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
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