Episode 102: You Drink, You Die; The Chemists’ War

What happens when morality becomes a weapon? During Prohibition, the U.S. government tried to scare people away from drinking alcohol by poisoning industrial ethanol. Instead, it unbridled a wave of tragedy that claimed thousands of lives.

From speakeasies alive with whispered passwords, to fortunes gained through bootlegging, to hospitals overwhelmed on Christmas Eve, this is the story of the Chemists’ War—a cautionary tale of zealotry, crime, and needless suffering.

And a reminder that freedom stumbles when personal choices are legislated.

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This episode confronts the sanitized narratives that have always obscured the brutal truth of racial terrorism in America. This isn’t just history—it’s true crime that was never treated as such. From lynchings to massacres buried beneath smug silence, this legacy of violence shaped communities, policies, and the contemporary distrust that many Black Americans have towards law enforcement and institutions.

The communities included within this episode, listed in the time stamps below, were devastated for the flimsiest of excuses and then buried without justice or acknowledgement. Most of us were never taught that these atrocities not only happened, but were common occurrences.

This episode is not comfortable. It’s not tidy. It's long, exhausting, and necessary. These crimes must be considered together to reveal the longstanding pattern of abuse, torture, and terror that African Americans have experienced since long before Emancipation.

What happens when horrific crimes are woven into the fabric of a nation? And what does justice look like when the record itself has been whitewashed?

Listeners who come to true crime for mystery will find something deeper here: the mystery of memory, the crime of erasure, and truths that refuse to stay buried. May you leave with compassion for the valid sense of fear that has been handed down through generations of Black Americans.

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Also dropping today: the first two episodes of I Must Have Forgotten, a serial memoir that explores memory, laughter, grief, and forgiveness. It is a celebration of the small moments of everyday life.

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00:01:15 Content Advisory & Introduction

00:05:35 Historical Context

00:19:04 NYC Draft Riot (1863, NY)

00:24:45 Simpsonville Massacre (1865, TN)

00:27:22 Fort Pillow Massacre (1864, KY)

00:40:28 Lynchings and Sundown Towns

00:47:52 Juneteenth

00:53:19 Memphis Massacre (1866, TN)

00:57:37 Colfax Massacre (1873, LA)

01:01:13 Wilmington Massacre (1898, NC)

01:07:00 Atlanta Massacre (1906, GA)

01:15:39 Springfield Riot (1908, IL)

01:20:56 East St. Louis Massacre (1917, IL)

01:35:29 Ocoee Massacre (1920, FL)

01:41:03 Tulsa Race Massacre (1921, OK)

01:48:18 Rosewood Massacre (1923, FL)

01:52:14 Oscarville (Lake Lanier) (1912, GA)

02:00:13 – Kowaliga (Lake Martin) (1926, AL)

02:04:56 Seneca Village (Central Park) (1857, NY)

02:08:09 Closing Summary

02:12:33 Outro

Find me here:

linktr.ee/bethpods

Instagram or Facebook @TrueCrimeBnB, but I don't check Facebook much

Email: TrueCrimeBnBPod@gmail.com

This isn't our usual True Crime BnB. It’s not even ‘usual’ for Unexpected. It's a personal history—of how this podcast began, who it honors, and why it still matters.

From a plastic bucket microphone to a quiet archive of resistance, this episode isn’t just a milestone in numbers—it’s a milestone in voice.

It’s a tribute to the victims, the survivors, the listeners, and to Bailey and to our Baby Bear Puss—whose spirit shaped what this show became.

It’s about truth. Memory. And the resolve that some stories should never be forgotten.

Have a seat, listen in, and remember it all with me. It won’t take much time.

Find me here:

https://linktr.ee/TrueCrimeBnB?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

You can find me on Instagram or Facebook @TrueCrimeBnB, but I don't check Facebook much

You can send me an email at TrueCrimeBnBPod@gmail.com