Harry Block was an associate of Owney Madden's who owned a piece of both the
Cotton Club and the Silver Slipper nightclubs. In addition to these activities
Block was also a bootlegger and police felt that this may have been the reason
he was put on the spot eighty years ago today.
Judging by his movements Block didn't know he was a
marked man. He picked his wife up at 7th Ave and
47th Street and they had dinner in the restaurant at the Paramount hotel. This was followed by a late show at the Capitol Theater. Afterwards they went
to Dave's Blue Room for more food and finally caught a taxi for the ride home to
the Sherman Square Apartments at 173 West 73rd Street.
It was 3:00am when the
Blocks arrived at the apartment and the doorman unlocked the front door and
escorted them onto the elevator. Mrs. Block stepped in and to the side behind
the doorman who was at the controls. Mr. Block stepped in and turned around to
face the door. Just as the doors were shutting two men appeared out of nowhere
each brandishing two pistols. One of the gunmen yelled an insult at Block who,
seeing the pistols, let out a scream and instinctively threw up his arm to
protect his face. The gunmen let loose with a barrage of twenty three shots,
some of which hit the gangster in the neck and forearm. The hitmen ran out
of the foyer and escaped in a tan sedan. The doorman wanted to call
an ambulance but Mrs. Block said no since it would attract the police so instead
Harry was loaded into a cab and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced
dead.
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
2 comments:
For years, doctors have been saying it's better for your health to take the stairs. Now we have proof.
Well said, Sir.
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