◆ SpookStack

Once & member of the Saltis mob, Prankie is now reported hustling beer for “Spike” O'Donnell, a Saitis enemy, . Prankie MacEarlane, Gangdom’s most ruthless -iiler. was in a greatly weakened condition, but the trial didn’t last long. No witnesses could be produced who had seen Maloney and the .88 together, and he was acquitted. Although Maloney lived longer, he did not make any more public appearances with his .38, so we will bring his career to a close here. Early in 1929 he was sent to a hospital as the result of an automobile accident, in which he had + attempted to Kkmoeck an interurban train off its track, In the hospital he contracted pneumonia, an enemy which no .88 could beat back no matter how deftly handled, and George Maloney, killer de luxe, died on May 6, 1930, at the age of 38. While “Bubs” and Maloney were regaling the South Side with gun-play, William “Klon- dike” O’Donnell was carrying on the West Side tradition for toughness. “Klondike,” as we have chronicled, had surrounded himself with men so tough that he frequently saw fit to con- vince them that, while they were tough, he was much tougher, very much tougher. At this period “Klondike” was particularly troubled over the out- side activities of George “Red” Barker, Mike Reilly, George Clifford, Frank “Si” Cawley and Thomas McElligot. Barker, a slugger for union officials in Chicago Iabor wars, had served a peni- tentiary sentence for his activities as a fist-stinger and terrorist. On his release he joined the “Klon- dike” moband found beer-running child’s play. With plenty of extra time on his hands “Red” conceived the idea of appropriating a few unions for himself, an idea which he disclosed to the other afore- mentioned four, who were enthusiastic. Presently these five very tough boys had ousted the officials of the coal teamsters and hikers union, and were now laying plans for appropriating control of the Mid-West Garage Owners’ Association. This in- volved driving out Dave Albian, alias “Cock-eyed Mulligan.” It was a hard job but they did it. A certain garage owner decided however that he would not get upon the Barker bandwagon, and one night while “Red” and his playmates were gunning for the recalcitrant one, they shot a gar- age attendant to death and severely wounded a policeman who had interferred, Eventually George went back to the penitentiary, not for the murder and shooting, but for violating his parole by leaving the state. He had fled to California. Well, with “Red” in Joliet, “Klondike” fell into a huddle over the matter and decided that now would be a good time to show “Red” how tough he was. He became determined on this course following the crazy murder on March 15, 1929, of William J. Vercoe by George Clifford. The murder occurred in the Pony Inn, 5613 West Roosevelt, scene of the Mc- Swiggin assassination. Vercoe, known as “a clown for the hoodlums,” loved to recite blood-and- - thunder verse for the amusement of his gangster friends. On this occasion, Vercoe, well-plastered, ' stood at the bar reciting a certain verse in which one line was “You’re a coward.” When Vercoe came to this he unwittingly pointed to Mr. Clifford, who with Mike Reilly was drinking at the bar, and Mr. Clifford cried out, “who’s a coward?” and before Mr. Vercoe could say “I didn’t mean you,” Mr. Clifford had shot and killed Mr. Vercoe. Well, this was too tough, and on April 14, 1929, Clifford and his bosom pal, Mike Reilly, went on a long, long ride. Their bodies were dumped in the alley behind theHawthorne Hotel in Cicero. On May 29, 1929, somebody else beat them to Thomas MeElligot. He was killed in the basement of a Loop saloon. On Sep- tember 4, the end came for Mr. Frank “Si” Cawley, who was also taken for a ride. George “Red” Barker, released from the peniten- tiary later ‘on, was a very pte eet =a much convinced man, and he is still believed well and healthy as a devoted “Klon- dike” henchman.