MURDER MEN OF CHICAGO

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1930, Page 8

MURDER MEN OF CHICAGO

{By EDGAR WALLACE IN “Daily Mail.”) 111. The iwlustralisecl village of Cicero, which lies on the outskirts of that rather uninteresting suburb of Chicago, was “wide open.” Torrio had his bars, his immortal houses, and his slot machines—interesting gambling devices which pay the owner enormous dividends.

There was another man in Cicero, one ltd. Tancl, a local vice magnate, who resented this intrusion. He was by far the ugliest and toughestlooking customer that ever ran a gang. A fortnight after the killing of O'Banion the Torrio-Capone combination dealt with Tancl in front of his inn, and Tancl ceased to be an interesting figure except to the local mortuary keeper. Unfortunately for them, the two men who shot him, Myles O’Donnell and James Doherty, were recognised, arrested, and tried. They were, of course, acquitted. This murder had a remarkable sequel. The man who prosecuted the two was William McSwiggin, the Assistant State Attorney. It wa-s he who tried ostensibly to send Doherty to the rope. Nearly three years later Doherty and McSwiggin drove together to Cicero, and before one of the most infamous of the Capone inns these two and a saloon keeper were riddled with bullets. Nobody was convicted; it was one of those unfortunate happenings which intrude upon the daily life ol gangdom.

SANCTUARY IN PRISON. In the meantime Dion O’Banion had been succeeded by one Hymie Weiss, wlio was a Pole, a murderer, a burglar, almost everything that was evil. Rightly or wrongly, Hymie deemed that the O’Banion murder was organised by Torrio, and went out arter him. Of John Torrio it was said that “he could dish it out but lie could not take it.” A car drew alongside bis and a nisi Hade of bullets swept the machine. The chauffeur was killed, but Tort... escaped A second attempt followed almost immediately. As he entered the back of his house he was again lirod upon and this time a bullet broke his jaw and he was rushed t< the hospital, leaving not so much foi the immediate consequence!-; of Jiis wound, which was by no means fatal as for the ultimate results; for tin gangster who is in earnest rubs hi bullets with garlic, which is supposed to produce blood poisoning. While lie lay in hospital lie iva 1 guarded by two policemen. Outsuh the hospital there was another guard of gangsters. Torrio was scared. He waA at the moment on bail while lie was appealing from a conviction under the liquor laws; be surrendered himself to serve twelve months to which lie had been sentenced, and was sent to the most comfortable prison—lie chose it himself.

BULLET-PROOF CELL. Here lie had bullet-proof shields put over his cell windows so that he could not be shot from the outside, and he added to these black blinds so that uis outline could not be seen. Furthermore, ho hired two deputy marshals to guard the prison. When his time was up he was carried in a closed car with a friendly escort into the unknown. Some people think that he is living in America, others say that lie has gone back to Italy. He knew when to go.

The command of the gang fell automatically to Scarfacc Al—to me not only the most sinister but the most amusing of the gang leaders. Scarf ace “doesn’t want trouble.” He lias proved again and again that lie would send a fortune to avoid it. Hymie Weiss did want trouble. He went out in a car to Cicero looking for Capone, and sprayed the front of bis house with machine-gun bullets. An innocent bystander, a woman, lost ..ie sight of her eye. Capone sent her live thousand dollars as compensation, though his gunmen were not respons’ble for the injury. I doubt very much whether those gangsters immediately under Capone’s command ever pursued an offensive policy. Vengeance was in the hands oi the Gennas and their two private killers, Scijlisi and Anseimi. The initiative remained with Hymie Weiss, who sent his men far and wide to avenge O’Ban ion’s death . The Gennas bad their own feud, Angelo was killed early in 1925; lie was shot in bis car, and this was probably the cause of the terrific outburst of murder crimes which immediately followed. The Genna gang came out one day, four of them, Michael Genua, Anseimi and Scabs!, and an unknown gangster, and being recognised were ebased by a police car. They were speeding at a terrific pace, when both cars skidded on the road and came to a standstill.

Policemen Olson leaped out of the pursuing ear and was short dead. Detective Walsh fell, riddled., by bis side. The third detective was desperately wounded. The fourth of the policemen snatched up the guns of bis fallen comrades and started in after fbe four, who were running. He got Alike Genna twice before the wild man leaped into a cellar, blazing away at

his pursuer. He was not dead when Detective Sweeney came up with him, had strength enough indeed to kick u.e ambulance man in the face lielore he was removed to the mortuary. Scnlisi and Anseimi were captured red-handed. The State Attorney thundered promises of summary justice, talked of the rope and of death—but nothing came of it. While they were awaiting trial, Tony Genua, his brother, was shot down. He is remarkable as the only gangster who has ever squawked. “Who shot you, Tony? asked his girl, sitting at his bedside. He turned bis glazing eyes on her md whispered: “Get the Cava Hero!” It was a year later before the Cavalloro, who had various other names, “got his.”

raising a defence fund

The remaining Gennas rallied to the support of their two gunmen. Little Italy was blackmailed and bludgeoned and shot into contributing to the hundred thousand dollar defence, fund. The Gennas’ brother-in-law was killed for refusing to contribute more than £2OOO. Samoots Amatuna, a man with a record of murder, protested against the extortion and was shot dead in a barber’s chair while he was waiting for & shave. A rich wine merchant whose contribution was regarded as inadequate was “taken for a ride” and left dead on the road. It was as difficult to get a jury as ,t was easy to get counsel for the defence. An Irish lawyer laid down in court the following illuminating argument :

“If a police officer detains you, even tor a moment, against your will, and you kill him, you are not guilty of murder. If the policeman uses force of arms, you may kill him in self defence and the law cannot harm you." When Scalisi and Anseimi were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years they laughed aloud. They did not serve 14 years, because the Illinois Supreme Court ordered a new trial and they were acquitted. It was during the first trial that another Irish lawyer produced evidence that the Gennas were paving B,OGO dollars a month to the police, 200 of whom belonged to one station, two squads from the central office, and one from the State Attorney’s office. Which was true. From 15 to 20 per c-ent. of the Chicago police force were in the pay ol gangsters, not to condone or assist in murder, but to facilitate the “booze” traffic. Illinois voted against prohibition—it was forced on the State against .its will. Like New Turk, the State will do nothing, to enforce the law; rather does it connive at its evasion.