grave mistake to treat these defendants in any manner differently than the thousands of offenders convicted of much lesser crimes under the liquor laws.

[Ed Helms]

She got her wish. Remus was locked away behind bars in Atlanta, Georgia. But then one morning a few months later, Mabel got a call from an agent down south. He had a little update on how her pal Remus was doing down there in Atlanta. Turns out old Georgie Remus was doing pretty good. Sure, George Remus was technically in prison, just in the part of the prison that was more like, I don't know, Versailles. Thanks to his connections, George was living like Marie Antoinette. He had his own quarters, his own kitchen, his own private bath. He dined separate from the rest of the inmates, except for one guy. To add insult to injury, his dining mate was Willie Har Remus and Har were dining each night on linen tablecloths with fresh floral centerpieces and playing games of high limit poker with a minimum bet set at $50. Their section of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary would soon have its own nickname, Millionaires Row. And within two years, both men would be out to pick up right where they left off. Now, as Mabel sank into her ice cold bath in her D.C. apartment, she couldn't help but think of George Remus dining on steak, chomping on a cigar, having the last laugh. No matter how hard she was trying, she was really losing her fight with the bootleggers. Not only were her colleagues at the Justice Department worthless in supporting her, they were actively undermining her at every turn. And that's when the Ice Queen finally cracked. Doing things by the book at the Department of Justice wasn't getting the job done. Arrests, convictions. Not only were they hard as hell to get, they hardly meant anything when the consequences were, well, luxurious. The Ice Queen's head was cold. But it was also clear if she was ever going to get American bootleggers and drinkers to respect the law, she was going to have to take new measures. More extreme measures. The consequences for breaking Prohibition law would have to hurt. That's next time on Snap. He loved to show off.

[Garrett Peck]

If he could have the opportunity to.

[Ed Helms]

Show off his sharpshooting skills, he would.

[Garrett Peck]

There are rumors that he would shoot apples off the top of people's heads.

[Ed Helms]

Governor recognized the fact that if we're going to have prohibition agents, we need people that are fearless. Richard Hart was somebody who fit that to a tee. Snafu is a production of iHeartRadio Film Nation Entertainment and Pacific Electric Picture Company. In association with Gilded Audio. It's executive produced by me, Ed Helms, Milan Popelka, Mike Falbo, Whitney Donaldson and Dylan Fagan. Our lead producers are Carl Nellis and Alyssa Martino. This episode was written by Albert Chinn and Carl Nellis with additional writing and story editing from Alyssa Martino and Ed Helms. Additional production from Steven Wood. Tori Smith is our associate producer. Our story editor is Nicky Stein. Our production assistants are Nevan Kalapali and Ekimony Ekpo. Fact checking by Charles Richter. Our creative executive is Brett Harris. Editing, music and sound design by Ben Chugg. Engineering and technical direction by Nick Dooley. Andrew Chugg is Gilded Audio's creative director. Theme music by Dan Rosad. The role of Mabel Walker. Willebrandt was played by Carrie Bechet. Special thanks to Allison Cohen, Daniel Welch and Ben Rysak.

[Holly Frye]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime. With Holly Frye and Maria Tremerki, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jake Hanrahan]

OpenAI is a financial abomination, a thing that should not be an aberration, a symbol of rot at the heart of Silicon Valley. And I'm going to tell you why on my show Better Offline, the rudest show in the tech industry where we're breaking down why OpenAI, along with other AI companies, are dead set on lying to your boss that they can take your job. I'm also going to be talking with the greatest minds in the industry about all the other ways the rich and powerful are ruining the computer. Listen to Better offline on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts. Wherever you happen to get your podcasts.

[Ed Helms]

This is an iHeart podcast.