Was back on this date in 1933 that Tinsel Town lost one of, if not thee, top bootlegger. Booze baron Harry Meagher, said to have a number of Hollywood stars as friends was pulling up to his home when neighbors heard a series of bangs and then a crash. See what happened was somebody gave Harry the works while Harry was pulling up to his abode, then this somebody, who was in the passenger seat at the time, turned his gun and killed James North who was in the back seat. Or did he give North the works first and then kill Meagher? Either way the result was the same. The car jumped the curbed and crashed into a light post. The killer, well he got away. As per usual.
Why did Harry get dead? Three reasons were offered so you can pick one:
1) Gangsters from Chicago (or other eastern parts) were muscling in on the lucrative L.A. scene and it was just to bad for the local boys.
2) Harry himself was expanding into Arizona and Utah and them local fellas there weren't to keen on the idea.
3) It was an attempted robbery gone wrong.
As for me, I don't believe any of them because I once spoke with a Hollywoodland old timer who told me that Harry was the man who killed William Desmond Taylor and that the gun-person who put Harry and North on the spot was none other than
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
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