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The editor is John Ryan at email: perugazette@gmail.com. The Peru Gazette is a free community, education and information website. It is non-commercial and does not accept paid advertising.

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New Book on Bootlegging, Prohibition in Northern New York

Peru, N.Y., November 29—Bloated Toe Publishing has released a new nonfiction book, “Bullets, Booze, Bootleggers, and Beer: The Story of Prohibition in Northern New York, Volume 1: 1920–1926” (8 x 10, hard cover, 472 pp, $32), by award-winning author Lawrence P. Gooley. The book chronicles in detail the first seven years of the Prohibition Era. Volume 2 (1927–1933) will follow in 2020 as America marks the 100th anniversary of Prohibition.

The new title, covering from Lake Ontario to Lake Champlain, and from the New York-Canada border south to the Capital Region, features stunning revelations about pervasive alcohol smuggling, high levels of lawlessness, the corruption of lawmen from multiple organizations, and daily gunplay. Bootleggers and innocent citizens alike were fired upon indiscriminately by officers, resulting in carnage—serious injuries and many deaths—for what were often misdemeanor violations. Murder and manslaughter charges pitted local officials against the federal government in hopeless battles for justice.

Also included are reputed Bootleg Kings, humorous incidents, ingenious smuggling techniques, hundreds of speakeasies, thousands of arrest stories, and more. The book is available online from Bloated Toe’s North Country Store (www.northcountrystore.com) plus several Adirondack stores and Kinney Drug outlets.

Gooley has authored 22 other books on northern New York history, including five regional best sellers. All were produced by Bloated Toe Publishing, which he operates with his wife, Jill C. Jones. The company has published more than 80 titles, and was cited in 2012 by the Adirondack Center for Writing for “a great job publishing outstanding books by regional authors.