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A true story, Charlie is both historical and creative non-fiction; creative for the addition of dialogue that, in most cases. is speculative. The story follows Charlie Allison's life from youth to death, from farming to mining, to bootlegging, to Chicago where he became acquainted with members of the Torrio/Capone South Side gang. One member in particular, Fred Goetz, alias "Shotgun George Zeigler," was instrumental in Charlie's move to Couderay, Wisconsin where Charlie was caretaker for Goetz's retreat, later known as "The Hideout."
There, Charlie shared hunting fishing, and other experiences with those planning the "St Valentine's Day Massacre." About those men, his wife, Lola, expressed the opinion that they were simply businessmen; men whose business was merely against the law. Otherwise, they were no different from anyone else, she said, with wives and families, same as anyone else.
But more than criminals, the book is about people doing what they had to do during difficult times. Charlie's story covers the rigors of coal mining in Illinois, Capone's support of the disadvantaged through his "soup kitchens," Charlie's competition with rivals as he ran a hotel and soup kitchen while selling bootlegged alcohol for "The Organization," his arrest and jailing. Charlie deals with historical events in relation to WW1, Prohibition, the difficulty and opportunity Charlie Allison found in Alaska during WW2, his loyalty to the men he worked for, and his eventual betrayal of Lola.
The book incudes photos from his family's private collection and supporting sources from FBI memos and newspaper accounts.
