WHAT GANGSTERS?

                                      WHAT   GANGSTERS?

                                          NORMAN  KELLY

 

The Gangsters are here!   There is machinegun fire on every corner and “bodies dropping like leaves in the wind” was how idiot writers described Peoria, Illinois.  For at least 50 years that’s what all these fools and book sellers would have you believe of one of the best little towns in the United States. I have told you over and over that we did not have gangsters in Peoria, Illinois.  I am talking about real gangsters along the lines of Al Capone and men like him that dominated the crime world in their day.  Now if you are talking about pugs, thugs, two-bit hoods, gangster wannabees and just a lot of lazy, worthless, useless men that were too damn lazy or untalented to hold a job perhaps you are right.  They found life much easier to cope with by sticking a gun into some poor old woman’s face or breaking into a home much easier than working for a living like all ‘Those other dumb slobs.’    As for murder, well, if you would rather fantasies that their blood flowed in our streets, I cant’ help you gain your senses.  If however, you want to know the exact truth, the exact murder stats in our town, then perhaps I can help you after all.  If I could tell you but a few real horrendous gangster-style murders believe me I would have done it.  Sorry, our murders were domesticated and that the only time we had a real thrill in line with ‘Gangland Style Murders’ was  1946, 1947 and one in 1948.  We had some excitement in the 1930’s which had some of the makings of gangsters…but it all petered out.  Tony Miller comes to mind. In fact 101 years of our history slipped by before that happened, but as a result we were stuck with the reputation of being a  ‘Gangster Town,’ and it stayed with us to this very day. Thank you idiot writers…hope you sold a lot of books.  Truth is you should have labeled them FICTION.

 

When Prohibition came to Peoria, Illinois on January 16, 1920 our distilleries and breweries had been shut down since September of 1917. When Prohibition hit us, all of our saloons, taverns and dives were shut down. You will have to read my Prohibition stories to get all those details. Up in the world of Al Capone all hell broke lose. Here in Peoria we pretty much had fun when Mayor Woodruff allowed tavern owners to buy a Soft Drink Parlor License.  NO…we did not have Speakeasies, and believe me the booze that flowed to our little town from Canada was massive.  All the stories that you heard from you uncles and grandfathers about machine guns and real gangsters in Peoria, Illinois were basically myths told to you for their entertainment value.

 

                       MURDEROUS  AND  DANGEROUS PEORIA!

 

It is all a myth.  The FBI always stated that Peoria, Illinois was as safe or safer than any other city its size in the United States.  They issued their findings annually.  Now here are the actually MURDEROUS FACTS OF THIS GREAT CITY. It’s amazing that any of us survived all that murderous Thompson Machine Gun fire.  What a joke.

 

Norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net