Scott County Historical Society

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kathleen Klehr, Executive Director [email protected] (952) 445-0378

Augie’s Secrets: The Minneapolis Mob and the King of the Hennepin Strip Guest Speaker Neal Karlen Scott County Historical Society 7:00 p.m. October 10, 2013

SHAKOPEE, MN (9-19-2013) — The Scott County Historical Society welcomes guest speaker author Neal Karlen at its annual meeting 7pm, October 10, 2013. Mr. Karlen will present “Augie’s Secrets: The Minneapolis Mob and the King of the Hennepin Strip”. “In a few blocks between the swanky clubs and restaurants on Eighth Street and the sleazy flophouses and bars of the Gateway District, the city’s shakers-and-movers and shake- down artists mingled. Gangsters and celebrities, comedians and politicians, the rich and the famous and the infamous —all of them met at Augie’s: Jimmy Hoffa, Henny Youngman, Kid Cann, John Dillinger, Jack Dempsey... Augie Ratner knew everyone, and everyone knew and liked Augie, and they told him everything.” Neal’s presentation is approximately 45 minutes in length followed by time for questions and discussion.

The SCHS Annual Meeting begins with an open house at 6:00pm, followed by a brief business meeting at 6:30pm, and author Neal Karlen presentation at 7pm. $4/adult, $2/student, FREE for SCHS members.

“I started more than 25 years ago, getting Kid Cann's FBI files and beginning to poke around whenever I came back to Minneapolis to visit from New York. And nobody wanted to talk. Too many of the principals were still alive, those who knew what had happened totally clammed up. And then, a couple years ago, people started talking. I guess you reach an age where you just don't care anymore — when you're nearing death, and you know it, somehow secrets from 30, 40, or 50 years ago don't seem that important anymore. I just got lucky in that when I started in earnest on the book, a lot of people were in that weird existential place where you know your time is limited on this planet, but you are still in touch with all your old memories — probably better than you are with what happened today — and you want to tell.” (MinnPost http://www.minnpost.com/books/2013/04/neal-karlen-stirs-mobster-ghosts-hennepin-avenue)

For more information, please call: 952-445-0378. Visit us online at www.scottcountyhistory.org, or www.facebook.com/scottcountyhistoricalsociety. Scott County Historical Society, 235 Fuller St. South, Shakopee, MN 55379