New Britain herald., 1928-07-11
GANG LEADER LETS
 HIS ENEMY LIVE
Polack Joe" Salts Is Denuded -s., of Former Holdings

Chic1e0, July 11-tCopyrlgm 1928 by United Press)-A slant Pole, the Terrorist of Chicago's solthnGd side, kueeled on the pasemAnt of dirty alleyway, pleading tealsully for his life.
 -p,ease, Ralph" he sohhed, 'he- S1re God, I'll play it straight Let ms live for my kids"
 The lips of small. lean-faced man who stood above the sobbinG figure, curled scornfullG:
 .'Au right, get up and get outa here.'
 Thus did "Polack Joe" Salus. the bIustering gang leadt of the south west side, retain his life, But with that sobbing plea, passed his last hope of gaining for himself the GOV eted power of sang-lord which for stx years he had stAven to attain.
 "Polack Joe" salris-they called him "Hook-Nosed Joe" down in Joliet when he tended bar near the gates of the iron mills-was "poacher' in the trns of gang land. He had stepped across the border and entered another mans bunting grounds.
 Born tn Joliet.
 Salts was born a9d raised in Jol- ist, III. Joe left early the trade of his father ln the pudding mills Of yh4 iron works for the more lucra- tive profession of saloon-keeper, He established himself at the very gates of the works and there he prospered and expanded. Joe was q 'blusterer": he drea med Of wealth and power, and to the attainment of his dream he left his business in Jelts< and came to Chicago. That w1s in 1922.
 Jes bought a saloon on the south Nde and soon became acquainted with the southside leaders in the beer racket"
 At the age of 30 years, Salts al- He'd himself with eLefty" koncil, 1imtnutive Kchemian "hoodlum aud Ed Big Hayes Hrubecl, and "fhree-Fingered' Pete kozinski. southside beer runners.
 Capone . Salesman.
 ''Scarface AT Capone, then was | salesman under Johnny lprrio Chicago's ganglord. Shortly after saltis came to Chicago, Torio left Chicago and his power was assumed by capone.
 Surrounded by Kozinski. Konci ana Hrubeck. "Pdack Joe" prosper. d and extended his influence ovel the enttre southwest sida His oper. ations at that time, mainly manu. lecture and distribution of beer and whiskey, had not conflicted with the activities of Capone or of Ralpt Sheldon who then controlled beel traffic on the southwest side. anc he became a power in beer running circles.
 Within a year and half, Salts verHtory'' expanded to an area 0 approximately four square mile: and extended north to 39th street south to 55th street, east to Ash land avenue, and west to the cit limits Then he grew greedy.
 It vas Saltis' -pnching' east 0 Ashland avenue in the Sheldon stronghold, that led to his down fall
 Many Saloons
 Cp to this time. Saltis had oper sted under the authorization o capone. manufactured his own beer and vas supplied with alcohol am whiskey by the Ohpone organiza ton. saltis' saloons averaged one | every two houses in the section.
 Then, in 1925. seltis stepped int 1hsldon'S wards. sThe word wen around that "Palack Joe" wa "p1echtns." Enrjty grew up be twesn Salts and leaders of adta esat sang districts. There followe | campaign of killing, torture kill ings" generally asspciated by polio v1th the attempts of the Salts gan to evsrrower the Sheldon mob.
 Found iyn Well
 A chauffeur of Al Capone wa