Evening star., 1924-11-14
:CHURCHFUNERAL
. !. DENIED O'BAN|ON
4
!Thousands Pass Dead Gang
Ster'S Bier-"RuIe of Cat"
/ Declared Ended.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
. CHICAGO. November 14-Thou-
sands of persons filed past the or
nate, floral -bedecked casket of Dion
Dean) OBanion all night and this
morning in final tribute to the florist.
gunman, rum-runner and hi-jacker,
slain Monday morning in his flower
shop by three gunmen who called
him from his task of trimming chyrs-
anthemum stems.
His funeral today was looked for
ward to as the greatest in Chicago's
history. even surpassing that yester-
day of Michael MerIo. friend of
O'Banion and leader of the JTnione
Siciliana, when 1000 automobiles, %
Of them carrying only flowers, form
ed the Cortcge from st. Clements
Church, where 10000 persons had
gathered for the last rites.
O'Banion's funeral today was with
out the blessing of the church, al
though burial i'll consecrated ground
was permitted.
Sees "tsat RIuC-' Ended.
1t brought a new era in Chicago's
civic affairs as we'll as marking the
passing of the 32-year- old gang lead
er, termed by Morgan Collins, chief
OF police, thicugoS arch criminal
and responsible for at least % mur-
derS. however, in the statement Of
William T.. DeNcr. mayor, that the
rule of the gat" had been ended.
Incensed by the great amount of
publicity and the open threats of
O'Banion followers to shoot it out"
with adherents OF other groups of
gunmen. Dever directed that every
known pistol-toter be searched on
suspicion frequently as encoun-
tered. He planned a conference today
With Chief Collins to decide on meas
ures for eliminating pistol carrying or
forcing the gunmen to leave Chicago.
1T is time TO determine whether
organized outlaws shall continue to
shoot and rob with impunity or
whether deCencY and order will pre-
vail" the mayor said.
Until the hour of the funeral, the
line of men and women representing
all conditions OF life continued 10
stream past OBanion'S silver and
bronze CaSket. Some in threat-bare
garments timidly added their poor
bouquets of a half-dozen withered
buds to the pretentious tieral displays
made up of thousands of blossoms
the affluent had sent.
Praised by Mother.
One gray haired and bent old WON
an shuttied by. she spoke Of the dead
gangSter'S friendship.
lie put my tpS Oh the IlSHI u a. N
at the right minute" she said, got
him a good job in an office and gave
him a suit of clothes to tit the job.
If his enemies had known him the
way | did, he'd be alive today
Gee. he was IL swell feller." was
ragged newsboy's tribute. He bought
all MY papers one awful cold night
last Winter and paid 50 for them and
then took me to Il restaurant to eat.
Ten men worked all yesterday ana
last night on Il great blanket of pink
roses, lilies Of the valley and orchids,
tied at the corners with silver rib
bons, to be placed over the mound
after the burial today.
a great heart seven feet high, made
Of 1000 red roses, was the widows
choice Two broken pillars six feet
high, made OF white carnations
wound around with tiny red roses and
protruding from q bed of green filled
with heavy chrysanthemums and
roses, was another Offering.
The pieces bore the cards of city
officials and other prominent Chi
cagoanS as well as known gang and
underworld leaders.
Police investigation of the killing
had made no progress today, and the
one man arrested in connection with
1t was released.
Other arrests possibly might be
made at the funeral and burial, the
police intimated.