Live By the Gun, Die By the Gun...A Minute Later

 

A chance encounter with a Kansas City sheriff and his deputy changed what should have been a typical on-the-spot killing into gunfight costing two of the killers their own lives.

Sheriff Thomas Bash was returning from a fund raising social engagement with his deputy Lawrence Hodges. The officers were escorting the car which contained the money raised at the party. Hodges was driving and Bash was in the passenger seat. In the rear sat Bash's wife and a neighbor girl of 15. 

It was about 1:15 in the morning on August 12, 1933. As the police car advanced towards Armour Avenue Bash and Hodges saw a series of flashes and heard gunshots. This was followed by a woman's screaming. What the two law officers heard was the murder of bootlegger and nightclub owner Ferris Anthon. In addition to his KC operations, the dead man had ties to Chicago where he was knows as Kansas City Tony. Anthon was living at the Cavalier hotel and had just returned from a night out with his young wife, mother-in-law and his wife's younger brother. While his wife and in-laws headed for the hotel, he stayed back to lock up the car. According to his wife, a man with a handkerchief over his face came from between two cars and shot Anthon down with a  machine gun.*

After the shooting, a sedan containing mobsters Sam Scola, Gus Fasone and a man later identified as Thomas Lacoco came barreling around the corner, heading straight for Bash an Hodges. Realizing a crime had take place, Bash grabbed the police car's shotgun and jumped out the passenger side door; Hodges from the driver's side with a his side arm in hand. 

Seeing their way blocked, Scola and Fasone opened fire on the officers. Bash fired a round through the windshield, reloaded and fired another round through the windshield reportedly taking off the tops of the gangsters heads. Lacoco Leapt from the car and ran as Hodges gave chase; both men firing at each other.  After the Bash's second shot the gangster car careened into the the police vehicle.

Bash wanted to check on his wife and neighbor but another hoodlum, Charles Gargotta, came running up firing at the sheriff. Loading another shell into the shotgun, Bash ran towards the attacking hoodlum. who, realizing he was about to be cut down, dropped his gun and surrendered. In the meantime, Hodges had lost sight of Lacoco, but found his abandoned gun, and returned to the scene.

Gargotta and Lacoco would subsequently be exonerated from any wrong doing. The four gunman were said to be underlings of Kansas City gang boss Johnny Lazia.

*no machine guns were found.

            

Ferris Anthon             Sam Scola              Gus Fasone