The Temperance Organization of the Town of Pelham in the 1880s: "The Law and Order Association of Pelham"

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Although temperance initiatives have blossomed in America since the American Revolution and even before, the temperance movement gained momentum in the 1820s in an effort to discourage the purchase, sale, or production of alcohol of any sort.  A form of the movement known as "Teetotalism" arose by the 1830s and promoted complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages.  

According to one account, there was "growing radicalism and influence" in the movement during the Victorian era.  "During the Victorian period, the temperance movement became more radical, advocating the legal prohibition of all alcohol, rather than just calling for moderation.  It was also perceived to be tied in with both religious renewal and progressive politics, particularly female suffrage."  "Temperance Movement" in WIKIPEDIA - The Free Encyclopedia (visited Jan. 10, 2016).  

By the late 1870s and early 1880s, the temperance movement was in full swing in Pelham and the surrounding region.  Indeed, "temperance," by that time, had become a mass movement.  Groups known as "Law and Order Associations" formed throughout the region to press the movement and to encourage the formation of temperance halls and coffee palaces as alternatives to bars and saloons.  These groups were affiliated with a "National Law and Order Association" that promoted temperance and held its own annual gathering.  Statewide "Law and Order Associations" formed in many states as well.  Mount Vernon had a particularly active "Law and Order Association" that had operated since the mid-1870s.  Cf. THE LAW AND ORDER ASSOCIATION, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 22, 1877, Vol. VIII, No. 405, p. 2, cols. 1-2("It is now over a year and a half since the Law and Order Association was organized . . . It has helped to render rum-selling and the frequenting of bar-rooms unpopular.  A few years ago the rum-sellers controlled the politics of the town and were all-powerful, and many of them considered themselves above the law.  To-day, they are on the defensive").

City Island, then part of the Town of Pelham, had its own such organization known as the "Law and Order Association of Pelham."  It met in a local "Temperance Hall" and sought to impose abstinence on Pelhamites throughout our town.  In 1882, however, the "Law and Order Association of Pelham" went too far.  Its activities set tongues wagging in the little town and brought scorn upon the organization in newspaper articles throughout the region.  

According to one account, the entire "object of social existence" of the Law and Order Association of Pelham" was "to make a target of the demon alcohol wherever he shows his head, and whenever the law can be used upon the man who drinks or sells drink to apply it with vigor."  The Association apparently decided to use the law against poor John H. Messaker of City Island.  

Described as a wealthy "older gentlemen," Messaker was a respected member of the City Island community.  He had assembled property worth about $10,000 (about $309,000 in today's dollars) through "steady toil."  It turned out, however, that Messaker's occasional indulgence in "a little wine and brandy" attracted the attention of the Law and Order Association of Pelham.

The Law and Order Association of Pelham occasionally formed committees that conducted "investigations" in such circumstance.  One such committee of the organization that was active at about the time the organization targeted Messaker was known as "The Huss Investigating Committee," although it cannot now be determined with certainty if this committee conducted the investigation of Messaker.  

In any event, the Law and Order Association of Pelham targeted John H. Messager and sought from New York Supreme Court a commission to have a "Sheriff's Jury" appointed as a commission to consider whether Messaker had the ability "to take care of his property because of his intemperate habits."

It seems that the entire community was shocked by the move.  According to one account, those who knew Messaker considered him "a man fully capable of attending to his affairs, and did so attend to them to his entire satisfaction."  Messaker's son, who lived in New Jersey, came to New York for the hearing.    

A "large number of witnesses were examined" during the hearing.  One account noted that "the drift" of the witnesses' testimony was that "Mr. Messaker was entirely competent at all time to attend to his business; that he occasionally, to the great disgust of some of his abstemious friends, indulged in a little wine and brandy."  Messaker's son testified that he was the only one in the world, besides his father, with any interest in his father's property and that he considered his father perfectly capable and competent to handle his own affairs and property, perhaps with only minor assistance from the son.

After hearing all the evidence, the Deputy Sheriff excused the jurors to render a verdict in connection with the matter.  The jurors filed out of the room and, "after a few moments' absence," they returned.  The jurors rendered a resounding verdict of "No cause of action."

Great indignation against the Law and Order Association of Pelham followed.  As one account noted, "Great indignation has been expressed at the effort of the Association to dictate to a man how he shall deport himself, and, in default of complying with their demands, endeavor to take his property away from him."

Little was heard of the Law and Order Association of Pelham thereafter.  It seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. . . . . . . 

1881 Map of the Town of Pelham Prepared at the Time the Law

and Order Association of Pelham Operated in the Town.

Source: Bromley, George Washington & Bromley, Walter Scott,

"Town of Pelham, (With) Pelham-Manor. (From Actual Surveys

and Official Records by G.W. Bromley & Co., Civil Engineers, Published

by Geo. W. & Walter S. Bromley, 1881)" in Atlas of Westchester

County, New York, From Actual Surveys and Official Records,

pp. 56-57 (Washington, D.C.: G.W. Bromley & Co. 1881).

NOTE: Click to Enlarge the Image.

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Below is the transcribed text of a number of articles dealing with the events that form the subject of today's Historic Pelham Blog article.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"LOCAL NEWS. . . . 

The Law and Order Association will meet at Temperance Hall, next Monday night, at 8 o'clock.  The Huss Investigating Committee will probably present their report at that time. . . ."

Source:  LOCAL NEWS, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Mar. 10, 1882, Vol. XIII, No. 651, p. 3, col. 1.  

"WESTCHESTER COUNTY. . . . 

The Law and Order Association of Pelham recently obtained from the Supreme Court the appointment of a commission to take testimony in reference to the ability of John H. Messaker, of City Island, to look after his property, amounting to $10,000, on the ground that he was occasionally in the habit of drinking to excess.  The testimony was begun before a Sheriff's jury.  Messaker's son, who lives in New-Jersey, stated to the commission that since his father had by steady toil accumulated his property, he thought the old gentleman, with his son's assistance, was able to take care of it.  The jury took a similar view of the matter, and rendered a verdict in favor of Mr. Messaker."

Source:  WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. Times, Mar. 4, 1882, p. 8, col. 3 (NOTE:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"Westchester County News. . . . 

The Law and Order Association of Pelham, obtained from the Supreme Court the appointment of a commission to take testimony in reference to the ability of John H. Messaker, of City Island, to look after his property amounting to $10,000, on the ground that he was occasionally in the habit of drinking to excess.  Messaker's son, stated that since his father had by steady toil accumulated his property, he thought the old gentleman with his son's assistance was able to take care of it.  The jury rendered a verdict in favor of Mr. Messaker."

Source:  Westchester County News, The Port Chester Journal [Port Chester, NY], Mar. 16, 1882, Vol. XIV, No. 69, p. 4, col. 2.  

"LAW AND ORDER INTERMEDDLERS. -- According to the New York Herald of Saturday last, the members of the Law and Order Association of the town of Pelham have lent their countenance to a proceeding that should entitle every one of the fraternity to a 'leather medal,' commemorative of an attempted highhanded outrage against a respectable and worthy citizen of that town.  We quote:

'The Law and Order Association of Pelham, Westchester County, is a society of able-bodied residents of the town, whose object of social existence is to make a target of the demon alcohol wherever he shows his head, and whenever the law can be used upon the man who drinks or sells drink to apply it with vigor.  During the past three days a trial has been going on before a Sheriff's jury in that town at the instigation of the Association which has ended disastrously to the prosecutors.  Through their counsel the Association obtained an order for the appointment of a commission to examine as to the ability of John H. Messaker, a wealthy man of the town, to take care of his property because of his intemperate habits.  At the trial a large number of witnesses were examined, the drift of whose testimony was that Mr. Messaker was entirely competent at all time to attend to his business; that he occasionally, to the great disgust of some of his abstemious friends, indulged in a little wine and brandy.  The son of Mr. Messaker the only heir to the estate appeared before the jury, and stated that it was a great mystery to him why the Association wanted to place his father's property in the hands of a commissioner.  None of them had any legal interest in it or the defendant, and, as for himself, the only interested party, he was satisfied with his father's conduct.  He was a man fully capable of attending to his affairs, and did so attend to them to his entire satisfaction.  Deputy Sheriff Marshall instructed the jury as to their duties, and, after a few moments' absence, they rendered a verdict of 'No cause of action.'  Great indignation has been expressed at the effort of the Association to dictate to a man how he shall deport himself, and, in default of complying with their demands, endeavor to take his property away from him.'"

Source:  LAW AND ORDER INTERMEDDLERS, Eastern State Journal, Mar. 10, 1882, Vol. XXXVII, No. 48, p. 3, col. 3. 

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