"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

There was a crooked man

Just as it had been all year, 1931 ended on a bloody note when lower Eastside gambler Louis “Crooked Neck” Levine was gunned down in a mid-town gaming resort early New Year’s Eve morning. “Crooked Neck”, so called because of a physical deformity, appeared at a club known as the Pups Kennel Yard, which was basically a private speakeasy where members, who needed a card to enter, could drink and gamble. Through out the evening Levine was called away from his poker table three times to take a phone calls. During his last call he was over heard saying, “No, I won’t meet you. I’m going to stay here.” “Crooked Neck” returned to his table and once again commenced to playing cards. At about 4:00am as Levine sat behind his approximately $400 in chips three men arrived at the club. The men however were not members and in lieu of cards showed the doorman their pistols and were granted immediate entrance. Recognizing Levine from behind the men walked up and fired three bullets into the back of his head.

On that note, Happy New Year!

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