Columbus, Indiana, isn’t all that wicked

“Athens on the Prairie they call this mecca of architecture …Columbus, Indiana.

Yes, Columbus is a fine city. I’ve lived in it the past seven years, and have lived within a 40-minute drive of it since 1994.

But, as with any location, Columbus has seen a few unsavory sorts, its share of difficult times and just pure bad luck.

Those exceptions are what The History Press has asked me to write about in a book tentatively titled “Wicked in Columbus, Indiana.”

I’ve been collecting ideas for the book and think I have enough to eventually produce 35,000 words of exquisite copy. The Wicked books typically feature about a dozen or so lighter crimes such as political corruption, con men, quack medicine, prostitution and red light districts with a few murders thrown in.

So, I’ve gone into research mode once again, just like I did when delving for information for my 2012 debut book, “Murder in Wauwatosa: The Mysterious Death of Buddy Schumacher.” Fortunately, the digging should be much easier as I won’t have to drive to Wisconsin every time I want to scan some microfilm.

I’ll keep everyone updated on progress as I move along.