Samuel R. Caldwell
Samuel R. Caldwell | |
|---|---|
 A photo of Caldwell after his arrest | |
| Born | Feb 11, 1880 |
| Died | June 24, 1941 |
| Occupation | unemployed labourer |
| Conviction(s) | Selling Marijuana |
| Criminal penalty | Fined $1,000 and 4 years hard labor |
Samuel R. Caldwell (February 11, 1880 – June 24, 1941) was the first person convicted of selling marijuana under the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, according to federal files.
Biography
He was born on February 11, 1880. He was arrested on October 2, 1937, the same day that the Marijuana Tax Act was enacted. He was released from prison in 1940. Caldwell died on June 24, 1941.[1]
References
- ^ "The First Pot POW". Retrieved 2011-03-18.
On the day the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act was enacted -- Oct. 2, 1937 -- the FBI and Denver, Colo., police raided the Lexington Hotel and arrested Samuel R. Caldwell, 58, an unemployed labourer and Moses Baca, 26. On Oct. 5, Caldwell went into the history trivia books as the first marijuana seller convicted under U.S. federal law. His customer, Baca, was found guilty of possession.