Federal Prohibition Agent James Edmund Bowdoin, also known as "Pistol Pete," was tragically killed on February 16, 1925, in Caryville, Florida. Bowdoin was conducting a moonshining investigation along the Choctawhatchee River with other agents when they discovered a 10-gallon still on a barge. As they examined the still, another boat arrived carrying three armed suspects. A gunfight ensued, resulting in the deaths of Agent Bowdoin and one of the suspects, Houston Harris.
Two other suspects, Harvey Walker and Sumpter Harris, were wounded during the exchange.
Following the incident, Harvey Walker was charged with the killing of Agent Bowdoin. The news of Bowdoin's death received widespread coverage in Florida, and the public's anger over the incident was so intense that authorities considered deploying state troops to prevent further violence against moonshiners. Bowdoin, who had been appointed a Prohibition Agent in 1924, was known for his skill with firearms, earning him the nickname "Pistol Pete." He was survived by his wife and was buried in Tallahassee, Florida.
