By David Amoruso
Now just a dilapidated façade, once the place was booming. The William Whiteley Warehouse in Glasgow, Scotland, secretly shipped thousands of cases of Scottish whisky to American bootleggers during Prohibition.
Back then, quality booze sold for top dollar in the United States, and bootleggers with international connections made a killing buying their alcohol in the United Kingdom and shipping it to the U.S. – often via a detour through Canada.
Crime boss Arnold Rothstein was one of the first with the eye and pocket to finance such trips abroad. One of his pupils, Mafia boss Frank Costello, followed in his footsteps. The New York bootlegger was loved by his associates.
“He was a man of his word,” a Canadian smuggler stated. “The guys liked him because he had money to spend and you could trust him. He had the kind of reputation where he could order 8,000 cases of Scotch for delivery in six months, and you’d be sure he’s show up and pay you off on the dot.”
The place where much of Costello’s booze originated from was the William Whiteley Warehouse (above) in Glasgow.
Campaigners looking after the Scottish city’s historic heritage now call for the restoration of the old warehouse. Scotch tycoon John Mcilvogue told The Scottish Sun that: “It’s a hidden gem with an incredible history that should be preserved for future generations.”
The idea is to put a new building behind the crumbling façade.
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Comments
Bit of a coincidence here.I am currently listening to the audio book,Top Hoodlum,the story of the Prime Minister of the underworld,Frank Costello.Less than an hour ago the very same warehouse in Glasgow was mentioned in some detail.