Author: Linda MalekPublisher:
ISBN: 9780979727306
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
The little village of Stickney, Illinois is a peaceful, family-oriented community. However, sinister activities cast a shadow over the suburb during the 1920s and 30s when organized crime infiltrated the town. Al Capone and his brother Ralph were among the gangsters that established operations in the village. Although their presence in Chicago and Cicero is well documented, the illicit activities they conducted in Stickney were seldom recorded as more than a footnote.Researching newspaper archives, court documents, and books written by historians, Linda M. Malek discovered how social movements and political alliances made it possible for criminal activity to develop and flourish. Stickney was first drawn into the spotlight during the murder trial of a village resident that became the first woman sentenced to hang in Cook County, Illinois. After Al Capone arrived during Prohibition, houses were blown off their foundations when well-paid residents attempted to convert home furnaces into stills. A raid conducted by dry agents in 1929 left bullet holes in the walls of the speakeasy known as the Bungalow Inn, and raids on the Silver Slipper dance hall made headlines on a regular basis. The most notorious of the Capone brothels were the Rendezvous, the Harlem Inn and the Stockade. The Stockade was located in the Village of Forest View, adjacent to Stickney. It was the largest of Capone's brothels and the only one known to have been destroyed by vigilantes.Fascination with Al Capone never diminishes, and this book adds details to the lore. If you think you know the whole story about Capone's operations, think again.