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

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The Elmhurst Beanfield War

Bean farmer Louis Cornell of Elmhurst, Illinois was enjoying a quiet evening at home eighty-four years ago this evening when the solitude that only a bean farm can offer was shattered by gunfire. Louis got on the horn and called the police who came out and, after a search of the area, reported that nothing was amiss. Satisfied that he did his civic duty, Louis settled down for a summer slumber.

The following morning Louis went about his bean farm chores when he came across another Louis. In this case it was Louis Falduto, we don't really know what he looked like because in addition to being shot his features had been turned to mush with a hatchet, or possibly a big knife.

Louis, the live one, called the police again. This time they not only found the dead guy but were also able to determine that he had jumped from a moving a car ( when he was still alive of course), Louis, the dead one, had apparently realized he was going for a one way ride and made a dash for it. The car pulled over and a number of men went after him on foot. Louis, the live one, heard the conclusion of the chase last night before calling the cops.

Although Louis Falduto, the dead Louis, had no rap sheet, police said that he was an alky cooker who ran into trouble with gangsters.

3 comments:

John DuMond said...

Or a Greyhound passenger who violated the rule against eating Limburger cheese on the bus.

Anonymous said...

I hope the dead Louis understood bean farms don't have a slaughter house component. A small detail.

Patrick Downey said...

@ JDM - Hmm, didn't think about the Greyhound angle, sounds just as plausible as "alky cooker".

@Realt - I suspect that was the last thing that went through Louis' head...besides the the hatchet that is.