The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-17
CASUALTIES IN
BOOZE WAR ARE
MOUNTING UP
Gangsters Make Mistake
of Shooting Cops
CONTINUED from page y

AAAhA Va Hulb6 6OulE VI
the capitalists, there are others whose
interests demand more rigorous en-
forcement Of law, and furthermore
Thompson's policies in other respects
ran counter to those of the Chicago
Chamber Of Commerce, and its offici-
al organs the Chicago Tribune and
the Daily News. Thompson was hound
ed until he was forced to decline max
ing the race for reelection. The Of
flee was given to Dever, a submissive,
colorless Roman catholic puritan, and
a lickspittle of big business The Tri-
bune and News deserted their own
candidate Lueder for Dever at the
eleventh hour.
The X. K. X. Got Busy.
AS soon as Dever assumed Office
the ku klux khan, under the pseud-
onym of the Better Government Asso-
citation, presided over by Cromwelli-
an skypilot named Elmer Williams,
got busy and Dover was forced to
raid soft drink parlors and other
places where John Barleycorn was
worshipped well and wisely, tho in de-
ance Of the 18th amendment. But the
Chicago police did not have their
heart in the work and the vendors of
beverages with a kick found that a
wad Of bills rightly placed was as
effective in securing freedom from
police interference as vaccine is in
guarding against small pox.
1t was not always easy to satisfy
the police, the prohibition agents and
the rival gangs of bootleggers. The
result was that several accidents took
place and the history of Chicago since
the advent Of prohibition was some
thing like the history Of Ireland dur
ing the Land League days when the
life Of a landlord was poor insur-
ance risk.
The city officials did not howl very
loudly until police began to get
slaughtered. But 1t is a well known
fact that the police are part and par
eel Of the beer gangster mobs. The
blind pigs run by the booHleggers
had no better customers that the DO
lice, from the lieutenants down to the
patrolmen. And the police would
curse prohibition roundly while auaf-
fling their drinks at night in the
haunts of those bootleggers whom
they might be chasing around the CT
ty the following day, threatening to
drive them out of town within TWEEN
ty four hours" Such is life in a bio
capitalist city.
Grove Talked OF Hanging.
Every time policeman or a gangs
ter got killed in an alcohol war the
states attorney, Robert E. Grove.
Mayor Dever and Police Chief Collins
called in the local papers and gave
lengthy interviews, promising to
shoot, Jail or hang the gangsters. On
those occasions the sadistic state at
torney would feast his soul on the
prospect Of hanging case. But the
storm blows over and the gangsters.
bootleggers and vice lords know when
to open up again and business as
usual becomes the slogan until an
overnervous finger touches a trigger
and the story cannot be kept out of
the press.
One day after the elections last
November Dean O'Bannion. florist
hl-jacker, bootlegger and murderer
OF parts went down on the floor
OF his shop amid the posies never to
rise again. He had enough lead in his
body to sink tug. He made the front
page because he was a big fellow and
the bosom friend Of some of the CT
tvs leading politicians, including
many in city hall. There was a big
cutlery and the usual threats were
made.
But States Attorney Grove who IS
usually so glib with promises of a
ride to the gallows for evil doors
with the gun, was strangely silent
the cat walked out Of the bag, but
the capitalist press maintained a dis
Greet silence. The following facts de-
veloped:
o'Bannion Good Vote Getter.
Mike Merlo, the leader OF the tall
an gangsters, who died the day be-
iore oBannion was murdered, deliver.
ca or promised to deliver his ward to
the political machine that was in on
position 30 Grove. But o'Bannion
snot his way into Merlo's balliwick.
kidnapped Merlo's workers and made
the ward safe for the states attor.
ney. That was the story that went
the rounds in the news-gatherinr
agencies. But the editors blue pen.
cilled II.
IL does not take Sherlock Holmes
70 make out plausible theory for the
motive of the oBannion shooting
One OF the Genna gang was arrested
On suspicion OF shooting O'Bannion,
Du. ne was turned loose again. Il Is
saiu this Is not the first time that
Groves ONCE turned useful gangs.