which in turn led to vandalism and burglaries. The arm of the Ku Klux Klan was being felt by Brown County, as were other Hoosier communities. The time for a diligent sheriff was needed for these problems, with the furor over Prohibition growing louder. Parks entered the race for sheriff in 1904. The Prohibition party ran a candidate for sheriff, who received 56 votes. In comparison, Parks received 1,091 votes and the Republican opponent received 786 votes.
With the eventual passage of the Volstead Act, politicians in Brown County, like those across the United States, found themselves weighing national policy with local values. Bustin states:“… In many localities the opinions of the newly enfranchised women, seem to have neared a consensus. Abusive or violent drunkenness was against the rules, as had always been true.” There was an agreement that violent abusive drunkenness was not socially acceptable, but nothing was morally wrong with the consumption of liquor. The product of local stills,“ white mule” corn whiskey, was tolerable and women did their part to keep their men out of trouble.
Temperance had its vocal supporters in Brown County at this time— women, educators, and clergy. But there were also male school teachers and ministers that were known to imbibe. During this transitional period between 1918 and 1922, Clint Moore was the“ incorruptible” sheriff. By 1922, most voters were ready for a“ lessconscientious candidate.” Sam Parks saw his opportunity and announced he would enter the race for sheriff again. Some concerned citizens, with memories of Parks’ lax term twenty years earlier, circulated a petition banning him from the election. Anonymous letters sent to the County Commissioners warned of
Sam Parks on the Liars Bench in 1926,. Frank M. Hohenberger. The Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
dire consequences if Parks won. Following his election, Parks moved into the sheriff’ s house in Nashville. The following night, the house was burnt to the ground. Another house was rented for Parks and his wife by the County Commissioners.
During his first term, many people were irritated with Parks’ selective policing of illegal activities. Many believed that only gamblers and distillers raided by Parks were members of the local Republican party. In 1924, twelve candidates were in the primaries for sheriff. The position had shown to be profitable and the County Commissioners planned to build a new jail( the old log jail was condemned by the state years before) and a new sheriff’ s residence to replace the one that had been burnt down. To ensure his reelection, Frank Hohenberger’ s diary records, Parks made a deal with Ku Klux Klan for the needed votes. He became less cautious while pursuing the profitable aspects of his office. He harassed less influential distillers and dealt openly in confiscated moonshine. His own behavior revealed indulgence in drinking. In October 1925 Parks was arrested by the County Coroner, Joshua Bond, at a local fox meet and charged with public drunkenness. A few weeks later, while transporting a prisoner to the Monroe County jail, Parks was arrested by the Bloomington police and charged with transportation of liquor and public intoxication. Parks claimed the whiskey was from a recent raid on an illegal still and was just not disposed of. The charges were reduced, but his public service was finished. Democrats shunned him, and his wife filed for divorce. Parks was able to delay his trials until his term in office was over in 1927. He rented an apartment while preparing for his divorce proceedings and his public drunkenness defense. Broke from his legal problems, Parks began selling used cars at the new Ford garage. Parks’ wife, Ida, eventually gave the Elkinsville farm where she had lived with Sam to her sister on condition that the sister care for their aging mother. •
July / August 2018 • Our Brown County 53