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

Sunday, August 9, 2020

Is it Better to Burn Out then Fade Away?

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 Gene Moran was a Jack of all crimes. He took part in a high profile jewel heist in the early Twenties that sent him to the slammer. He worked for Arnold Rothstein and he was part of the hit team that failed to knock of Legs Diamond's brother Eddie in Colorado in November of 1928.

Early in the evening of August 9, 1929, a couple of sedans pulled up to Moran's New Jersey bungalow. His moll Anna, heard him tell the men that they need to hurry because they were already late for the job. He entered one of the sedans and the crew took off. 

A few hours later, the night watch man of a Newark dump saw two sedans pull in. Two men got out of a Packard and doused it with gasoline then put it to the match. They all left in the remaining car. A few hours later one of the men returned to Moran's bungalow and told his moll that Gene was dead and that she should beat it.

By the time the fire was doused, Moran, who had been shot to death, was burnt beyond recognition. It wouldn't be until early 1930 that he was identified through his dental work. Since he was one of those involved in the failed attempt on Eddie Diamond, Legs Diamond is credited with the murder. It's also possible that he was killed at he bequest of Dutch Schultz. The Bronx beer baron had paid for the assassination crew to travel to Colorado to kill Eddie. Moran and another Schultz man were captured and took a powder, leading Schultz to be out the thousands he spend for Moran's bail.

Eugene Moran

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