The Valentine's day massacre is commonly known as one of the most notorious and bloody killings of the 1920's gangster era, but it also propelled Al Capone to fame. A quick summary is:
"On February 14th 1929 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 sub-machine 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.
Although Moran survived the massacre, he was finished as a big criminal. For decades to come, only one mob, that of Capone and his successors, would run organized crime in Chicago. But the Valentine's Day Massacre shocked a city that had been numbed by "Roaring '20's" gang warfare over control of illegal beer and whiskey distribution.
"These murders went out of the comprehension of a civilized city," the Tribune editorialized. "The butchering of seven men by open daylight raises this question for Chicago: Is it helpless?"
In the following years, Capone and his henchmen were to become the targets of ambitious prosecutors."
-Chicago Tribune News, by John O'Brien
This blood bath happened at the end of the 1920's, so what was it like at the start of the 1920's? Well like most things that start out small, they gain popularity and end up becoming the norm until they disappear for good, in this case organised crime disappeared on for a short while during WW2.
At the start, killings were carried out on a smaller scale because organised crime was less prominent and less of a necessity; as people were more willing to abide by the law and found no need to break it (generally). At this time there was little money to be made in organised crime however when prohibition was introduced, which was a law that prohibited anyone from drinking alcohol, organised crime began to fill the void that had been cut off by the law. This meant that more gangs were formed as previous ones expanded because it provided jobs and lots opportunities for men who would've been unemployed otherwise. So small scale killings that previously went on in between small gangs over bits of territory suddenly became a lot bigger and more brutal as big time players, such as Al Capone and Moran, wanted more territory and business so set out trying to eliminate their opposition. Eventually killings became less messy as people gained more practice and fluency during the 1920's; rival gangs would be simply lined up along a wall and shot full of bullets. This then further evolved into the 1930's, the depression, when everyone was 'out-of-pocket' and so illegal activity became even more of a necessity. Killings in this decade were more desperate and messy as the gangs scrambled over territories.
"On February 14th 1929 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 sub-machine 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.
Although Moran survived the massacre, he was finished as a big criminal. For decades to come, only one mob, that of Capone and his successors, would run organized crime in Chicago. But the Valentine's Day Massacre shocked a city that had been numbed by "Roaring '20's" gang warfare over control of illegal beer and whiskey distribution.
"These murders went out of the comprehension of a civilized city," the Tribune editorialized. "The butchering of seven men by open daylight raises this question for Chicago: Is it helpless?"
In the following years, Capone and his henchmen were to become the targets of ambitious prosecutors."
-Chicago Tribune News, by John O'Brien
This blood bath happened at the end of the 1920's, so what was it like at the start of the 1920's? Well like most things that start out small, they gain popularity and end up becoming the norm until they disappear for good, in this case organised crime disappeared on for a short while during WW2.
At the start, killings were carried out on a smaller scale because organised crime was less prominent and less of a necessity; as people were more willing to abide by the law and found no need to break it (generally). At this time there was little money to be made in organised crime however when prohibition was introduced, which was a law that prohibited anyone from drinking alcohol, organised crime began to fill the void that had been cut off by the law. This meant that more gangs were formed as previous ones expanded because it provided jobs and lots opportunities for men who would've been unemployed otherwise. So small scale killings that previously went on in between small gangs over bits of territory suddenly became a lot bigger and more brutal as big time players, such as Al Capone and Moran, wanted more territory and business so set out trying to eliminate their opposition. Eventually killings became less messy as people gained more practice and fluency during the 1920's; rival gangs would be simply lined up along a wall and shot full of bullets. This then further evolved into the 1930's, the depression, when everyone was 'out-of-pocket' and so illegal activity became even more of a necessity. Killings in this decade were more desperate and messy as the gangs scrambled over territories.
-Valentine's Day Massacre, Moran Gang.
-"Machine Gun" Jack McGurn
Born Vincenzo Antonio Gibaldi, McGurn got his start on the Chicago mob scene when he ruthlessly murdered the three mobsters in revenge for killing his father. He was involved in the planning of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but was never tried. In 1930, McGurn's name appeared fourth on a list of top 28 public enemies, issued by the Chicago Crime Commission. This made McGurn a liability to the Outfit. On February 16, 1936, McGurn, who by then had become estranged from the mob, was killed by three men with machine guns at a bowling alley.
Born Vincenzo Antonio Gibaldi, McGurn got his start on the Chicago mob scene when he ruthlessly murdered the three mobsters in revenge for killing his father. He was involved in the planning of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but was never tried. In 1930, McGurn's name appeared fourth on a list of top 28 public enemies, issued by the Chicago Crime Commission. This made McGurn a liability to the Outfit. On February 16, 1936, McGurn, who by then had become estranged from the mob, was killed by three men with machine guns at a bowling alley.
-photo taken by the LAPD in 1933, shows the aftermath of a mob-related double-murder in a restaurant.
Sources used:
www.crimelibrary.com
www.chicagotribune.com/news/
-Clara
Sources used:
www.crimelibrary.com
www.chicagotribune.com/news/
-Clara