Emilio Picariello was a hardworking family man. He also had a nose for business. He wasn’t born in Alberta, but that didn’t stop him from running one of the province’s most successful illegal businesses of his day. But 100 years ago today, he did something that would bring his whole empire crashing down.
Born in Capriglia Irpina, Italy, Emilio immigrated to the United States in 1899 and eventually settled down in Toronto, Canada in 1902.
He worked as an electrician and labourer in Toronto until he had enough money to buy an Italian grocery store. He had seven children with his wife, Maria Marucci, who he married in 1900.
It wasn’t until 1911 that Emilio began heading toward Western Canada. During this time, he moved to Fernie, British Columbia where he worked in a macaroni factory.
But he had bigger dreams than macaroni could bankroll. Emilio went on to rent this factory from its owner to serve his own purposes.
Instead of rolling macaroni noodles, Emilio began hiring women to roll cigars. Emilio also had a sweet side and began selling ice cream in 1916.
His business was so successful that he opened parlours in Trail and Blairmore, BC. However, Emilio’s fortune wasn’t made off of cigars and ice cream.
He had kids to feed, and he knew where the money was. As another form of payment, Emilio let his customers buy his products using bottles. He would then sell these bottles to drink bottling companies.
It wasn’t long before Emilio was making some serious money. He bought the Blairmore Hotel, where he became a local figure and earned his reputation as the “Bottle King.” But the locals knew him as Emperor Pick.
But it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for the Picariello family. During Alberta’s prohibition, Emilio made his profits by moving alcohol through the Crowsnest Pass.
In 1918, Alberta outlawed the importation of alcohol, forcing Emilo to continue his operations in the shadows. Totally illegal, by the way. But hey, folks in Alberta wanted booze and he was going to make sure they got it.
On September 21, 1922, the Alberta Provincial Police attempted to catch Emilio in the act during one of his bootlegging runs.
While trying to escape, Emilio’s eldest son, Steve Picariello, who was with him at the time, was shot in the hand by Constable Stephen Lawson.
Emilio was unaware that the wound was not fatal and assumed his son had been killed. Driven by his passion as a father, Emilio confronted Lawson and shot him.
That, reader, was a bad idea. It turns out Emilio was a better marksman than Lawson. He was convicted of the constable’s murder.
Emilio, Bottle King of southern Alberta, and his legendary tale of business, family, and bootlegging all came to an end on May 2, 1923, when he was hanged.
