Who’s Who in Crime

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 16

Who’s Who in Crime

ARE gangs as well organised as people think? asked someone of Chicago’s acting > police commissioner, and he replied, “Better! Crime has become so efficient to-day, so progressive, that no one has caught np with it.” “Can murder .by . gangsters be prevented ? ’ ’ came a second question. Commissioner Aleock replied, “•lust; as soon as you start to electrocute; them, they’ll jstop. They are all cowards. There isn’t oi\e,V«w.Hp won’t squeal like a rat when,you get. the .goods on him.” But “gettings the goods on him” is the difficulty in Chicago, and the problem now facing the new commissioner, ‘who is taking th‘e~post just vacated by Commissioner. RuSsell. It is commonly reported, for example, that Jake Gusick and Dennis Cooney, two veteran millionaire gangsters, arrived in New York to see the Sharkey-Schmeling fight, and were unwittingly arrested. A word from their friends in official Chicago obtained their immediate release and a hearty “god-speed.” It is bitterly complained in Chicago that when “Jake” Lingle, reporter on the “Chicago Tribune,” was murdered, Russell and his assistant, Stege, staged a mock heroic battle with crime by arresting every “dirty necked ragamuffin” on the street corners, but carefully abstained from taking into custody any of the “men” who matter. Who are these men on Gangland’s roll call? A list has been published of gunmen who have brought their city such notoriety. It is as follows: “Scarface A 1 ” Capone, gaol-bird, chief of liqxior, vice, and murder gang, now unwelcome guest at Miami. Jake Gusick, Capone’s “heavy thinker,” reported a millionaire. Dennis Cooney, the grand old man of the vice racket (blackmail in return for protection). A Capone ally and named the wealthiest man in the underworld. . Frank Nitti, chief of the Capone murder squad, and known as “The Enforcer.” Under indictment for income tax fraud. Harry “Greasy Thumb” Gusick, Capone’s collector from Loop (a Chicago district) speakeasies. Hymie “Loud Mouth” Levine, assistant to “Greasy Thumb” Gusick. Jack Hienan, a Capone gunman, now running a saloon. Jack McGurn, chief gunner for Capone. Ralph Capone, elder brother of “Scarface Al,” facing three years’ sentence for income tax fraud, but will be on hand for several months pending appeal. Frank Rio. chief bodyguard to “Scarface.” Charlie Fischetti, cousin of “Scarface,” and one of his chief killers. “Mike de Pike” Heitler, runs half a dozen vice dens and a “Handbook” where bets are received.

James and Rocco Belcastro, tAVo free lance “pineapple-tossers” (bomb-throwers) and gunmen.

Chicago’s ’’Crook” Aristocrats

Millionaire Vice Traffickers

Joe Aiello, millionaire leader of Unionc Sicilian boss of the North Side racketeers. Jack Zuta, the “brains” of the Aiello gang. George “Bugs” Moran, one of Aiello s men, ex-convict with at least, five gang murders. William R. “Billy” Skidmore, bondsman for pickpockets, with a reputation as a policefixer. Former partner of Moran and Zuta. ; David “Cockeye Mulligan” Albin, night club.proprietor.and racket roustabout. .Claude Maddox, known as “Johnnie Moore, ’ ’ head of the Circus gang, now peddling beer and “alky” (hard liquor). Joseph “Red” Bolton, West Side beer trafficker. • Lawrence Makgabo, gambling club proprietor and brains of a kidnapping gang. George “Red” Barker, labour racketeer gunman, comrade of— William £ ‘ Three-Fingered Jack” White and Bernard O’Donnell, two notorious West Side characters. George Druggan, brother of redoubtable Terry, recovering from wounds received in a massacre. Frank McErlane, one of the cruellest killers in Chicago, and active racketeer. Vincent McErlane, his milder brother, beer peddler, Joseph “Pope” Genaro and his brother Johnny, both open for engagements in bomb tossing and gang killing. Edward “Spike” O’Donnell, big boss of South Side beer racket. William “Klondike” O’Donnell, leader of the West Side. O’Donnell clan, responsible for at least four gang killings. Myles, brother of William, slight of build, but speedy on the trigger. Joe Saltis, lives mostly at Wisconsin, but comes into Chicago regularly to make collections. A 1 Winge, a millionaire. Maxie Eisen, a hoodlum (rowdy), who makes his money thumping Jewish fish vendors into fake trade associations. “Stutty Looney, who peddles an ulcer cure in between his racketeering. “Butch” Cook and ‘‘Dutch” Vogel, who for seven years have held certain profitable beer concessions. , Terry Druggan and Frankie Lake, former beer peddlers, noAv “country gentlemen.” The ganster world is so well organised and so widespread in Chicago that the least suspected person may be a member. When a man is determined on a life ci’ime or like unscrupulous profit, he joins a gang, just as his respectable fellow citizen becomes a trade unionist.

Once a member of a gang, the AA T ould-be criminal goes to school. There he learns hoAA' to fire a machine gun accurately from a speeding motor car, hoAv r to dynamite Avith one “shot,” lioav to break a AvindoAV so that it is completely re mo Am d with one bloAv, lioAA r to set a building AAmll ablaze before the firemen arrive.

Then there is the art of bomb-throwing, from the comparatively harmless “pineapple” to the “big cough” of deliberate murder. There is revolver practice and acid throwing.