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

Monday, October 5, 2015

Checking out of the Harding Hotel

Tony Marlow was a bootlegger who lived in mid-town next door to the Harding Hotel. 87-years ago tonight he was standing in front of the hotel smoking a cigarette at 10:30pm apparently waiting for some one.

William White, a real estate salesman, who knew Marlow from the neighborhood saw him loitering and walked over. “Hello Tony!” White said offering his hand. As the two men were shaking hands, two more guys appeared from behind a parked car, one tall and slim and the other short and stout. Before anyone knew what was what they opened fire hitting Marlow five times before he had a chance to pull out his own gun.

A beat cop heard the shooting, ran to the scene and started after the gunmen. After a short chase the killers escaped. Returning to the Harding Hotel the officer loaded Marlow into a cab and took him to the hospital where the gangster was questioned about the shooting. When asked who shot him, Marlow responded in typical gangland fashion, “I’ll take care of them myself when I get well.” But his slayers needn’t of worried because he died the next the day.

4 comments:

John DuMond said...

Gangster pro-tip: Learn to draw and shoot with your non-shaking hand.

Patrick Downey said...

Perhaps your next book should be "Gangsters for Dummys"

John DuMond said...

Not the next one, but maybe the one after that. My next book is gonna be A WRITER'S GUIDE TO OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION. It's going to be great... you know, when I finally get around to writing it.

Patrick Downey said...

I'd be happy to continually put off writing the foreword for you.