History

Moe W. Smith is one of most famous prohibition agents of his time. He was born in 1887 in New York to Austrian parents, and married Sadie Strauch, a native of Bohemia.  He had one daughter, Estelle, who was born in 1925. Moe Smiths most important contribution is that he was half of the most famous and perhaps the best duo of prohibition duo, Izzy and Moe. Together with his partner, Isidor Izzy Einstein, they were able to bring down more than 4,000 criminals of their time, ranging from bootleggers, illegal bartenders and speakeasy owners. They were able to do so with the use of various disguises, making them the funniest and perhaps the most effective team of prohibition agents.

Agent of the Bureau of Prohibition

    Moe Smith became famous because of his outstanding work as a prohibition agent, along with his partner Izzy Einstein. Prohibition agents belong to the Bureau of Prohibition, a federal law enforcement agency which is tasked to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919. They monitored the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages in the country at that time. Upon its creation, the Bureau of prohibition was merely a part of the Bureau of Internal revenue, but after a few years, it became independent under the Department of the Treasury. Moe Smith and his partner Izzy Einstein had the best arrest record in the history of the agency, and have worked among great names of investigators like Frank Hamer, Tom Threepersons, Pat Roche, and a lot more.

    Prohibition agents at that time were given high regard as law enforcement authorities. They were the ones who made sure that illegal sale of alcoholic beverages and underground operations of speakeasies are shut down and taken care of. Moe Smith and Izzy Einstein were names that brought fear to these wrongdoers.
    Moe Smith started out as a cigar store owner before the Prohibition Act. On the other hand, his partner was a postal clerk in their area. They chose to trade their seemingly normal life to a life of risk and thrill as prohibition agents. Smith and his partner worked from 1920 to 1925. The way they did their job somehow became the gold standard for any kind of law enforcement in the country. Their deeds never go unnoticed, as they attracted the attention of newspapers and other law enforcement officials. Their works were highly publicized because of their unique approach in making their busts and arrests. Moe and Izzy were fond of disguises, donning costumes of cleaning men, fishermen, and even opera singers in order to take down illegal operators and criminals.

Moe and Izzy at work

    Moe Smith and his partner may be making names by doing the right thing and effectively reducing the crime, but they were not able to please everyone. Of course they were feared and hated by the wrong-doers, especially with their disguises and acts. Most of these bootleggers and speakeasy operators are caught unaware, since they wouldnt know that Moe and Izzy were on to them until theyre arrested. Also, other law enforcement officers and their officials didnt like them because they felt they were making a mockery of the agencies and keeping the bribe money out of their pockets. With Moe Smith and his partner doing the right thing, other officers were not able to make the most out of these wrong-doers. Some speakeasy operators in the city were under the protection of other law enforcement officers, but Moe and Izzy never really cared about this. They would just continue to do their job even if theres a conflict of interest with other officials. This is what set them apart for other authorities.

    Most bootleggers and speakeasy operators were able to do business because other officers could be bribed to look the other way. Moe and Izzy were different. They were firm with their resolve, and they will do their duty no matter what.

    What really set them apart for other law enforcement officers and prohibition agents were their creative and one of a kind exploits. By dressing up as a couple or as ranchers, they would be able to enter a bar without drawing any suspicion. They would then be able to order a drink, then just pour it into a funnel in there pocket as evidence, and then tell the bartender that it was a very unfortunate day because they are busting the place. Some of their famous acts include Moe jumping into freezing water so that Izzy could rush him into a speakeasy and ask for a drink for the freezing man, and then bust the bar. They partners also dressed as muddy football players in order to arrest an ice cream vendor who is also selling alcohol in his cart.

    Of the two, Moe oftentimes took the role of straight man, but still he was a very effective agent. His partner Izzy, the chameleon of the duo because of a wide range of disguises, was the front man in all their busts. Both of them were great actors, both seemed to be past their primes, but their accomplishments would disagree. These two made life so miserable for prohibition-law violators, that waiters, bartenders, and speakeasy proprietors feared to sell liquor to anyone if a rumor circulated that they were in the area. The only way to avoid getting arrested by the duo would be to completely shut down the illegal operations as long as they were around. In their 5-year stint as prohibition agents, the statistics would surely speak for themselves. Throughout their career, they were able to make 4,392 arrests, with 95 of these ending in convictions. They were able to confiscate more than 5 million bottles of liquor, a feat that would never be matched by anyone in the Bureau.

The end of an era
    Their career as prohibition agents were abruptly ended in 1925, when they were fired from the service along with 35 other agents. This was a result of the new Prohibition Directors reorganization plans for the bureau. The director, General Lincoln C. Andrews, clearly expressed that he does not like agents who get too much publicity, and threatened that if Moe and Izzy would even appear one in print, they would automatically lose their jobs. The duo toned down their exploits, hiding their activities from public eye. Still, they were fired because of reorganization purposes. There were a lot of speculations regarding this occurrence, but unfortunately, Moe Smith and Izzy Einstein decided to stay off the grid for good. Also, it was ratified by the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement that prohibition cannot be truly accomplished with the active support of the public, along with the cooperation of the States. Even though both men were frequently featured in the papers, the public didnt really give them full support, which could have ultimately led to their demise.

    Moe W. Smith is an important person in the history of law enforcement. Along with his partner, Izzy Einstein, they were able to bring down a record number of criminals who violated the prohibition law in just a span of five years. Their commitment to their task was characterized by their unique approach to law enforcement. They would go to great lengths such as donning disguises and doing acts in order to shut down and arrest speakeasy operators and bootleggers. They never turned a blind eye on crime by accepting deals and bribes from these wrongdoers. Moe Smith is famous because he is a man of integrity, an effective prohibition agent, and a true law enforcement officer.