◆ SpookStack

Morgan Collins, Ing kidneping for rensom, tary then throats of opel, torture and deuth. He de at himself « bodyguard © New York for the pur. was abut 3910. ght back m Zysarcla med Johnny Torrio whom wn ag one of the elder e Polnis gang eR IH he ‘eH uman. He nea ty, business sagacity #1 imagination. He Chicago pofice commissioner from 4923 to 1927. On| Torrio's arrival in. Chicaro, Cotontmo's persecution teased — least temporarily, Torrio Hwed by the qun. It was his professton. ‘When shortly after his arrival three Black Handers demanded that Colo: imo meet thera with $25,000 under sawedott shotguns. When the Black Mand leader approaches the dark touring car, asking, “ Where t« our package?" he suddenly found hum self looking down a idgauge muz- zie. Vor the Black Handers tt was soareé. Torrlo, the business man, shrewdly left the retall business to others and began to expand a vest wholesale business which rapidly took on the proportions of « south side monopoly. . To operate an industry big enough require able Meutenants and & pol- Sey of ruthlessness toward all oppo sition, Who could “Torri get to help him? Torrlo was an experi enced manager, and he thought the problem over carefully—then picked itan boy who had rio knew that Al Capone was big and strong and quick in action, th he was intelligent, that he drank Wie, that be could be smooth on ‘occasion, and that he was a natural Jepéer of men. “How would you Uke $25,000 = year” said Torrio to Capone one evening in the rear of a 224 street dance batl, “and to be my partner in the beer and boore business? ‘We'll split the liquor profits ffty- fifty, What do you say?” xe ‘The deal was on, Capone stepped into his new position with con- ‘fidence and alacrity. Soon he began to make hig mark. ‘Men learned to fear and reepect him. . He never asked « map 10 do anything that ‘he couldn't or wouldn't do Bimselt. He could be as tough as a mad ele phant one moment and as playful as a puppy the next. The collection of Wemorted crooks and criminals that he and Torrio were able to gnilst from all over the elty quickly took on = measure of dlscipline under his drill sergeant brand of Teuderahip. Hit remarkable flair for organizing buft up a machine admirably suited to the task set for 1 The drivers, sharpshooters, spies, watehmen, lawyers, and others on the pay rotl knew what was axpact: ed of tham. and they did it. Few ever deserted or turned (raltor and Politics . The worried man ib aot case world gk those to consider, la which = came, the O'Donnglis would grant ‘him a tweaty-four-bour riay. at the end of which, if he was still stub- ‘born, they would emph: acgument with fists or revolver batt, Few speakeasy owners iosid ot further. = ' ‘An exception was Jacob Geis, who sald, “I tyiy my deer from Capon vant Torrig, apd Fm asatistiod with” "ven Asis could nat change Jake's ‘ening, for his wurly frame was Untie too much for O'Donnel's two Grummers, who got bounced elabo- gataly obl Iaks's foot. Bo three Dounell Wrothers, with O’Coanoe, F ‘Morghan, aid Bucher, “exited st Gav neighborhood saloon at 74 West Sist street earl in the eve with s fractured skull wad in the point of death for weeks After their argument with Gels that eve: ning the aroused ODonnells Invad od ve other recalcitrant beer sell- #76, administering various treat- ind then repaired te Joseph coln street, = sort of headquarters, to partake of refreshments, Jt was while they were relaxing in Kiepka’s place that five men en- tered and the leader, brandishing ‘hls 28, roared: “Blick up your hands or TU blow ‘Tne O'Donnelle acaitered for the doort and wers pursued closely to the street, where, shooting wildly at thelr attackers, they made their eacope-—all except Jerry O'Connor, who lay dead on the sidewatk, shot through the heart. In the offic nor's death is indexed as the frst Killing of the bootleg war. It was followed ten days later, Sept. 17, by the murders of his associates. Mee ghan and Bucher. ‘The repercussions of the O'Don- nell purge, however, would have* been enough to worry & commander of lester stature, The late William E. Dever, then six months In office as mayor, was so shocked by the killings that he revoked the licenses of 2000 “soft drink parlors,” sum moned Chlet of Police Coltins to his ‘office, and assumed personal charge of the siustion. His official state ment said “The police will Cllow this case to ® finish as they go all others ‘This guerrilla war between hijack: ert, rum runners, and {icit beer It wax @ brave utterance—bput it was almost equally futle. There wera to be 9 more killings similar to that of O'Connor in the fall of 1823, 26 in 1824, 46 in 1925, end 64 in 199, Mr. Dever's last year in office, In this total of 25 gang murders playar from Brooklyn oaly six men were to be brought to trial. Of the ais all were to be enitto a one-—Sam Vin, sho chose the oc- caston of a coroner's inquest to dls- patch John Minatti with a AScali- ber automatic, His explanstion