Evening star., 1932-07-03
DESTRUCTIVE GANG WAR
STARTED BY STILL SEIZURE
Piazza, MerlO and O'BanniOn Among
Underworld Lords to Be Rubbed Out
in Chicago Heights Bloody By-Ways.

gray human hair lent an additional
note of realism. Some say Lombardo,
who welcomed Giacomo de Martino, the
Italian Ambassador, to Chicago, con-
ceived this strange work.
Merlo died on November 8. Lom-
bardo directed the obsequies. He gave
Torrio the task Of purchasing flowers,
and in one shop. that of Dion OBan-
nion, Torrio spent $4,000 for fragrant
offering to the Mafia chief And Ca
poni-as Alphonse Capone then spelled
his name-was ordered to assist the
undertaken.
Thousands paid their respects to the
dead chief. Many of the Stanchest
paused at the threshold of the room
where Merlo lay in state. Fear gripped
them as they beheld the man they
thought dead standing and staring at
them. clothed in strange garments. But
as their eyes grew accustomed to the
| dimness broken by candles that glowed
like balls Of soft fire their fears left
| them.
Mayor Honorary PaIlbearer.
At Merlos funeral the honorary pail
/ bearers included William E. Dever,
mayor Of Chicago; R. E. Grove, State
attorney; Judge Francis Barreln, Judge
J. E. Burke, Judge Edgar A. Jones and
Anton Cermak, subsequently mayor of
Chicago.
The funeral was arranged by Al
phonse Caponi and Carmen Vacca, who
had been close friends of Merlo," said
| the Chicago Tribune.
1t was not long before Caponi grew
rich, moved in political circles. and be-
gan to feel ashamed of his Italian
origin; and he changed his same to
(tan0F1n and tho trsnrd o1nr1o ko
line that the name, which should be
pronounced Cah-poh-neh, must be pro-
nounced Ca-poan, somewhat like capon,
which the word signifies in Italian.
1t also means thick-headed.
The reign of terror began on Novem-
Der 10, 1924, in a flower shop used as
blind by Dion O'Bannion, who had
received $4,000 the day before from
Torrio for floral offerings for Merlo.
Torrio spent about $50. 900 in this wise
O'Bannion had been the front or
f1xer for the Sicilian mob. He paid
the graft to the police and prohibition
agents. His lieutenant was Hymie
| Weiss, who was introduced to the
United States Senate in Johnson's
testimony as a gangster who scorned
the Capone crowd because they oper-
ated bawdy houses. Before prohibition
Weiss was a thief.
With Weiss was Frank Citrio or
Citro. alias Foster, and two who
escaped. Perry had refused to permit
Weiss to vote under another name.
Perry's life was saved by the timely en-
trance of the policeman. Weiss and
| O'Bannicn were also hijackers.
Both were desperate thugs and quick
on the trigger. O'Bannion had a little
difference with the Miller brothers,
Davy and Make, and meeting them in
the lobby of the La Sale Street
Theater he placed a revolver against
the stomach of each and fred. Both
fell Make was fortunate, the bullet
! mushrooming on his belt buckle
O'Bannion and Weiss had many de-
voted friends among the underworld
leaders. These leaders, with a rare ex-
ception or SO, were unfriendly to the
Sicilian gangs. The rivals of the Sicil-
lians were Of British, Teutonic, Slavic
and other northern stocks.
Three Bring Death.
O'Bannion was at peace with the
world on the day following Merlos
death and warmly greeted three who
called at his florist shop. An assistant
heard them talk earnestly for Is min
utes and then heard shots.
The death of O'Bannion ended the
armed truce Merlo had maintained. Re-
volverS and automatics began popping
all over Chicago, and the sawed-off
shotgun and machine gun, the torch
and the bomb, became part of the daily
strife. Gangsters of other cities followed
suit, and the Nation became the battle
field of the gangs. Everywhere the
police took the attitude that it was a
good thing to let the gangsters kill one
another
In the week beginning June Z, 1925,
five policemen were shot down in Chi
cago streets by gangsters. On the
morning of June Is police found the
bullet-riddled automobile of George
Moran. alias Bugs. who had served un-
der O'Bannion. Bugs said his car had
been stolen. The police had reason to
believe that Bugs had been a target
for the brothers of Angelo Genna, slain
two days before. The Gennas were a
powerful underworld family, and with
the Aiellos, Joe and Frank, long since
murdered, had charge of persuading
the decent, hard-working members of
their race who lived in the tenement
houses of Chicago, to become distillers
Of alcohol. The police suspected the
Gennas were on the warpath and acted
accordingly Before long a car raced
past police squad automobile on
Western avenue. Recognizing the car
and three of its occupants Detective
Michael J. Conway shouted to Detective
Harold F. Olson who was at the wheel:
That's the Gennas After them!"
Detectives Charles B. Walsh and Will
liam Sweeney also recognized three of
the gangsters.
1t was rainy day. A few seconds
later the police car was almost
abreast of the Gennas, both tearing
away at 10 miles an hour. The police
car Changed its gong. a signal to stop
Three blocks ahead was a truck To
escape collision the Genna car
Swerved suddenly. 1t spun around like
a top on the slippery asphalt and then
shot up on the sidewalk and into a
lamp post. The police car, making a
less dangerous skid, came to a stop be-
side the wrecked car as Mike Genna,
Albert Anselmi, John Scalisi and a
fourth gangSter, clambered out.
Didn't YOU hear that gong?" shouted
Olson as he stepped out of their car
and started toward the gangsters. Con-
way and Walsh quickly followed him.
Officers Shot Down.
The gangsters answered with a fusi-
ldde- OISOh cropped, dozen bullets
in his head and body. Walsh fell dead
beside him. Conway, his jaw shot away,
dropped nearby. Sweeney emptied his
revolver at the hoodlums and missed.
Throwing aside his empty weapon, he
picked up the revolvers Olson and
Walsh had dropped as they fell. Inc
four gangsters separated. Sweeney pur-
sued Mike Genna, firing as he ran,
Two bullets struck Genna in the leg.
Genna headed for a nearby cellar. Be-
fore plunging into the cellar, Genna
turned suddenly and fired point blank
at Sweeney. His aim was wild. Sweeney
returned the fire. From the gloom Of
the cellar Genna shot blindly in the
air. This was his last act.
BY this time the police reserves ar
rived and arrested Scalisi and Anselmi.
They were tried for the murder Of De-
tectives Olson and Walsh. They were