The Cornbread Mafia: A Homegrown Syndicate's Code of Silence and the Biggest Marijuana Bust in American History

"The state of Kentucky should declare itself the storytelling capital of the nation. The place is brimming with remarkable, colorful stories and some of the most natural storytellers you'll ever meet. James Higdon and his new book, The Cornbread Mafia, are the latest proof of that. This is a tale that is so rich and utterly startling that it's honestly hard to believe in parts. But Higdon's research is smart, and his writing is smooth. He's especially good on the history of this American saga, which may have fallen through the cracks of time without his hard work."

-Ann Hagedorn, author of Wild Ride: The Rise and Fall of Calumet Farms, Inc., America's Premier Horseracing Dynasty

"Who knew Kentuckians take marijuana as seriously as they do bourbon? James Higdon digs deep to document American pot pioneers and their extralegal escapades. Thoroughly researched, The Cornbread Mafia is chock-full of fascinating homegrown history, not to mention a plethora of entertaining anecdotes of illegality. Higdon provides an intimate look at an exceedingly wild bunch of outlaws. Most impressively, he gains exclusive access to Johnny Boone, an eccentric, pot-farming legend and longtime fugitive from the law."

-Jason Ryan, author of Jackpot: High Times, High Seas, and the Sting That Launched the War on Drugs

"Whether you are interested in learning more about a unique chapter of Kentucky's and our nation's history or just want to be entertained, you should read this book. More importantly, though, The Cornbread Mafia is a case study of the effects upon a single tightknit community of the drug laws put in place by successive administrations. Whether you support these laws or oppose them, this book provides a window into how those laws affect real families and their communities. Higdon's book is especially timely, coming on the heels of the Ken Burns documentary, Prohibition, and Ron Paul's presidential campaign."

-Trev Gravson, Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University

A Homegrown Syndicate's Code of Silence and the Biggest Marijuana Bust in American History

JAMES HIGDON

Preface: Tina Tells Ike: "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" . .
. . . vii

PART I

CHAPTER
I: A County Is Born: Catholic Migration, the Civil War, Prohibition and John Dillinger . .
. . . 3

CHAPTER 2:
The Hot Air-Conditioner Incident, the Lebanese Mayor of Lebanon and the Killing of Charlie Stiles
. 32

CHAPTER 3:
The Dark Side of Cornbread, Starring Garland Russell . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 63

CHAPTER 4:
"This Is Some Absolutely Dynamite Pot Here," the Police Said . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . 89

CHAPTERS: Cornbread in the Tropics, the Cops Don't Trust the DEA and Jimmy Bickett Sees Johnny Boone on Television . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . 130

CHAPTER 6:
Growers versus the Drought of 1983, a Rash of Raywick Killings and a Drug Investigation Gone Wrong . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . 150

PART II

CHAPTER 7:
How the Jesuit College at St. Mary's Became the First Private Prison in America . . . . . .
. . . . . . 166

CHAPTER 8:
Johnny Boone Becomes "Mr. Grass" . . . .
. . . . . 200

CHAPTER 9:
The DEA Wants to Know, "Where Did You Get This Lion?" . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . 239

CHAPTER
Io: The "Cornbread" Press Conference . . . . .
. . . . . 265

CHAPTER
I I: "Welcome to the Gladiator Arena" . . . . .
. . . . . 274

CHAPTER 12:
The US Marshals versus James Higdon . . . .
. . . . 304

Notes and Sources . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

Acknowledgments and About the Author . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 376