Editing Holdingford, Minnesota (section)

===Prohibition era===
During [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]], Holdingford earned the title of "moonshine capital of Minnesota".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.saukherald.com/articles/2014/04/22/minnesota-13-author-be-herald-booth-during-lno | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308043210/http://www.saukherald.com/articles/2014/04/22/minnesota-13-author-be-herald-booth-during-lno | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | title=Minnesota 13 author to be at Herald booth during LNO | work=Sauk Centre Herald | date=22 April 2014 | access-date=9 August 2015 }}</ref><ref>Vincent A. Yzermans (1985), ''The Ford in the River'', ''The Catholic Community of Holdingford''. Page 141-161.</ref> According to historian Elaine Davis, this was because [[organized crime]] figures from the [[Twin Cities]], [[Chicago]], and [[Kansas City]], made frequent trips to the Holdingford area to purchase [[Minnesota 13]]; a very high quality [[moonshine]] distilled locally by [[Polish-American|Polish-]] and [[German-American]] farmers with the collusion of corrupt local politicians and law enforcement.<ref>Elaine Davis (2007), ''Minnesota 13: Wet, Wild Prohibition Days'', pages 87-95.</ref>

In October 1923, four Stearns County residents, including mobbed up [[County Commissioner]] Val Herman, were arrested by [[Bureau of Prohibition|Federal Prohibition Enforcement]] Agents following an extremely violent car chase between the Pitzl Brewery in [[New Munich, Minnesota|New Munich]] and Holdingford. The other suspects were Stanley Dobis of [[St. Anna, Minnesota|St. Anna]], as well as Albin Bohmer and Joseph Sigmeth of [[Avon, Minnesota]]. All were held in [[Minneapolis]] pending trial on Federal charges of violating the [[Volstead Act]].<ref>"Prominent Stearns County Men Arrested", ''[[St. Cloud Times]]'', October 19, 1923.</ref>

According to local historian Fr. Vincent A Yzermans, during the [[Prohibition era]], "a popular little ditty was being sung and hummed along the highways and byways of Holding Township":
:"Mother makes brandy from cherries;
:Pop distills whiskey and gin;
:Sister sells wine from the grapes on our vine -- 
:Good grief, how the money rolls in!"<ref>Vincent A. Yzermans (1985), ''The Ford in the River'', ''The Catholic Community of Holdingford''. Page 149.</ref>

In June 1933, Clarence Olson, alias Tuffy, a bootlegger and gangster based in [[Eagle Bend, Minnesota]] who, according to ''[[The Long Prairie Leader]]'', "has long had a reputation as a liquor runner and hijacker and who has been claimed by many to be the toughest man between Minneapolis and [[Duluth]]", met his destiny in a Holdingford area gunfight. After arriving with two associates at the farmhouse of Holdingford bootleggers Joseph and Anthony Dzierweczynski to buy 85 gallons of [[Minnesota 13]], [[Tuffy Olson]] first announced that the Dzierweczynskis would now be paid in cash. Then, however, Tuffy Olson and his enforcer Harley Buchan drew their sidearms and announced that they intended to take to 85 gallons of moonshine for free. Joseph Dzierweczynski, however, managed to flee the room and returned with a loaded shotgun. As he and Buchan fled back to their escape vehicle, Tuffy Olson received two fatal shotgun blasts in the back. Following an investigation by the Stearns and Todd County Sheriff's Departments, Tuffy's two surviving enforcers and the Dzierweczynski brothers were both arrested pending criminal charges.<ref>Vincent A. Yzermans (1985), ''The Ford in the River'', ''The Catholic Community of Holdingford''. Pages 155-156.</ref>

According to the ''Long Prairie Leader'', "Tuffy Olson has for years had a reputation of being a booze runner who has had many conflicts with the law. At the time of his death, a Federal charge of illegal possession of liquor was hanging over his head, the trial being scheduled for later in the year. It is alleged that he peddled liquor at dance halls over a wide area and other rumors credit him with having hijacked many liquor runners in this section of the State."<ref>Vincent A. Yzermans (1985), ''The Ford in the River'', ''The Catholic Community of Holdingford''. Page 156.</ref>