Volsteadland: Introduction

Episode 1 – Introduction

Transcript 

Amy

Hello and welcome to Volstead Land this season, which is the first of I hope many. We will explore the life of the notorious gangster from Minneapolis, MN called Kid Cann. 

We are your hosts. I'm Amy. 

Heather

And I'm Heather. So Amy, why are we here? What started all of this? 

Amy

Well, several years ago, my husband and I were preparing to sell our house in Uptown Minneapolis. 

Our friends/Realtors, a husband and wife team were at our home hosting an open house. The wife, my friend Melissa had a strange experience in the mostly empty home which led to my learning about this. 

Minnesota mobster neither she or I had ever heard of him before this event. Her experience is fascinating and will cover that too but, it led me down a path to learning all about Isadore Blumenfield or Blumenfeld, AKA Kid Cann, AKA a bunch of other aliases… and I thought this story is not well known, but it should be, and I felt like it was just too good not to share. So I decided to create this. 

Heather

Just a disclaimer here: This podcast is not meant to glorify organized crime or this man.  We understand that Kid Cann and his crew caused a lot of pain to a lot of people, and we don't want to downplay that. 

We just found his story really interesting and thought you might, too, whether or not you have ties to Minneapolis. 

Amy

Heather, do you want to give us just a little taste of what we'll be covering in this series? 

Heather

Sure, in the prohibition years of Minneapolis, MN, there was an underworld. Gangs of bootleggers, bandits, sluggers and murderers roamed the streets and conducted their business. One of the most legendary figures of that time was Isadore Blumenfeld. Also known as Kid Cann. He began as a newsboy but grew into the most notorious gangster Minneapolis had ever known, and either a raging psychopath or the nicest guy you've ever met, depending on who you asked.

Volstead Land explores this world. 

Amy

Join us as we journey through this era of prohibition, bootlegging, speakeasies and bank robberies, not to mention corrupt police and government officials, empty promises, and murders. 

What I found so interesting about all of this is how Kid Cann was able to wiggle out of nearly every scrap he got himself into.  

Spoiler alert: It pays to have friends in high places. 

Heather

Our research has been gathered mostly online from articles, forums and newspaper archives, but also from books and first-hand accounts, or at least the passed down stories from first-hand accounts. He was most prolific in the 1920s and 30s, so most of the people associated with him sadly, have since passed. 

Amy

If you or anyone you know have any stories about kid can from your own life, we'd love to hear them, and maybe include them in the podcast…anonymously if you wish, of course. 

Please email us at Volsteadland@collected sounds.com or reach out using the phone number in the show notes (612-424-1684) and leave a voicemail. Don't worry, no one answers that line. We just check voicemails and texts. 

Heather

Also, be sure to check the show notes for links to all our socials as we'll be posting case files, photos and other fun extras. You can find us on your favorite podcast app or on Amazon, Spotify, Stitcher, or Apple Podcasts. 

Amy

We'll end today with the full version of the theme song. This is The Last Prayer (to Isadore Blumenfeld), by Paolo for Lee.  I discovered this song while researching kid can on YouTube, but that's a story for another episode. 

[song plays – lyrics]

The Last Prayer (to Isadore Blumenfeld)

when I was a child I ran for the pimps
‘been in so many towns, so many beds
now I come in town and you lower your looks
I was born from wolves, devour your limbs
I’ll burn your bones!

I’m a fucking Jew’s strongest crime band!
I killed James and Walter, god bless them!
and then one I had even warned twice
then a big slut from east she was infamous
I burned her bones!

one day Meyer came down to the club
then we put on a wondrous gold empire
they all loved so much call me Kid Cann
but they do have left one bad last prayer
a bad last prayer!

Amy

This podcast is produced by Me, Amy and is part of the Collected Sounds Network. 

We hope you will join us for Volstead land coming soon. 

Okie doke!