St. Valentines' Day Massacre

There are some great unsolved mysteries in America. The Boston Heist Paintings. The Zodiac Killer. What happened to the escapees at Alcatraz. Anything to do with Area 51. Today though, I will be talking about something else. It is a mystery that captures everyone’s attention. A mystery that has already been solved, but never proven. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. On Valentine’s Day in 1929, seven gang members were shot in a Chicago warehouse, hit by a rival gang run by the infamous Al Capone. Unable to prove Capone's connection legally, we may only speculate what, today, would have been a straightforward case. Today, I will be telling you a brief history of Chicago’s gangsters, the massacre itself, and the resulting effect the shooting had on the criminal justice system at the time.

To begin, a basic understanding of Chicago’s gangsters is important. Illegal bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling rings were only a fraction of the true crimes committed by these men. The ratification of the 18th amendment made the distribution and consumption of alcohol federally illegal. Desperate to not be run dry, America's gangsters took it upon themselves to supply the people with speakeasies. These are essentially illegal nightclubs. Prohibition made these illicit activities very profitable. By the late 1920’s, Chicago was run by gangs and, “...gang warfare ruled the streets…” (History.com). Most notably were the South Side Gang, run by Al 'Scarface' Capone and the North Side Gang, run by George 'Bugs' Moran. The government was almost helpless against this underworld war, as they simply did not have enough people to enforce the laws they had placed down for prohibition. What they did do was random searches. Police officers would line men up with their faces against the wall. They would then frisk them for anything illegal. This became a normal thing to see on the streets or in the dens of suspected gang members.

Furthermore, I want to speak on the actual events of February 14, 1929. However, sources are limited. Only the people involved and a few witnesses, later scared into silence, can attest to what actually happened. Here are the known facts. A Cadillac, a known police model car, drove up to a Chicago warehouse where seven men had previously entered. Five men, two dressed in police uniforms, entered behind them. Two tommy guns and a shotgun open-fired with the men standing, facing towards the wall. It is believed that the shooters were imitating a routine police hold-up. The only survivor was the German Shepherd dog, Highball. Five were known members of Moran’s gang, one was an associate of the gang, and the last was a mechanic, who was unfortunate enough to be working on Moran’s vehicles. One of the men, a gangster, was still alive when he was found by police. The only thing he had to say was, “Nobody shot me.” He kept his silence until he died a few hours later. Moran himself was running late and missed being shot down by mere minutes. Capone was in Florida at the time of the attack, so, officially, he could not have been involved. However, it is believed that the shooting was in direct retaliation for the murder of one of Capone's men that had been attacked due to their longstanding feud. Unofficially, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Capone was guilty.

Lastly, the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre influenced the criminal justice system and forensics, specifically through ballistics. The massacre was the first high profile case in which ballistics was directly related to the eventual capture and conviction to a criminal. Ballistics is the study of the effects that firing has on a gun, bullet, or cartridge. Dr. Calvin Goddard analyzed the marks left on the bullets when it was fired from a gun. He learned that the markings on a fired bullet was as distinct as a fingerprint. With this new technology and understanding, the owner of the two Tommy Guns that shot the men was found and arrested, though for a completely unrelated crime. Thousands of violent crimes a year are solved by ballistics, which got its fame and notability with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was a shooting in Chicago carried out by what is believed to be a rival gang to ’Bugs’ Moran. Out of all the mysteries America has, this is probably one of the easiest to come to a conclusion on the actual culprit. It is important to note that, while these men did horrible things, they can help people in the long run. Ballistics is an ever improving science, now taking on 3D imaging. Organized crime started to become publicly recognized and stopped. Good things can come with tragedy, we only need to know how to use it.

Work Cited

“FEB 14 1929: The St Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago.” History Today, vol. 59, no. 2, Feb. 2009, p. 10. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=36590263&site=ehost-live. http://search.ebscohost.com.lili.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=36590263&site=ehost-live&custid=s8499241

Editors, History.com. “St. Valentine's Day Massacre.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/crime/saint-valentines-day-massacre.

Museum, Mob. “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.” Themobmuseum.org, The Exhibits, 2018, https://themobmuseum.org/case-files/the-exhibits/st-valentines-day-massacre/