Wide Open Evansville, 2nd Edition

What began as a genealogy search grew into an in-depth examination of a fascinating period in Evansville's history when Indiana instituted prohibition while Kentucky, just across the Ohio River, did not. Evansville was a brewery town with a strong German culture at the time, and it struggled to stay away from liquor. It earned a reputation of being wide open when its Chief of Police, Edgar Schmitt, was prosecuted in the 1920 Evansville whiskey ring conspiracy.

The author is the great-grandson of Evansville Police Captain Andy Friedle, the officer in charge of the infamous police "booze boat" which was used for bootlegging. This authentic account covers the forgotten details of the story and reveals things that were never brought to light.

Readers can finally learn the truth about this historic event and find answers to key questions, such as who was involved. The author's remarkable insight into this period provides a unique window into the past, revealing a complex and intriguing narrative that will captivate readers from start to finish.