Goose Island Goose is Cooked

 

Thirty-five-year-old Joseph "Big Rabbit" Connell was proprietor of the Island Tavern, a "Whoopee" joint, on Chicago's Goose Island.  In the early days he was a slugger in the taxi wars. His record consisted of small time infractions. The previous spring he ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for the state legislature. 

As owner of the Island Tavern, Connell was paying $55 for a barrel  of beer. The price set by the "Syndicate". Not satisfied with the profits, Connell started brewing his own stuff for only seven dollars a barrel. Soon he branched out and started to sell to other North Side saloons charging only $30 a barrel. 

The competition responded just before eleven on the night of August 10, 1932. Connell stepped out of his saloon for a breath of fresh air when a small sedan pulled up. Someone from the car called to Connell and said that they wanted to speak with him. As the tavern owner approached the car, automatic shotgun(s) came out  the window and went off. Hit by sixteen slugs, Connell staggered to the side of his bar and dropped dead.

Joe may have been friendly with North Side gangsters, as his younger brother, George "Little Rabbit" Connell was said to be friends with deceased North Side gang leader Dean O'Banion. At the time of Joe's murder, Little Rabbit was serving a term in prison for stealing a truck load of whiskey from a pharmaceutical and chemical company. 

Joseph "Big Rabbit" Connell

End of a Flower Power

Chicago. November 10, 1924 -

Dean O'Banion, head of the North Side gang stands in the rear of his floral shop clipping chrysanthemums. He has received many orders from gangland associates for the funeral of Mike Merlo, the head of the Unione Siciliana, the man whom had been keeping him alive for a number of months. Both John Torrio and the Genna Brothers wanted him dead, but Merlo was able to keep them in line.

Earlier that year, O'Banion found out that a brewery he was part owner of was going to be raided. He saw this as an opportunity to make money and possibly get rid of a rival. He went to John Torrio and told him that he wanted out of the rackets and offered to sell his share in the brewery to the Italian gang leader. Torrio accepted the offer and paid the money. After the deal was made and the money delivered. The raid took place, resulting in the brewery being closed and Torrio facing jail time as a second offender.

Not wanting to start a war, it was decided that O'Banion wouldn't be killed. A few months later Angelo Genna ran up a large debt at a gambling parlor jointly owned by O'Banion and Torrio/Capone. The latter two decided to forget the debt out of professional courtesy. Afterwards O'Banion got on the phone and demanded payment.

Mike Merlo, whom Italian revered preached peace, but on November 8, he died. It was then decided that O'Banion would go with him. Since all of gangland used O'Banion's shop for their funeral arrangements he wouldn't be suspicious of unknown Italian men coming into his shop.

Around noon, three men stepped into the shop. Gangland lore dictates that the man in the middle is New York mob boss Frankie Yale. The guys on either side Genna gunmen Albert Anselmi and John Scalise. Hearing the arrival O'Banion walked out from the rear room. With shears in one hand O'Banion extended his free hand to the middle man. "Hello boys. You from Mike Merlo?"
"Yes." the man replied grasping his hand and holding it. As the middle man held tightly to O'Banion's hand the two side men each drew a gun and fired into the Irish gangster five or six times. O'Banion fell back onto the floor and another bullet was sent into his brain.

The killers fled the shop as the porter ran from the rear and found his boss in a bloody heap with his hands twitching.

 Dean O'Banion

                         

Your dirty rat, you killed my brother...and me.

Alexander "Red" Applequist and his brother, Ernie, were  tending bar in their Chicago speakeasy.  Adorning the walls of their establishment were posters supporting the Republican candidates of an upcoming election. Red had a history of political activism having been arrested for killing a guy during some election day terrorism back in the teens. He got off on plea of self-defense. Ernie was said to have had close ties with North Side gangsters Dean O'Banion and George Bugs Moran. In addition to co-owning the speakeasy, Ernie was also the head of the City Chauffeur's union.

In recent weeks, Red confided to a friend that Capone henchman, Lawrance "Dago" Mangano had stopped by and told him to stop selling beer. Red told the friend that he did stop, but was hoping that if the politician he was promoting won the election, he'd be able to operate without worrying about the Capone forces.

On this night back in 1932, a couple of guys stopped in the Applequist speakeasy. Moments later both Applequist' lay behind the bar, each with a shotgun blast to the head. Police found four glasses of beer on the counter. Apparently Red didn't actually stop selling.

Two theories given for the double murder- Bumped off for defying Mangano or possibly troubles within the Chauffeur's union.

L: Alexander Red Applequist R: Ernie Applequist