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

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Notoriety

In June of 1930 Leo Noto, said to be an olive oil dealer, and some accomplices kidnapped the son of a wealthy Brooklyn baker that lived just down the street from him. The kidnappers demanded $10,000 and released the boy after $7000 was paid with the promise to make up the $3000 in the near future. In the interim the baker went to the police and a trap was laid to catch the gang when they came to claim the additional $3000. The trap worked and six members of the kidnap gang were apprehended.


Noto supposedly turned states evidence and made a deal with the authorities where he would testify against the rest of the gang but the gang made sure that Noto didn’t live to see the trial date. Eighty-one years ago today, twenty-nine year old Noto, who was out on $25,000 bail, left the house that he shared with his wife and four children. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began walking across a vacant lot. While still in the lot a Packard sedan containing three men pulled up. Two shotguns were fired with deadly accuracy. Noto pitched forward dead, his accomplices breathed a sigh of relief.
 
* Note to "Confused in Canada" - Puxatawney Phil is the groundhog. Pittsburgh Phil was the killer for Murder Inc.  

2 comments:

John DuMond said...

Puxatawney Phil and Pittsburgh Phil had about the same track records at predicting the end of winter. Apparently, when it comes to meteorology, hired killers are no smarter than a large rodent.

Patrick Downey said...

Somehow that little fact is always left out of the books. Thank you for sharing.