ILFRANKL-L Archives

From: "Trev" <>
Subject: Newspaper Gleanings
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 23:07:03 -0000

Hi list... these are gleanings from early Hardin Co., IL newspapers. These
were on Denise Kneifel's homepage
http://hometown.aol.com/DeniseK322/index.html

There are some interesting articles. Benton and Franklin Co are mentioned in
a few. You can view lots more on the above address under "Odds and Ends" (2
long pages).

Best Regards, Trev

13 JANUARY 1927
FOUR VICTIMS OF GANG WARFARE
Marion IL-9 Jan 1927-Four charred bodies, unidentified even as to sex, are
being held here today for the Coroner as the latest contribution to the
sanguinary gangster welfare that has been waging Southern Ill. for many
months, gang vengeance having assured itself early this morning in the
destruction by dynamite and fire of "Shady Rest", armed camp of Charles
Birger, leader of one of the factions.
"Shady Rest" a roadhouse resort which has been fortified against attacks by
machine guns and grenades is leveled to the ground. Fire destroyed it
completely. An adjoining building which Birger used as a power house for his
electric light system is a mass of wreckage, dynamite having reduced it to
debris. A barbecue stand, fronting the hard surface highway on which "Shady
Rest" was located and also the property of Birger, had been shot through
like a sieve.
And in the smoldering embers today Sheriff Oren Coleman and Coroner George
Bell of Williamson Co. found four bodies, burned to cinders.
The above was taken from Monday's Daily Globe and Tuesday's paper contained
but little additional information, except that Charlie Birger was not at
Shady rest at the time it was destroyed, and that probably there was but
three persons killed instead of four.
Birger and Art Newman are two of the chief witnesses against the Shelton
Brothers, charged with the Collinsville Mail Robbery some month ago, and
which will be tried at Springfield, Ill., in about two weeks, and no doubt,
the Shelton Brother's gang were after these two men, hoping to suppress
evidence.
A warrant for the arrest of Birger charging him with murder has been in the
hands of the Saline Co. officers for several days, but so far, he goes and
comes as he pleases unmolested. There have been nine other killings in this
gang warfare previously; the last one being Joe Adams, mayor of West City,
for which a warrant for the arrest of Birger has been issued.

3 FEBUARY 1927
CONVICTED
The Shelton brothers, Earl, Carl and Bernard were convicted at Ill. last
week of robbing the mail at Collinsville January 1925.
Charles Birger and Art Newman, leaders of a rival bootlegging gang who were
the state's star witnesses, are said to have fallen out and if true,
probably the gang warfare in Williamson and adjoining counties will end.

24 MARCH 1927
Arlie Boswell, states attorney of Williamson County was shot in the back
Wednesday, March 16th. Boswell has been quite active in prosecuting
bootleggers and some three weeks ago convicted three of the Birger gang,
obtaining sentences of from 10 years to life.

26 May 1927-Art Newman, one of the notorious Birger gangsters, has been
arrested at Long Beach, Calif. according to Monday's daily paper. Newman is
wanted in Franklin County on an indictment for murder. Connie Ritter another
of the gang is still at large.

30 JUNE 1927
BIRGER TRIAL JULY 8TH.
Charles Birger, Art Newman and Roy Hayland, all under indictment for the
murder of Mayor Joe Adams of West City have their trial set for July 8th.

28 JULY 1927
GANG WARFARE ENDED
With the conviction of Charley Birger, Art Newman and Ray Hyland, it is
hoped that gang warfare in Southern, IL. has been wiped out
A jury of 12 men have seen fit to demand the supreme penalty for Birger,
which is death and Newan and Hyland were given life in the penitentiary.
The concessus of opines is that these 12 men who were chosen jurors in the
circuit court of Franklin County and who heard the evidence and decided the
fate of these notorious highway men did their duty truly and well.

13 October 1927 HANGING POSTPONED
The date set for the hanging of Charley Birger, October 15, has been
postponed through an action of the Supreme Court which has granted his
petition for a writ of error and supersedeas.

20 Oct. 1927- TO HANG FRIDAY
Rade Millich, Birger gangster will be hanged at Marion, IL. Tomorrow (Fri)
unless given a reprieve, which is unlikely. Millich will be the first of the
Birger Gangsters to pay the
extreme penalty for the many murders they have committed.

20 Oct, 1927 QUICK ACTION
Last Saturday three bandits robbed the bank at Tower Rock, IL. They were
captured by a posse and of enraged citizens, taken into court where they
entered a plea of guilty and in 28 hours after the robbery they had been
sentenced to the penitentiary for from one year to life. The robbers were
Sherman and Rooney Smiddy and Joseph Drumeata. The two Smiddys being related
to Art Newman, Birger's lieutenant and all former Birger gangsters.

20 DECEMBER 1928
There were three men electrocuted in the Joliet penitentiary Saturday, the
first execution by electricity in the state of Illinois. The men were John
Brown, Claude Clark and Dominic Bressetti. The latter a Chippewa Indian.
Sheriff Lorie B. Roche of Cairo was sentenced to one year and a day in the
Federal penitentiary at Levensworth and to pay a fine of $5000 for selling
protection to boot leggers. and one of his deputies was give six months and
$500. fine.
J. C. Headley and wife of Carbondale were murdered in their house one night
last week. The Headley were wealthy, but nothing of value was taken from the
home, and the police are at a loss as to the motive of the crime.

10 JANUARY 1929
FOUR BIRGERITES SENTENCED FOR LIFE
Art Newman, Fred E. Wooten, Leslie Simpson and Riley Simmons entered a plea
of guilty in Circuit Court at Marion, IL. Tuesday to the murder of Ethel
Price, wife of Patrolman Lory Price, and were sentenced to the penitentiary
for life by Judge D.T. Hartwell.

24 JANUARY 1929
Local Items: Arlie Boswell, former States Attorney of Williamson County is
on trial in Federal court at E. St. Louis charged with collecting tribute
from criminals, among which was Charlie Birger gang. If one half that has
been told is true, he should have been hanged on the same scaffold with
Birger.

2 MAY 1929
Mg. license issued; Earl Doty, 23, Benton, IL & Nerella Morris, 19,
Harrisburg

22 AUGUST 1929
Gleanings: Henry Garland, whom we mentioned last week as being seriously ill
with a large carbuncle, died at his home in Benton early last week.
Interment was made at that place. Although Mr. Garland has not lived here
for some time, he is remembered by many of our citizens and he has several
relatives residing in this county to whom we extend sympathy.

Copyright © 1999, Denise Gibbs Kneifel, 2551 Victoria Dr. NE, Palm Bay, FL,
(USA) 32905. EMail: Unrestricted not-for-profit use is
permitted providing this copyright notice appears on any display of the
data. No for-profit use of this data is allowed without permission of the
copyright holder. Permission for submission to or distribution by for-profit
data distributors such as Broderbund's Family Tree Maker "World Family Tree"
project is specifically withheld.

This thread:

• Newspaper Gleanings by "Trev" <>