Ed Helms

Stories have been swirling in the press about the Bureau's violence, its corruption, its cruel and casual approach to mass poisoning. Which means that when Duran sits down to talk about funding his agency, he finds himself in a defensive posture. Partway through, the congressman from New York, deliciously named Mr. Robert Bacon, decides to make Duran answer the kinds of questions he usually ducks.

Stories have been swirling in the press about the Bureau's violence, its corruption, its cruel and casual approach to mass poisoning. Which means that when Duran sits down to talk about funding his agency, he finds himself in a defensive posture. Partway through, the congressman from New York, deliciously named Mr. Robert Bacon, decides to make Duran answer the kinds of questions he usually ducks.

Bacon presses him on whether or not the people in New York were killed by his formulas, the ones that pumped lethal toxins into the industrial alcohol supply. In other words, did he sacrifice these people on the altar of prohibition? Let me just say personally, I love this moment. It's like, yeah, we're finally going to get it all from the horse's mouth.

Bacon presses him on whether or not the people in New York were killed by his formulas, the ones that pumped lethal toxins into the industrial alcohol supply. In other words, did he sacrifice these people on the altar of prohibition? Let me just say personally, I love this moment. It's like, yeah, we're finally going to get it all from the horse's mouth.

I know we're back in the 1920s, but the drama of this moment, it's what I love about history. It's why we do this damn podcast. As Deborah Blum says.

I know we're back in the 1920s, but the drama of this moment, it's what I love about history. It's why we do this damn podcast. As Deborah Blum says.

So true, Deborah. With the screws finally being put to Duran, would citizens finally get answers for the deaths of their loved ones? Would Duran, or anyone else for that matter, finally be held accountable for the Treasury Department's deadly poisoning scheme? I'm Ed Helms, and this is Snafu, a show about history's greatest screw-ups. This is Season 3, the story of Formula 6.

So true, Deborah. With the screws finally being put to Duran, would citizens finally get answers for the deaths of their loved ones? Would Duran, or anyone else for that matter, finally be held accountable for the Treasury Department's deadly poisoning scheme? I'm Ed Helms, and this is Snafu, a show about history's greatest screw-ups. This is Season 3, the story of Formula 6.

How prohibition's war on alcohol went so off the rails, the government wound up poisoning its own people. In our final episode, James Duran faces a reckoning, first in Congress and then for his career. Along the way, his Prohibition boys finally catch George Cassidy. But that slippery George has one more trick up his sleeve.

How prohibition's war on alcohol went so off the rails, the government wound up poisoning its own people. In our final episode, James Duran faces a reckoning, first in Congress and then for his career. Along the way, his Prohibition boys finally catch George Cassidy. But that slippery George has one more trick up his sleeve.

As the Great Depression pushes Prohibition off center stage, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler take stock. And so do we. In the U.S. Senate mailroom, a new clerk is sorting the day's incoming letters. It's the spring of 1930, another election year. There's plenty of mail flying in and out as senators coordinate their campaigns. But this new clerk can't stay focused on his work.

As the Great Depression pushes Prohibition off center stage, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler take stock. And so do we. In the U.S. Senate mailroom, a new clerk is sorting the day's incoming letters. It's the spring of 1930, another election year. There's plenty of mail flying in and out as senators coordinate their campaigns. But this new clerk can't stay focused on his work.

He keeps looking up, watching the flow of people coming into the building. He's got his eyes peeled for one thing in particular. He's looking for a green hat. He's looking for George Cassidy. As George's son says, So this guy had it out for dad, and he wanted him bad. The clerk job? It's a ruse. Just a cover.

He keeps looking up, watching the flow of people coming into the building. He's got his eyes peeled for one thing in particular. He's looking for a green hat. He's looking for George Cassidy. As George's son says, So this guy had it out for dad, and he wanted him bad. The clerk job? It's a ruse. Just a cover.

The guy's name is Roger Butts, and he's a young prohibition agent on his first big assignment. He's just 20 years old, but he's been specially assigned to catch, and I quote, the man in the green hat. You gotta admit, your brand is strong when even the haters are using your handle. Duran's Prohibition Bureau is making one final play to bring him down.

The guy's name is Roger Butts, and he's a young prohibition agent on his first big assignment. He's just 20 years old, but he's been specially assigned to catch, and I quote, the man in the green hat. You gotta admit, your brand is strong when even the haters are using your handle. Duran's Prohibition Bureau is making one final play to bring him down.

The mailroom charade goes on for a while, but just scanning government offices for suspicious behavior isn't getting him anywhere. So Butts gets off his duff and takes action. He starts asking around.

The mailroom charade goes on for a while, but just scanning government offices for suspicious behavior isn't getting him anywhere. So Butts gets off his duff and takes action. He starts asking around.

Yep, according to his own testimony, Butts is, and I quote, in search of some whoopee. One of those W words spelled with an H. I love those. Whiskey. While. Whatever. Someone eventually obliges and introduces Butts to Cassidy two days later in the Senate stationary room. Butts squares George up and determines he matches the physical description he was given by the Prohibition Bureau.

Yep, according to his own testimony, Butts is, and I quote, in search of some whoopee. One of those W words spelled with an H. I love those. Whiskey. While. Whatever. Someone eventually obliges and introduces Butts to Cassidy two days later in the Senate stationary room. Butts squares George up and determines he matches the physical description he was given by the Prohibition Bureau.