At 4:30am on this date back in 1929 Mrs. Albert Parlow, of Point Place, Ohio (a suburb of Toledo) received a phone call. "Hurry over to the Riverview Inn," the anonymous caller said, "Your husband has been injured." Mrs. Parlow called two of her husband's friends, picked them up, and together they drove to the Riverview.
When the trio arrived they found the front door of the inn wide open. Inside there were signs that a terrific fight took place, the most obvious sign that there had been trouble was her husband's corpse on the floor with a bullet in the back of the head. Police decided that Albert, aka "Dago Holly", known as a bootlegger and gambler, was killed due to a liquor feud... or was it over money... or a private matter with a business associate.
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Thursday, June 26, 2014
The golden rule of the Golden Rule? Don't cause trouble
In the early hours of this date back in 1923 a Brooklyn gangster known as New York Whitey was at the Golden Rule, a private soldiers and sailors club, in Toledo, Ohio. (Did someone say speakeasy?) Whitey wasn't on his best behavior however and got into a fight with club manager, Phil Kennedy. After the rumpus New York Whitey grabbed any billiard ball he could find and started to throw them helter skelter ( Here, There & Everywhere also acceptable). As Whitey's missiles damaged the club and possibly other patrons Phil Kennedy did what any other self respecting manager of a private soldiers & sailors legion would have done. He pulled out a gat and sent .45 caliber sedative into Whitey's heart. Calmed him down right quick and for good.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
The big one that didn't get away
Early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and a finder of dead guys. I think that's how it goes. That's how it went anyways for a couple of Ohio fisherman who were going to get an early start eighty-three years ago today.
In the Cleveland suburb of Moreland Hills the previously mentioned anglers were driving along River road at about 2:00am when their head lights shone on the body of one Jack "Kibby" Langman. Kibby had been tossed into the road a few minutes earlier with two bullets in the back of his head.
According to police Kibby was a "gunman, gambler and a gangster member of a notorious east side mob". An Associate of his murdered a local council man and police thought that maybe Kibby was taken for a ride because they were afraid he was gonna do a little singing that might cook a few more gooses. Another theory was that he had moved from gambling into bootlegging. So take your pick.
In the Cleveland suburb of Moreland Hills the previously mentioned anglers were driving along River road at about 2:00am when their head lights shone on the body of one Jack "Kibby" Langman. Kibby had been tossed into the road a few minutes earlier with two bullets in the back of his head.
According to police Kibby was a "gunman, gambler and a gangster member of a notorious east side mob". An Associate of his murdered a local council man and police thought that maybe Kibby was taken for a ride because they were afraid he was gonna do a little singing that might cook a few more gooses. Another theory was that he had moved from gambling into bootlegging. So take your pick.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Bumped with care
Ninety years ago today the body of Thomas Boyle, member of the "Gold Coast" gang, was found in a ditch in Philadelphia. Unlike most gangland victims who are nonchalantly tossed from a moving auto, Thomas was laid out with a folded blanket under his head and a daisy placed in this hand.
Boyle had been arrested for his part in a $20,000 jewelry theft at an Atlantic City hotel and was out on bail at the time of the murder. A year or so earlier a friend of his, Dutch McClaren, was found in the same area, also with his head resting on a folded blanket, but instead of a daisy, Dutch was clutching a bouquet of weeds. Guess Tommy ranked better.
Boyle had been arrested for his part in a $20,000 jewelry theft at an Atlantic City hotel and was out on bail at the time of the murder. A year or so earlier a friend of his, Dutch McClaren, was found in the same area, also with his head resting on a folded blanket, but instead of a daisy, Dutch was clutching a bouquet of weeds. Guess Tommy ranked better.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
in to deep purple
Ben Bronston was a New York City fellow, with a record dating back to 1922, who worked in some capacity for Owney Madden. Like many a young man he decided his future lie elsewhere and packed his bags. Following Horace Greeley's advice he headed west and went as far as Detroit where he found love, gainful employment with the Purple Gang and an early death.
At about 3:00am on this date back in 1931 a car traversing Detroit's Sturtevant Ave. came to a stop because something was blocking it's path. That something of course was Bronston who had been shot in the stomach and head.
Bronston had been a bookkeeper for the Purples until he met a dame who thought it not proper that her future husband worked on the wrong side of the law. She talked Ben into resigning. I'm sure Ben told his employers that he'd keep his mouth shut, in fact he probably even promised to take their secrets to the grave with him. The Purples thought that was a splendid idea.
At about 3:00am on this date back in 1931 a car traversing Detroit's Sturtevant Ave. came to a stop because something was blocking it's path. That something of course was Bronston who had been shot in the stomach and head.
Bronston had been a bookkeeper for the Purples until he met a dame who thought it not proper that her future husband worked on the wrong side of the law. She talked Ben into resigning. I'm sure Ben told his employers that he'd keep his mouth shut, in fact he probably even promised to take their secrets to the grave with him. The Purples thought that was a splendid idea.
Friday, June 20, 2014
When Harry left Florence
Harry Robinson was having a swell time at the Edgewater resort located at Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. The 38-year old Chicagoan had just finished swimming with Florence, his 22-year old wife of two months, and went upstairs to use the bathroom. Flo remained down stairs in the bar area with about eight other people.
Just after Harry went up a sedan pulled up and four guys jumped out. Each held a pistol. One of them corralled all the people in the bar out onto the porch with their hands over their heads, while the other three ran up the stairs. Moments later Harry stepped out of the bathroom and into seven bullets.
The three gunmen ran back downstairs and, with the fourth, jumped back into their car and sped off. Mrs. Robinson and the others ran up stairs and found Harry outside the bathroom in a puddle of blood.
Why would anyone want to kill Harry? Who knows. Best the cops could come up with was that the shooting had something to due with the fact that Harry used to be an associate of Chicago beer baron Terry Druggan.
Just after Harry went up a sedan pulled up and four guys jumped out. Each held a pistol. One of them corralled all the people in the bar out onto the porch with their hands over their heads, while the other three ran up the stairs. Moments later Harry stepped out of the bathroom and into seven bullets.
The three gunmen ran back downstairs and, with the fourth, jumped back into their car and sped off. Mrs. Robinson and the others ran up stairs and found Harry outside the bathroom in a puddle of blood.
Why would anyone want to kill Harry? Who knows. Best the cops could come up with was that the shooting had something to due with the fact that Harry used to be an associate of Chicago beer baron Terry Druggan.
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