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

Monday, April 4, 2011

Warning: Smoking may be hazardous to your health

At 9:30pm on this date back in 1930 James Clark walked into a drug store to purchase a pack of smokes. Clark, 30, had a record going back to the preprohibition era when he used to pal around with Tanner Smith. His claim to fame was taking part in the stealing of $92,000 worth of aspirin back in 1926. His purchased complete, Clark stepped out of the store and into a bullet. Somebody was waiting for him and this somebody stuck his gun to Clark's head and pulled the trigger. Miraculously Clark wasn't killed. He was rushed to a hospital where he refused to talk to police. Though alive when the story went to press Clark's doctors gave him no chance of recovery.

2 comments:

John DuMond said...

I hope his family sued the tobacco company.

Patrick Downey said...

And the drug store. They shouldn't make it so easy for a guy to get shot.