◆ SpookStack

3) a A fo ete apes a vomemnmmnemtmsen ag te eee 8. LIQUOR’ LORDS generally knew all the facts, but seldom had any proof for conviction. The cases in New York of Arnold Rothstein and “Legs” Diamond were National Scan- dals. Among the first dramatic mystery murders to at- tract Nation-wide attention was that of Jim Colosimo at his widely known Cafe on Wabash Avenue, Chicago. He was popular, a free giver to charity. In Gangdom he was known as a Chicago leader of Liquor interests. All that ever became public of the Crime, was that Colosimo hurried in response to a mysterious Tele- phone call. A few minutes later he was found with several bullets in his head. No one was ever tried for his death, Similar mysteries followed in quick succession in the larger cities. Chicago newspapers’ featured the crimes of the followers of liquor Lords to such an ex- tent that Public interest attached to them an atmos- phere of romance, awaiting impatiently every issue of the favorite Daily Paper as do the readers of con- tinued fiction in Periodicals. Alphonso Capone and John Torrio, not long from New York, replaced Colosimo in the Newspapers. Every crime committed, every “ride” on which lead- ers were taken to their death, every “spot” on which someone was placed to be riddled with machine gun bullets was blamed on some Over-Lord or a rival. - Soup kitchens and Bread lines during the worst 6 a ee THE MARCH OF CRIME conditions of unemployment also were credited to “money supplied by Capone. Charges were published ‘of forced contributions from Chain Stores for this purpose. If fiction writers had previously circulated such horrible murder details being related as daily news items, public nausea would have relegated them to oblivion. Early morning extras announced one morning that Assistant State’s Attorney William H. McSwiggin was killed and his body found in’a street in Ci¢ero. Two men-whom he had unsuccessfully tried for mur- der of a liquor lord were also killed in a car in Cicero about the same time. All the police could learn was that 200 bullets were fired from Machine Guns in a passing automobile. “Who killed McSwiggin?” was a question asked for months. ' Murder followed murder, but the death of O’Banion . in his North State St. Chicago flower shop landed on Page One of newspapers all over the country. Many “rides” were taken in avenging him.