Homicides Involving Illegal Liquor or Prohibition

19 Cases Found:

Date of Offense:

  • Victim Name: Heller, Ges. W.
  • DefendantName: McDermott, Wm
  • Address: 923 W. Madison
  • Case Number: 923 W. Madison
  • Case Description: Heller, Ges. W. - Age 40 - Found shot to death in alley rear of 923 W. Madison St. Result of quarrel among booze runners. 10/9/22 Wm. Dillon was held by the Coroner as accessory and arrest of John Connors recommended. On 10/10/22 Wm. McDermott arrested for the murder and John Connors as accessory and both turned over to the Sheriff. Oct. 1922 No Bills on all 3. 19 Dist.

Date of Offense: June 21, 1923

  • Victim Name: Harrison, Francis
  • DefendantName: Grant, Wallace
  • Address: 2138 Federal st.
  • Case Number: 2138 Federal st.
  • Case Description: Harris (Harrison), Francis Age 26 - Col, Beatrice - Age 9, Hanna - Age 42 - Died in fire at 2138 Federal St. caused by a moonshine still operated by Wallace Grant and Joe Smith, who, on 7/18/23, were held by the Coroner for manslaughter in each case. 11 Dist.

Date of Offense: September 3, 1922

  • Victim Name: Milroy, Wm. H.
  • DefendantName: Duffy, Charles
  • Address: 429 W. Superior st.
  • Case Number: 429 W. Superior st.
  • Case Description: Milroy, Wm. H. - Age 40 - Throat cut in front of 429 W. Superior St., during a quarrel over a bottle of moonshine, by Charles Duffy, who, on 9/5/22, was held by the Coroner. 28 Dist. 2/7/23 s/o - P.L. Sullivan.

Date of Offense: September 29, 1921

  • Victim Name: Russell, John alias Aug. Meyer
  • DefendantName:
  • Address: unknown place
  • Case Number: unknown place
  • Case Description: Russell, John, alias Aug. Meyers - Age 45 - Died at the Midwest Hospital from a gunshot wound received at some unknown place by unknown person or persons. Believed to be outcome of quarrel among booze runners. 20 Dist.

Date of Offense: June 21, 1923

  • Victim Name: Robinson, Amanda
  • DefendantName: Grant, Wallace
  • Address: 2138 Federal
  • Case Number: 2138 Federal
  • Case Description: Robinson, Amanda - Age 26 - Col - Died in fire at 2138 Federal St., caused by moonshine still operated by Wallace Grant and Joe Smith, who, on 7/18/23, were held by the Coroner for Manslaughter. 1A Dist.

Date of Offense: November 18, 1921

  • Victim Name: Smith, John S
  • DefendantName: Mann, Harry
  • Address: 6256 Blackstone
  • Case Number: 6256 Blackstone
  • Case Description: Smith, John S. - Age 33 - Fatally stabbed in a flat at 6256 Blackstone Ave., during a fight with Harry Mann over some moonshine. On 11/18/21 Mann was held by the Coroner for manslaughter. 5 Dist. 3/30/22 Acquitted - Scanlon.

Date of Offense: February 24, 1922

  • Victim Name: Serritello, Antonio
  • DefendantName: Derrico, Martin
  • Address: 265 Alexander
  • Case Number: 265 Alexander
  • Case Description: Serritello, Antonio - Age 45 - Fatally shot at 265 Alexander St., home of Martin Derrico, who shot him during a quarrel. Moonshine party. On 2/25/22 Derrico was held by the Coroner. ?? Dist. 7/14/22 Acquitted - Kersten.

Date of Offense: February 18, 1923

  • Victim Name: Thompson, Catherine
  • DefendantName: Cutara, Vincent
  • Address: victim died @ home
  • Case Number: victim died @ home
  • Case Description: Thompson, Catherine - Age 60 - Died from effects of moonshine which she purchased from Vincent Cutara and Geo. Romano, who, on 3/21/23, were held by the Coroner. On 2/20/23 Walter Skinner and Frank Walters also were arrested but exonerated by the Coroner on 3/21/23 and D.W.P. by Judge Walker. 29 Dist. 10/2/23 Cutari & Romano cases s/o - Swanson.

Date of Offense: April 29, 1924

  • Victim Name: Thomas, Antonette
  • DefendantName: Brill, Fred
  • Address: residence of victim
  • Case Number: residence of victim
  • Case Description: Thomas, Antonette - Age 36 - Committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid after her husband upbraided her for drinking moonshine. On 4/30/24, Fred Brill, who sold her the moonshine, was held by the Coroner for manslaughter. 21 Dist. May 1924 No bill.

Date of Offense: January 23, 1925

  • Victim Name: Byzeck, Mike
  • DefendantName: Kras, John
  • Address: 157 E Kensington
  • Case Number: 157 E Kensington
  • Case Description: Byzeck, Mike - Age 41- Died in the kitchen of 157 E. Kensington Ave., where he had been drinking moonshine furnished by John Kras, who was held by the Coroner 2/14/25 on charge of manslaughter. 9 Dist. March 1925 No bill.

Date of Offense: October 11, 1926

  • Victim Name: Murray, Patrick
  • DefendantName: Peller, Samuel
  • Address: 742 N. State St
  • Case Number: 742 N. State St
  • Case Description: Murray, Patrick - Age 40 - Shot to death at 4 PM, in front of 742 N. State St., together with Earl J. "Hymie" Weiss, bootlegger, as they were walking along with Attorney W.W. O'Brien, who was wounded, by some unknown person or persons who fired a machine gun from person or persons who fired a machine gun from a second floor window across the street. On 10/21/26 Samuel Peller and Benj. Jacobs, Weiss' bodyguard, who also were wounded, were held by the Coroner because "they were present and armed and had foreknowledge of the shooting." 28 Dist.

Date of Offense: October 11, 1926

  • Victim Name: Weiss, Earl J "Hymie"
  • DefendantName: Paller, Samuel
  • Address: 742 N. State ST
  • Case Number: 742 N. State ST
  • Case Description: Weiss, Earl J. - "Hymie" - Age 35 - Shot to death at 4:00 PM, in front of 742 N. State St., together with Patrick Murray, another bootlegger as they were walking along with Attorney W.W. O'Brien, who also was wounded, by some unknown person or persons who fired a machine gun from a second floor window across the street. On 10/21/26 Samuel Peller and Ben Jacobs, Weiss' body guard, who also were wounded, were held by the Coroner because they "were present and armed and had fore knowledge of the shooting. 28 Dist.

Date of Offense: July 26, 1928

  • Victim Name: Canale, Sam
  • DefendantName:
  • Address: 4907 Medill
  • Case Number: 4907 Medill
  • Case Description: Canale, Sam - Age 24 - Alleged bootlegger; shot to death with a pump shotgun at 12:20 AM, 7/26/28, while placing his automobile in garage in rear of 4907 Medill Ave. Assailants are unknown. 31 Dist.

Date of Offense: October 12, 1928

  • Victim Name: Colombo, Sylua
  • DefendantName: Shannon, Michael
  • Address: 161 E 115th st
  • Case Number: 161 E 115th st
  • Case Description: Colombo, Sylva - Age 36 - Fatally shot at 12:15 AM, 10/12/28 in rear of 161 E. 115th St., by Patrolman Michael Shannon, whom he wounded while resisting a raid on a still at that address by police officers. On 10/15/28 Shannon was exonerated by the Coroner. 12 Dist.

Date of Offense: February 14, 1929

  • Victim Name: Jones, Oscar
  • DefendantName: Lee, Arthur
  • Address: 519 E. 37th St.
  • Case Number: 519 E. 37th St.
  • Case Description: Jones, Oscar - Age 31 - Colored - Deceased and Peter Moss were fatally shot at 7:35 PM, 2/14/29, by Arthur Lee, colored, in the latter�s moonshine flat, 2nd fl., 519 E. 37th St., when they came to the assistance of Mrs. Lee whose husband beat her when she woundn�t produce some money he had made on the sale of moonshine. On 3/6/29 Lee was held by the coroner. 4 Dist. 4/16/29 - 20 years Joliet Pen. - J. Sullivan. Same in Moss case.

Date of Offense: April 5, 1929

  • Victim Name: Krueger, Frank M.
  • DefendantName:
  • Address: 736 W. 22nd St.
  • Case Number: 736 W. 22nd St.
  • Case Description: Krueger, Frank M. � Age 39 � Shot to death at 9:10 PM, 4/5/29, while seated at the wheel of his automobile, in front of 736 W. 22 St., by two unknown men who came out of an alley east of Halsted St., shot him and ran back to a waiting auto and escaped. 21 Dist. Bootlegger.

Date of Offense: July 15, 1930

  • Victim Name: Moss, Ellsworth
  • DefendantName:
  • Address: 315 S. Lincoln St.
  • Case Number: 315 S. Lincoln St.
  • Case Description: Moss, Ellsworth - Age 40 - Colored - Found dead 7/15/30 in the rear of 315 So. Lincoln St., with several gunshot wounds. Moss was a known bootlegger aside from his regular occupation of collector of mails, and this is believed to have been the reason for the murder. 27 Dist.

Date of Offense: July 30, 1929

  • Victim Name: McNichols, Thomas
  • DefendantName: James Shupe
  • Address: Madison and Aberdeen Sts
  • Case Number: Madison and Aberdeen Sts
  • Case Description: McNichols, Thomas - Age 37 - Gangster. Fatally shot at 9:55 PM, 7/30/29, at Madison and Aberdeen Sts., in a duel with another gangster, James Shupe, whom he in turn also fatally wounded. The two had been gunning for each other as the result of alcohol hijacking. 26 Dist.

Date of Offense: March 28, 1928

  • Victim Name: Sakalauskas, Joseph
  • DefendantName:
  • Address: 4829 Nevada st.
  • Case Number: 4829 Nevada st.
  • Case Description: Sakalauskas, Jos. � Age 41 � Fatally shot at 10:30 PM, 3/28/28, in front of his home, 4829 Nevada St., by two unknown men when about to enter his home. Deceased, a small-scale bootlegger, apparently had some dealings with his assailants. 31 Dist.