In 1920, William “Puss” Meinert, former Evansville Superintendent of Street Repairs, didn’t let a jail sentence slow him down. While serving time for violating liquor laws, he ran an underground poker operation right from the 3rd floor of the Marion County Jail! After deputies found and confiscated several decks of cards, new decks were obtained by lowering a sack out of a window and then hauling up the sack by a string. Meinert had a hidden table covered with a blanket, invited other inmates to play, and collected a “rake-off” from the pot. Despite claiming he was just following orders from the cell boss, he organized the games, set up the chairs, and made sure everyone got in on the action. A former prisoner, testified that he had lost $60 on the games while a prisoner in jail. Another testified that he was $4.15 ahead in the game when, after a five-week run, the scheme was busted. Meinert was fined $250 and given another 10 days in jail. Remarkably, just two years later, he was back working for Evansville’s street department under Mayor Bosse!