John Oswald Leslie Spracklin (called Leslie; December 4, 1886 – May 1960) a Methodist minister from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, noted for his involvement with Prohibition issues. Spracklin shot and killed a man who was engaged in the illicit liquor trade and was later acquitted of manslaughter, after which experience he decided to emigrate to the United States. Background In 1918, Spracklin took up the pastoral charge of Sandwich Methodist Church, Windsor. He was noted for the eloquence of his rhetorical style. Spracklin's ministry occurred during a period when Prohibition — which was especially promoted by the United Farmers of Ontario' Provincial Government — was regarded as a pressing issue by Spracklin and many of his parishioners and supporters. Dubious supporters These supporters included the brothers W. H. and S. M. Hallam, who, in the Windsor area, were known less for their religious observance than for their muscular activities in support of questionable causes. The Hallams thus joined Spracklin in Ontario Attorney-General William Raney's Prohibition enforcement team, as part of the Attorney-General's policy of bypassing the regular police forces in favour of using sub-contracted, private groups of enforcers. This varied component recruited by Spracklin was subsequently to cause William Raney considerable embarrassment. Geographical context of the Detroit River to Spracklin's ministry The proximity of the United States' border to the Sandwich suburb of Windsor, Ontario, where Spracklin fulfilled his ministry, and the huge cross-border trade - legal and illicit - gave heightened focus to the concerns and activities of Spracklin and his zealous followers. This proximity undoubtedly bore relevance also to Spracklin's eventual emigration. Prohibition controversies and events of 1920 On August 26, 1920, the cruiser Eugenia, was stopped in the Detroit River after the speedboat Panther II, with Spracklin and his associate W. H. Hallam on board, fired on the cruiser; nine men were arrested and accused of attempting to smuggle whiskey into the US. It was reported also on August 27, 1920 that Spracklin had accused the mayor of Amherstburg, W. Fred Park, of harbouring large quantities of alcohol; Mayor Park was subsequently fined $1000.00. Ministerial benevolence doubted It was claimed that the pastor was not distinguishing between his spiritual and alcohol inspection duties. Complaints abounded. To skeptics, his enforcers seemed not to act with adequate restraint or oversight. A Windsor, Ontario lawyer claimed that Spracklin's men, allegedly exceeding their proper duty, would arbitrarily fill in blank search warrants