Fred Kautz heard a loud noise coming from the rooming house next door (Paper thin walls you know) at 6:20 pm on this date back in 1922 so, being a good neighbor, he went next door and told Joe Epst the rooming house keeper.
Epst went up stairs and opened the door to the room in question and there found two bodies on the floor. One belonging to burglar and Sing Sing alumnus Benny “Big Nose Mannie” Rosner and a twenty-two year old sweety named Lillian Schmidt known as “the Polish Queen”. Both had been shot through the head. The fact that a bureau had been over turned (the noise Kautz heard) and some clothes and other articles had been tossed about the room lead police to believe there was a struggle before the murders.
Oddly, though the over turning of the bureau was heard no shots were. The pistol probably had a silencer. Word went out to pick up a John Farone who was renting the room. (they didn’t find him though they found a box of shells in one of his coats) As to why the murders took place. I’m open to suggestions…
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
4 comments:
It escalated from a disagreement about the merits of the TV show HONEY BOO BOO.
Possibly, although I believe it was a radio show back then.
Family lore is that when Uncle Benny, may he rest in peace, was getting undressed he threw the gun on the bed, it went off killing them both.
He was actually still alive when the police got there but they let him bleed out because he made a lot of trouble for them.
I visit his grave when I go to the family plot.
Hi Aesir, interesting story, thank you for sharing!
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