Greg Kowalski Pořadí knih

"Founded in 1798, Hamtramck shrank in size even as it grew in population. Stuffing tens of thousands of people in 2.1 square miles is bound to breed conflict, and many of those conflicts boiled over into murder. Sunday, September 7, 1884, was supposed to be a day of joy for Fritz Krum, whose child was being christened. Instead, it ended in a fatal stabbing. The 1930 killing of police officer Barney Roth in a reputed mob hit drew national attention. The murder of Hamtramck teen Bernice Onisko remains an open case today, more than eighty years after it occurred. Gathering cases from the late nineteenth century to more recent times, prolific local historian Greg Kowalski takes readers on a journey through Hamtramck homicide."--Back cover.

For decades, the city of Hamtramck, MI, has had a legendary association with bars. Its 2.1 square miles was packed at one point with at least 200 bars, clubs and other places that served alcohol in some form. During Prohibition, there were hundreds of speakeasies that openly flaunted the law and played host to the whole metro area's leading political figures and upstanding citizens--as well as murderers and thieves--among many others. Hamtramck's bar scene seemingly was not like anywhere else. Through the decades bars in Hamtramck have served as social centers, power bases for politicians, dens of crime, and red-hot venues for cutting-edge music. With their pervasive presence, the bars became cornerstones of the community. It's a staggering thought but the vast array of bars that has flourished in the city have made a powerful contribution to its character and even its existence. Exploring the history of Hamtramck's bars is a fascinating journey that lays out the character of the community--for better and for worse.

The National Prohibition Act was no match for Hamtramck. Once a small farming village, Hamtramck grew to be a major industrial city in just a decade. With that came enormous social problems and a peculiar concept that the legality of alcohol wasn't a constraint but, rather, an opportunity. Flaunting the infamous law became a way of life in Hamtramck, where it was as easy to get a drink as an ice cream cone. Paddy McGraw proudly ran his speakeasy and brothel with impunity. Mayors Peter Jezewski and Rudolph Tenerowicz were sent to prison for violations but were rewarded by the public. Join author Greg Kowalski as he delves into Hamtramck's raucous prohibition history.