During the 1940’s there was considerable ammount of gang warfare in the Chicago’s underworld over gambling operations.It was just another epoch for the Chicago gangsters.The Outfit was the leading force during this period. Jake Guzik and Tony Accardo led the expansion into gambling for the Outfit.After Prohibition, these activities received the Outfit’s undivided attention and it soon monopolized gambling around the country.
Here are some of the situations that occurred during the gang warfare of the time period 1943-1946:
December 6 1943 big time gambling operator Thomas Naglia was shot and killed in a barber chair at 1608 Sedgwick Street.
January 14 1944 Ben Zuckerman gambling czar and political fixer of the 24th Ward was murdered in a gang land style.
March 2 1944 gambler Sam Gervase was shot and killed at 609 Division Street.
March 11 1944 James DeAngelo’s battered body was found in the trunk of his car in front of a 1526 N.La Salle Street.He was a politican and operator of bookie establishments.
March 13 1944 John Willams ,gambling lord of the 13th Ward was riddled with shotgun bullets in car.Willams was really lucky and survived.
April 7 1944 Livert Kelly,black labor leader,gambler and racketeer was shot and killed in a brawl.
April 13 1944 Jack Guzik ,one of the biggest gambling bosses of the Outfit, was allegedly kidnapped but released the next day on April 14 1944.
April 18 1944 James Larkin was shot and killed in a tavern owned by Matt Capone,Al’s brother at 4839 Ogdens Avenue.He was the owner of a big gambling establishment called the “Dome” at 7446 Irving Park Road.He was also known for doping race horses.
August 3 1944 Lawrence Dago Mangano was murdered allegedly on the orders of mob boss Paul Ricca.Maybe this hit has nothing to do with the gambling war but Mangano was a very close associate of Ben Zuckerman.
November 1 1944 Robert Bock was shot in front of his home at 7558 Kingston Avenue by a shotgun blast.Bock was lucky and survived.This was an example of the South Side gambling war.
December 29 1944 Joe Mondo was shot to deth in his car at 14th Street Wolcott Avenue.He was a handbook operator and a nephew of State Representative James Adducci.
December 29 1944 Paul Kare was shot but survived.He was a big shot in the Greek colony and their gambling operations.
January 1 1945 Mike Dooman was shot and killed in a cocktail bar at 938 Belmont Avenue.He was a gangster and a big time gambler and it is belived that this hit was done over the Greek gambling operations also.
April 7 1945 Willie Tarsch was murdered in front of a building at 3710 W.Roosvelt Road.He was a gambling czar and close associate of Ben Zuckerman.
May 25 1945 James “Red” Fawcett was a big time South Side gangster and gambling operator.He was shot to death in a saloon at 2462 East 75th Street.
July 13 1945 Morris Margolis was shot to death in his car at 1652 W.Ontario Street.Margolis was a handbook operator.
May 11 1946 Eddie Jones,king of the policy racket,was kidnapped by Outfit men sent by Sam Giancana and Tony Accardo.He was released after a ransom of 100.000$ and surendered his policy racket.
June 24 1946 James M. Ragen was ambushed and shot by a Outfit hitman.He died several weeks later.In the autopsy that followed, traces of mercury were found in Ragen's blood system.
He was a part owner of the Continental Press Service,wich was important for racing informations,and didn’t want to share it.Allegedly Tony Accardo ordered the hit.
September 7 1946 Outfit men attacked Teddy Roe at The Boston Club,but failed.Teddy Roe was a tuff guy so bullets were flying around.THe assassins fled the scene and Roe survived the attack.
September 10 1946 Robert Wilcox was shot to death at The Boston Club.He was Teddy Roe's partner in the policy racket.
This war resulted with the alliance between Chicago’s underworld,politicans and big time business men wich made organized gambling a big business in Chicago.In the early 50’s the Outfit also took over the Black Policy Racket wich resulted with another gang warfare and ofcourse many new casualties.
