by Mary Alice Oliver
The first week of April 1957 was a time of excitement and disbelief for many residents of Bowling Green and Warren County. It was not because of April Fools Day but because this is the week a capricious flow of cash made its appearance in Whiskey Run.
Late Thursday afternoon, Tommy Smith was beside the storm drainage system near his home on Brown Street. Suddenly, he spotted three twenty dollar bills floating in the water. He retrieved these water soaked treasures from the sewer and reported his find to his mother. Mrs. Smith immediately notified the police department. That was the beginning of a massive hunt by hundreds of individuals all along the city water drainage system for more currency.
One section of Bowling Green’s water drainage system was commonly known as Whiskey Run. Its name is reported to be from the days of prohibition when bootleggers would empty their whiskey in the open drainage ditch to prevent being arrested for illegal fire water. For years Bowling Green used a combined open sewer for water drainage and sanitary sewer system. In the early 1930s all parts of the city were connected to a new sanitary sewer system and Whiskey Run was used for rain water only.
The storm drainage system was covered in parts of the city but in 1957 much of it was open. As the water poured off Tenth Street and Eleventh Street, it was channeled into a culvert on Park Street. From this culvert the water made its way under the city and appeared in an open ditch beside the Pioneer Cemetery on State Street. From there it proceeded forward to the L&N overpass, to Gordon Avenue, into an open field in Delafield and finally to the Barren River.
On Wednesday, April 3, Bowling Green had one of its heaviest rain falls. Over four inches of rain fell and was flushed through the water ways. This deluge is believed to have released a stash of cash someone must have hidden in a culvert. Whiskey Run became the new home for this hoard of money. This open area soon became the scene of hundreds of searchers as the news about money in the drainage system spread from person to person. Individuals were finding five dollar bills, ten dollar bills, twenty dollar bills and even one hundred dollar bills. All of the currency was wet, some damaged, but most was in good condition.
The police department monitored the exploration activity but did not try to prevent the frenzy search of the water way. In some areas the “law of the jungle” was evidenced as older youth would shakedown the younger treasure hunters. In most locations, however, the search was orderly but frantic. Hundreds roamed the area wanting to be in on the unexpected bonanza. Some adults and children were even using flashlights to scour the covered areas of the dry ditch. There is no record of anyone searching the Barren River where Whiskey Run finally empties. When the activity became less productive, residents could still be seen stalking the uncovered parts of the drainage ditch.
Police Chief Murrell Waddle encouraged searchers to register their finds with his office so the serial numbers could be recorded and used to possibly trace the money’s origin. Boyce White of Riverside was one citizen who registered his retrieved hundred dollar bill with the police department. Only a small portion of the finds was registered because rumors were circulating among the searchers. It was believed the police would confiscate any money found. Actually the department had no authority to do so. All citizens were encouraged to register but to wait a few days before spending the salvaged currency or exchanging it at the banks for undamaged bills.
The police department registered over one thousand dollars with the F.B.I. It was estimated that between $4000 and $5000 dollars were eventually retrieved from the drainage system. Some estimates went as high as $10,000 but that was not considered valid. There was no way to accurately account for the total found by the public.
The Whiskey Run treasure hunt received state and national attention. The question on everyone’s mind was, “Where did this money come from?” It had to be placed in the culverts by someone but when and who was the subject of concern.
A possible answer to the question may have been found in the small community of Orlinda, Tennessee. In 1949 Woodward Henderson and his brother, Albert “Squeaky” Henderson robbed the local bank of approximately $4000 dollars. They escaped safely with the loot and it was several weeks before they were apprehended. Albert Henderson had previously served prison for bank robbery and had been sentenced a second time for robbing a supermarket in Hopkinville. Naturally, the investigation centered on the Henderson brothers. When caught it was proved the brothers had robbed the bank at Orlinda but they did not reveal the location of the money confiscated.
The eruption of money along Whiskey Run is another of many events that have added spice to the lives of Bowling Green citizens. Though a minor event it has illustrated again that “Bowling Green is the place to be.”
(Note: The pictures with this article are staged facsimiles of actual events.)
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