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The St. Valentine's Day Massacre


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Chicago Tribune

John O'Brien Tribune staff reporter

On this frigid morning, in an unheated brick garage at 2122 N. Clark St., seven men were lined up against a whitewashed wall and pumped with 90 bullets from submachine guns, shotguns and a revolver. It was the most infamous of all gangland slayings in America, and it savagely achieved its purpose--the elimination of the last challenge to Al Capone for the mantle of crime boss in Chicago. By 1929, Capone's only real threat was George "Bugs" Moran, who headed his own gang and what was left of Dion O'Banion's band of bootleggers. Moran had long despised Capone, mockingly referring to him as "The Beast."

 

At about 10:30 a.m., four men burst into the SMC Cartage Co. garage that Moran used for his illegal business. Two of the men were dressed as police officers. The quartet presumably announced a raid and ordered the seven men inside the garage to line up against a wall. Then they opened fire. Witnesses, alerted by the rat-a-tat staccato of submachine guns, watched as the gunmen sped off in a black Cadillac touring car that looked like the kind police used, complete with siren, gong and rifle rack.The victims, killed outright or left dying in the garage, included Frank "Hock" Gusenberg, Moran's enforcer, and his brother, Peter "Goosy" Gusenberg. Four of the other victims were Moran gangsters, but the seventh dead man was Dr. Reinhardt Schwimmer, an optician who cavorted with criminals for thrills. Missing that morning was Capone's prize, Moran, who slept in.

 

Capone missed the excitement too. Vacationing at his retreat at Palm Island, Fla., he had an alibi for his whereabouts and disclaimed knowledge of the coldblooded killings. Few believed him. No one ever went to jail for pulling a trigger in the Clark Street garage, which was demolished in 1967.

(Snip)

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Vito "Don Vito" Genovese dies of a heart attack in the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, while serving 15 years for drug smuggling.

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Vito "Don Vito" Genovese dies of a heart attack in the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, while serving 15 years for drug smuggling.

Chris Dorner was two days late in his roast.
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Vito "Don Vito" Genovese dies of a heart attack in the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, while serving 15 years for drug smuggling.

Chris Dorner was two days late in his roast.

 

 

I can't believe people singing this.....BLEEEEPS praises.

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