On a chilly Milwaukee morning on December 17, 1925, Federal Judge Geiger delivered a stern verdict to Kenosha County’s roadhouse owners, effectively shutting down 11 establishments with the stroke of his pen. The temporary padlock injunctions, signed by Judge Geiger, aimed to dry up the county’s notorious nightlife by New Year’s Eve. The targeted saloons and roadhouses – The Royal Palace, Pete’s Place, Maple Inn, Barney Google Inn, John Schmidts hotel and saloon, Frank Burts Shack, Frank Martin’s Place, Eagle Inn, Louis Preganzer’s, Philip Levandowski’s, and Fritz and Kramer’s Camp Lake – were ordered to appear in court on December 28, 1925, to justify why their padlocks shouldn’t be made permanent. This bold move marked a turning point in the struggle against Kenosha’s thriving but illicit entertainment scene. The question on everyone’s mind was: how long would these establishments be able to stay open in the face of the law?
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Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Organized Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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