42 Skidoo

 

September 8, 1933 saw the demise of Nicholas "Little Man" Muscato, so called because he stood at five feet tall. Muscato was a small time racketeer for Chicago's 42 gang. He reportedly had a bootlegging route under the tutelage of gangster Joseph Red Bolton, or, as was also reported, Bolton paid Muscato protection money.

In 1930, Muscato, along with fellow hoodlum Peter "the Ape" Nicastro, had murdered fellow 42 gangster Frank Petito, who hijacked a truck belonging to Bolton. After the murder, Nicastro claimed he had done the killing himself. To save face, Muscato in turn took Nicastro for a ride but he survived. Subsequently Nicastro squealed on Muscato who was arrested but beat the rap.

As a taxi driver  sat parked at a local hospital, he saw a sedan pull up and slow down. A door was opened and Muscato was tossed to the sidewalk with a bullet in the back of his head. Being a good sort of fellow, the taxi driver dragged the gangster into the hospital where he was informed that his labors had been in vain as Muscato was already dead.

Nicholas Muscato

Babe, they got you, Babe

Martin "Babe" Mullaney was a beer runner in the employ of Chicago bootlegger Joseph "Red" Bolton. Police said that he had decided to go into business for himself and was trying to line up customers. That may be the reason he was bumped off on this date back in 1930.

At approximately 3:00 AM, Mullaney came stumbling into the lobby of the Alto Hotel where he lived. He was noticeably intoxicated and swaggered to his room. A few minutes later two guys entered the Alto and told the night clerk that they were friends of Mullaney and went up stairs.

A short time later, numerous other hotel guest were waken up by shots. The manager entered Mullaney's room and found everything in disarray. Looking into the closet he found Mullaney's body which had been propped up inside the closet. It was noted that the dead man was wearing a deputy sheriff's badge so perhaps he was shaking down other racketeers and was found out.

Babe Mullaney