The Legend of Charlie Birger

This program was made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you. Franklin Williamson in Saline County is foreman ill. Deep in the heart of the region of southern Illinois known as Egypt. During the prohibition days in the 1920s this land of roll beauty your e-gold tells of hardscrabble Farms was the scene of a bloody war as local gangsters battled for control of the region's liquor and vice trade. This story is interesting because the villains are moral standing in the road arguably one of the most interesting villains of the day was an oddly charismatic

gangster named Charlie burger. I've killed men but never a good one. Ach yeah man. Charlie burger was a rare commodity in those days a kind of homegrown celebrity whose dark side was often ignored by a week short of heroes. Burger bombings are enigmatic figure some 75 years after his death on the gallows some Remember Berger as a doer of good deeds for the down and out. Others recall him as a cold blooded killer who would stop at nothing in his lust for money and power. This much we do know. Charlie Berger is still a popular guy in Egypt especially in his adopted hometown of Harrisburg. They have this machine gun which is the pride of here for you hasn't it we can use for. At first the town proudly displayed a welcome to Harrisburg sign above this gun. But it soon was taken down.

Welcome to Harrisburg machine. I mean that's funny but maybe they're in their bios. God damn you man. Oh Afghani. Nabob man was unarmed. Was this man one of them. Yeah yeah the old man did not win the ball. Thank you. And I'm sure when Charlie I rounded the corner and came up out of the yeah the lower steps he was placed. Parker died smiling. Back at. Me. For many legends of Charlie Berger may have had more to do with the way he made his death than the way

he lived his life. Dressed in a snappy suit and wearing a big smile burger with through his Dumas the last person to be publicly hanged in the state of Illinois. Shown here in postcards that were sold around southern Illinois. The event itself was huge an almost surreal spectacle with a cast of thousands and no one knew better than Charlie Berger who the star was. Charlie burgers and was a major event in southern Illinois. It was crowded. People who could get into the jail yard did sell and remember that the rest of their lives and many other people stood outside craning their necks to see what was the really a dramatic event that death of somebody. He was considered to be young handsome with everything to live for. And Charlie said it is a beautiful world and went to his death with the same sort

of prio that he had showed in running his rackets making sure that everybody knew here was something to remember. He asked if you had anything on the side. And he walked forward to love a bath and he said it's a beautiful world. It turned around walked back I mean backed up and he said Write it down they started like a dot a minute but they were all proud of Nyack and then had covered his face up and they said about his brother. There have been lots of hangings in southern Illinois including the hanging of gang member radio Miller. But burgers hanging was different. This was history and everyone knew it. The crowd was estimated by a thousand or more but only 500 were issued tickets to be inside the fence and only a few got

front row positions. And this is right down to below. As my dad. Right here at opt out and right there you get bad a chance they make them fall apart or anything like that he just made the best of it and that was knew it was coming and he said it was a wonderful world. He just didn't know what to do with. The hanging of Charlie Berger is burned into the collective consciousness of that older generation. To this day many people claim to have witnessed they have it. I don't remember a rabbi coming alive. Eugene Powell discounts most of the eyewitness accounts. There was people in the trees. Right. I didn't say. At the present time I don't remember seeing any young kid there John Jay Warren was only five years old but still remembers being there. And nice mother sister and my dad and I will went up there we got there I don't know what time of day it was and it was we went up

to the fence they had a fence around it and it is between my dad put me in front of him there was a crack in the fence about you know big enough where I could see through. And the man was. Hang in there and you see your movement. And we got there. But I couldn't swear it was charted by who it was. You hear the squeaking of this chair I'm told this was one of the chairs. One of the jurors said it during the trial. Anyway it it's sort of a strange eerie sound that. Seems never to go away I don't ever want to oil it or. Make it sound like the sound leaves. A letter written by Berger. When I heard your house was fired upon and hearing some of the gangsters were accused I guess you were gangsters and fire you.

His lucky duck face a statue of a dog a patch from the wing of an old biplane anything associated with Charley Berger becomes more and more valuable as time goes by. Well this is one of my burger collectibles hits a page from a scrap book. And the interesting element of it is the fact that this is a piece of the plane that allegedly bombed shady Rast the bombing of Shady Rest as perhaps the most striking event in the murder saga yet even the simplest story about the murder looms large in a region star for Burger lore like precious family heirlooms. Details about Charlie burger had been handed down from generation to generation. Author Gary did Neil has heard hundreds of them. It was at a book signing an old lady came up and said. When she was a little girl she and her friends played on the scaffold and Berger looked out of the window of the cell and said get off of there that's mine.

But they stayed with her all those years. It's hard to know if we can believe these stories. It's also difficult to know if we can believe what we've received. Someone's always trying to get a fresh take on Charlie Berger and some of these are literally out of this world. Strong feelings of dread our dizziness are not very important that you need to let us know and we need to leave immediately as their body. OK Charlie. OK there was a wee night 2002 spiritual medium Iona Mason and radio personality D.T. Brown resume fright night for their audience. Live from the jailhouse Charlie met his fate. You know this is basically your night and we're talking about your life and your personality and we want to know more about you. It isn't easy to know Charlie Berger to separate the fact from the folklore perhaps no one knows that better than historian and author Jerry didn't feel. The need to chronicle the gangster's life and times in his book a night of another sort.

Prohibition days and Charlie burger. Like a detective deniel painstakingly sifting through the historical records and talked with key players in the drama. In his search for facts to corroborate the myriad of burger legends and stories growing up in southern Illinois the Neil sub burger story used as a parable for good and evil as history and religion commingled on Sunday mornings when I was growing up I went to I guess you would call it a. Fairly fundamentalist church out here in the country. And I remember three individuals who were often discussed. They were Clarence Darrow or Robert Ingersoll and Charlie Berger Darrow an Ingersoll were popular targets for preachers in those days. They're all for defending evolution in the Scopes Monkey Trial and Ingersoll is the founder of secular humanism. Because he was not a professed atheist. Berger came out the best of the three.

Charlie is a larger than life. When we save the historic jail it was going to be demolished and we formed the start Preservation Society. We had a public hearing in the courthouse and an argument erupted in the middle of our organized meeting whether Charlie was actually hanged or not. Look around. Here is the news that I've heard. Former Williamson County state's attorney Arlene posible Sr. knew Charlie Berger Well some say a little too well. Boswell attended burghers execution and described it to Gary didn't deal in the late 1970s. They simply state that you are right and they are right to do it right. Yeah. One of Charlie burghers ex-wives Beatrice heard this whopper from a family friend regarding a visit by Edna another of Charlie's ex-wives just before his execution. Well not a lot left over there for him but my little

yes man and not God not all but hopefully that will meet with a lot of people that had thought later that that they were a hanging out not. But had a death and they they hung game called when the rope already I can hear them but that right. Like Elvis sightings some of those stories ought to be permanently laid to rest. But some of the Berger lore is true. For example Berger was sometimes called Machine Gun Charlie because he was an early fan of the Thompson submachine gun and the need for the close quarters of fringe warfare. World War One the tommy gun arrived too late for the killing fields of Europe but it came just in time to become the weapon of choice among Prohibition era gangsters like burger with 80 years to improve upon the design.

The Thompson remains a murderous weapon in the wrong hands. Which is why police still train with them. I can't stand people like Berger they were just works of art so beautiful and they even kill people we associate as Michigan with him before we do that then mobsters in Chicago. How much is known about Charlie burgers early life except for his restlessness and a fear of love of the danger. He was born in Russia in 1880 to Jewish parents who later immigrated to the United States and settled in St. Louis. No pictures of young Charlie are known to have survived. But in later years he recalled being a

newsboy for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before enlisting in the army and heading out west. He didn't talk too much about the early days but there was few incidents that stood out one of them is that he was good at breaking horses. And there. Without one lame man eater man as I recall he would have to. Get a man eater with a bottle of salt water. Yeah that seemed to do the job. He went out West. But. He boxed he broke Broncos. He was in the army so he did things. That were not. Choice. As a true American he liked stories about cowboys and would like to have gone out West then

and had been a cowboy. But the problem is he was almost too light almost not quite. And he did get to go out west but he was too late to see the buffalo and he was too late to do a lot of things returning from the west. Berger lived in a series of small towns between Springfield and the St. Louis doing everything from coal mining to running the pool room in Verd. There's even mention of a dance gun testing one of those days. This token from Berger's pool room in Verdun is one of a few scant artifacts of his life that survived from the early 1900s. As good for five cents in trade at Margaret's Pearl Room and Virgin I will know why. Well and the best that I can understand from some of the historians on the rug are that they more or less run a mile from Virg from Verdun burger move to the edge Amman area near Bellville and trouble soon followed.

As far as I was able to determine the first man that he killed was a man the name of I think way I'm chubby. The year was 19 08 and often a local tough tangled with Charlie over some cigars at a candy store burger operated. Later in a back room they argued over a beer. Charlie claimed he shot in self-defense after chubby lunged at him with a blade. On it publically threatened Berger's life and a coroner's jury cleared him over the next few years. Berger lived in a succession of towns before finally landing in Egypt. Charlie Berger moved to a small town setting south of Harrisburg where he established why up might be called a luncheonette. In which the selling of food was a minor item. It was basically a place for the selling of drinks. Charlie began to involve himself in the local rackets

primarily in gambling which was conducted. He had is a lunchroom and in prostitution which was conducted elsewhere and when the voice but very well surely it was expensive. Johnny I don't have the skill or behavior that sense that you know you really get any worse I didn't know what you were doing you know. And Charlie ran the only store had the only telephone. If people needed money or a ride to the hospital Charlie arranged for it on hot summer days Charlie would go into Harrisburg and bring back freezers of ice cream and soda pop watermelon and give it to the kids. He also. Ran a babysitting operation he would watch children for miners while they were at work during different hours so he was the person who is looked up to for both power and for ask for assistance in that town. Local cops even get out of the burger to help them out from time to time. An

arrangement that was to cost rival tavern owner grip Yates his life with a lead for Depot burger claimed he shot Yates after the other man took a shot at him when he and the sheriff turned up to Jack out of disturbance. But other accounts say Charlie saw the whole thing up to get rid of Yates and murdered him after police left the scene. In the end the authorities bought Charlie's version of events leaving him a free man and three from the ages got petition. Well it wasn't a particularly booming business but it was enough to support Charlie until the coming of prohibition which opened up a whole area of exploitation for the small time gangster to become something much larger. Someone who could arrange for the distribution of liquor brought in from abroad or for the distribution of liquor that was manufactured locally.

Most states were already drive at the time the probation act of 1920 became law in spite of its initial popularity. Plenty of people still wanted to wet their whistles with illegal booze and there was no shortage of shady entrepreneurs and downright criminals who were ready to cater to a thirsty clientele as leopards go to guy for everything from ice cream to hookers. Charlie Berger was ready to hit the big time. Charlies love live was also taking off when Berger arrived in Lydford. He was married to a woman named Edna who soon left him. He didn't stay lonely long though he fathered a child out of wedlock with a woman named Winnie mopey Oh but soon found a new love interest an 18 year old Beatrice Bainbridge from

Harrisburg. I thought it was Eva something because that was supporting didn't have anything and he made it a felony you know I just thought well you simply tell me leave is it you'll be safe. Charlie Berger courted B under the assumed name of Jack Diamond. They met at the Busy Bee candy store and after a brief courtship Charlie decided they should get married. Meet me I'm an American. He didn't ask a plan to get married just take me to Clayton. You're going to get me. Charlie is new bride and his daughter Minnie moved back to the Harrisburg area. For a while the family stayed in the back room of a speakeasy Jarley out in Harrisburg. He also owned the lot next door and was here he built this unassuming house. It said he kept a cow for fresh milk a pony with a wagon to delight the local children and even a pet duck that followed him around. Charlie burger was a popular guy. Just how popular can be seen out of all places

had Gaskins funeral home in Harrisburg. Really more work there this weekend with the owner's permission to put together this rather extraordinary collection of historic Harrisburg photos. This is Charlie. Murders singing at her. It's only appropriate that these items resided Gascons gas cans old gas cans that run the funeral home was a good friend of Charlie barriers Charlie Berger had found acceptance in Harrisburg among the businessmen merchants and leaders of the small community we had a lot of people here in Harrisburg that were good friends of her. Model. Ernie Norman and Ernie Norman run the meat market and burger created with them. So he was coming by. To see what was going on. So when he found out they put an apron on ham and a cold on him and he had his picture made with all the employees of the Chicago meat market.

At home Charlie trying to live a respectable normal life even buying Beatrice the ultimate luxury of the day a new clothes washer. But he bought the washing machine. Great Do you know that was a nice thing to do. But. The other part of his nature the criminal side of the law violating side attempting to play and they use it in the coloring of this whiskey. Do you show. Much to be's displeasure. Charlie had made some new friends. The Shelton brothers Carl bigger Earl and Bernie the Shelton's were experience bootleggers who had already earned a well-deserved reputation for criminal activity in East St. Louis and beyond the Shelton's would spend days in Charlie's garage mixing up whiskey and playing cards. So they have brought me and they are out. And they must. Think where we are at war.

And they burn back. Well they get through the label of the label and they put it in the safe and then. By this time Charlie and baby had a child of their own name Charlie Charlie tried to shelter his family from his life of crime but keeping liquor in his garage proved to be a tragic mistake. While conducting a raid on his premises a martial dynamited is safe. And I was heading home and on the road there. They all moved up the right track. Don't you think. That the way. That. Everything is going to have to work Charlie ended up in jail over the liquor bust at one point he claimed to be a changed man and swore to the sheriff that he would keep his illegal activities out of Harrisburg and Saline

County. The jailhouse conversion didn't take and his alliance with the Shelton's drew him deeper into the illegal liquor trade. During Prohibition. Traders in international waters off the coast of Florida would sell liquor to the rum runners gangsters like the Sheldon's would then use souped up cars to Alderaan the law on their way back north. A practice that gave birth to stock car racing. But fast cars were only a part of the racket that Shelton's seeing to it that no one would interfere with their smuggling operations. The shelters proved to be very very adept at this they were early pioneers in perfecting the payoff system of getting a public officials look the other way so prohibition was not enforced. You know in so doing they perfected the. Methods of modern gangsterism. In fact. Prohibition really gave rise to modern organized crime in United States. The

shelters had a reputation for mean guys who could who could not only. Successfully transport the booze to. Key points in the Midwest southern Illinois the greater St. Louis area but also individuals who knew all the tavern operators there had quickly established themselves as men the seen burgher helpless Sheldon's by providing safe houses for the smugglers. They would also help distribute locally produced corn liquor and beer. Business was booming and he soon began operating roadhouses and nearby Kellys. They started opening up the little half white. Adams. Who might. Call him. A murderer just more or less saved his money once he got a certain amount he'd open up another Shelton's figured well he's done pretty good and he's been easy to get along with so far will kind of workable partnership. They brought in the gambling prostitution and everything also and they formed their little partnership route and then after a while Barker more or

less controlled for five counties around him. Along the highways various attractions would spring up including in the era of prohibition. The road house the place where somebody could have a good time out of the jurisdiction of the police. Out in the country where rough noise and for Follett he would be encouraged and where your neighbors wouldn't see you either if you drove through old house somebody a thief from your home you could do pretty much what you wanted without hearing about it on the streets of your village the next day.

One of Charlie's road houses between Marion and Johnston City was called happy while he was there out of Ember 15 1923 burglar fatally shot his friend Cecil Knighton after the pair reportedly had a falling out over a woman. Burton once again calling him self-defense and was exonerated two days later Berger was involved in another shooting at halfway. Whitey during a game stor from St. Louis was out on bail for the robbery of two and a half million dollars in federal bonds during told Berger he had some business he wanted to discuss. Absented the building Burger said Deering approached him as to the possibility of high Stina mining payroll in Saline County. Berger said that the language of his refusal enraged and that the latter police accounts vary as to who actually shot whom. Berger said he woke up alone badly wounded in the chest and walked five miles to the share of cells in Marion. Both men ended up in the air in hospital during died. Charlie had a serious wound to his lung but recovered.

That's when his legend or when that hit is when his notoriety really took off because he'd killed Knighton and Dory within us about a week short time all of a sudden wow here's this. He's a dangerous man this friendly guy in Harrisburg It killed two people over the way in some county in early years. He had perfected a technique of getting people to threaten him before he shot them. That is building up a an argument of self defense even before he committed the crime. How would would you react. Killed shipyard serve all prison time. Killed for no prison time with credited with killing fish all night and no prison time. Why the dory no prison time. Man oh man if you and I shoot somebody we go to jail. So if it didn't go to his head you can see why.

Whitey during reportedly want to Charlie Berger to help him rob a hard coal mine payroll. But hark oh was in Saline County a place where Charlie was trying to build a reputation as a respected citizen. Not that Berger never tried his hand at bank robbery. It's widely believed that the Berger gang held up the bank in Pocahontas Illinois high sting a mine payroll in a daring daytime stickup. But doing the same thing back home was unthinkable. After all Charlie did have its principles. Try to murder came to an option when I was about seven years old. Reverend Debbie Deen McIlrath a prominent Baptist preacher was retiring and moving to Harrisburg. He was selling his his goods and his property. The bidding was low and hand Charlie Burger said gentleman. This old man to serve the community well let's not

rob him lest lest be a tip here on his goods he's he's already and so a violin that normally would have cost a dollar was held up but the auctioneer and I ask what did I bid and Charlie bid $6 on it and got it. He stayed around all day ate dinner at noon with the ladies he had on a pinstripe suit he looked like a United States senator and was on good terms with everybody. Nobody was afraid of him at all because they they didn't think that he was bad as people thought he was. They really liked him here where he helped a lot of people out there were little women that needed coal they needed groceries. If he knew it he'd give them whatever they want to dispose of. Charlie was a minute. Ya know he thought she owed our store he'd say keep it repaired I was kind

of not that nice first name Harry said area so I'm so stupid. There there you see chip issue. Yeah sure the coming week just thankful that I had mentioned that he was also interested in public relations and that meant the distribution of some of his heel God gave. To people here need. It was an expense of doing business. The groceries were sometimes delivered to people who needed them. It was an act of showmanship when coins were flung in the school yards in the children scrambled for them. Everything Charlie did was calculated for effect and he was very good at this. He was good at it. For instance he was a hero to the local children who go to the

Course man school and broadcast coins as if they were seeds and the kids would scatter around. We had a lot of fun fighting over that. I guess he just want to see the good bye so he got to some point. I got one and I got a dime out of it and I guess I got hard up for a drink or something and I spent that them playing and I wish I had it now. Charlie burger was becoming a legend in his own time. A story about him in a jailhouse fire became the talk of the town. Rowley more recalls the story. John Small was sure. He and his wife Cora. Lived in the jail down there and they had burger down there for I don't know who or for gambling or for bootlegging but they had him in jail there. And. During the time that he was in jail there were several other fellows there. And want to. Send a mattress from far. And. The smoke was so bad I started earlier. I think sometime

during the gang war had got shot. You just had one look and he was having trouble breathing and he kept hollering and the sheriff was gone at that time no longer lose his life. Cora and she finally went back there. And he. Begged her. To take them one a mile he told her and said. If you let us all out so I'll see that every one of these prisoners is back in jail after you get all the smoke cleared out. Well we got the park department down there and they finally got all the smoke out and every one of those prisoners including him were back in jail. Nearly every town had corrupt police and public officials on the gangsters payrolls. Charlie burger offered protection to the gambling joints bars and houses of

prostitution in Harrisburg. Charlie wood and I had a ball cigar box and he would tell the officers can see break in the box and take what you want. Despite the fact that selling possessing and consuming alcohol was illegal. The law was widely ignored. Even President Harding kept a stock of liquor of the White House. The acceptability of breaking and easy money to be made tipped it even the people who were basically law abiding citizens. Jess great with his bride to be Jimmy very had never considered doing anything wrong. We live next door to our man. That got around quite a bit. He paddled. I wonder I mean yes yes he said they're getting young to me. So I'll give you $5 if you take this case and they are going. To challenge the city for $5. Like JFK almost play on. So anyway he took a corner.

As harmless as it all seemed this was a big money high stakes criminal enterprise. Everyone knew there was a code of silence in concert. Once for those who took. She didn't want to get your car. Or your automobile beyond. Anything seen from. That that was that was very true. That was true of the Shelton's. That's true of CHARLIE BURTON His game several barns were burned and a barn to a farmer. Is like a factory to a capitalist and if you have your barn burned up you don't have any place to put any faith. It puts you out of business. And so some barns were burned by the way. That's why the Klan came along because of barn burnings they said we can't stand that. We're going to have to protect ourselves if the law won't or can't protect us. We're going to have to protect ourselves. Many well intentioned prominent Americans.

Supported Prohibition and they were incensed when it was not being enforced and the Klan. Saw a rose as a nativist vigilante movement. At that time. To enforce the law and there was widespread support for the king. For the Klan it was 50/50 in many areas. These clansmen shown gathering in front of the Johnston City Baptist Church reflected the region's response to lawlessness. Klan rallies in Williamson Franklin and saline counties were said to have been some of the largest in the nation and attracted hundreds sometimes thousands of spectators and new recruits. A lot of the ministers the walls the Klan the Klan would come in unexpectedly on a Sunday evening gently as after dark. They would come in in their great gay. They'd marched quietly down the aisle. Thank you. Come up the aisle on the way out. They would leave a bag as always it looked like a sugar sack

they'd leave that there. There was money in that. It was on the communion table. And they said we want to help the work of the Lord. As So they just went out. Nothing was said but everybody it was a silent sermon. But it was very eloquent. Some believe Williamson County readily embraced the Klan as a way of trying to overcome its reputation for bloodshed. Rough play since its founding the county was already well on its way to being nicknamed bloody Williamson when in 1922 19 strike breakers were reported killed by union miners and their supporters near Herron. None of those responsible for the slaughter know the firin massacre were ever punished. Religious leaders of Williams and co. cried out for change. They did that by bringing in the Ku Klux Klan. And eventually a leader. Who would help the Klan by the name of Seth Glenn Young.

That was. A reaction. I think as much as anything to the massacre. Escal and Young a former federal prohibition agent was hired by the Marion Ministerial Alliance to help clean up Southern Illinois. He was allowed to deputize hundreds of Klansmen under authority granted by a probation commissioner Roy a Hayes Hayes approved this drastic measure after he was convinced by a contingent of local congressman and a candidate for State's Attorney Harley Boswell that local officials had failed in their duties of late December one thousand twenty three through January of 1904 young who conducted a series of raids. Esque Lamia was a kind of cult hero in his own day. A little fellow dandy laid by with a pearl handled revolvers and with the. A sense of showmanship put himself at the head of the clan Raiders of.

Bootlegging establishments but bootlegging establishments in Williamson County were often homes of people who simply brewed a little wine in their basement and it was the intention of the glad. To break up the home as well as the bootlegging establishment. The Klan appealed to the prejudices of area residents who were becoming frightened by the economic and political power of the growing numbers of immigrants who found good paying jobs in the union coal mines barren with its large population of battalion miners became a flashpoint for violence between Protestant natives and immigrant common Catholics. The people who organized the Klan in the 1920s were the local residents particularly the farm people of southern Illinois those who believed in the old American virtues.

While the Klan of the 18th 60s and 70s had been violently anti black. There's no black population in southern Illinois just speak of. And the our wages and against those who are following un-American patterns who are violators of the law. After all prohibition is the law. Law of the land a wire in the wall. You are a people who do not follow the ways and customs of the people of southern Illinois. Among the crimes committed by foreigners who came into southern Illinois was practicing the wrong religion. And. Drinking. And hair in the Klan was permitted to set up roadblocks and became so powerful that at one point as Glenn Young in his man even took over the

mayor's office and had the anti Klan mayor arrested Williamson County Sheriff sought protection in neighboring Jackson County. Hundreds of people were swept up in the nighttime bust conducted by Young's Raiders. Among those arrested were Charlie Berger and another bootlegger or a Thomas. Both were tried and convicted in federal court or to receive the harshest sentence of any bootlegger 10 months in jail in prison hundreds of miles from home in Danville Illinois. He desperately tried to save his failing marriage with a series of letters he wrote to Beatrice instead of writing saying Dear Hatty a something of that sort he always addressed your letters Mr. Charles Barker and always in a hurry. Spend about 30 minutes a day and maybe don't be so suspicious and won't blow up so much. The actress divorced Charlie and went into hiding leaving Charlie's children behind. On October the 6 1924 burger was released from prison he returned to Harrisburg and took custody of his girls.

While Berger was away in jail the Shelton brothers waged war against Haskell and young in the KKK. Finally the power of the Klan led to the creation of a counter and Klan movement Knights of the flaming circle they called themselves and had the support of some law enforcement agencies. And also it had many supporters among the bootleggers who had become increasingly prosperous during this period. Or a Thomas the convicted bootlegger was appointed deputy and also became active in the Knights of the flaming circle. Paul Engle in his book bloody Williamson writes. Worst of all was the effect of the clan warfare on hardcore lawbreakers who had constituted themselves the gunfighting opposition. Constant conflict gave this group somebody already discipline and contempt for orderly living. These

qualities in these men would soon exact a heavy toll. There were many confrontations in shootouts during his time on February the 8th 1924 following a meeting of the Knights of the flaming circle. Violence erupted when a proclaimed deputy Caesar Cagle was killed or a Thomas and the mayor had taken another wounded officer to the hospital. The claim showed up in full force. The Klan was remorseless in firing into the spittle. I thought strange twist of fate. Nobody was killed directly in the firing of spittle but it was a murderous assault. Only when the National Guard arrived was order fully restored. During this time charges and countercharges were made against young and his men and against the Shelton's. That's kind of interesting that many grand juries reconvene and one grand jury would come along and indict. I'm Team members of the Ku Klux Klan for inciting violence

and shootings and even killings. And then the next grand jury would come along and would notify all those indictments and indict the Shelton's and law enforcement authorities who are perceived to be cooperating with the Shelton's Williamson state's attorney arly Boswell trying to broker a peace accord by dropping all the pending cases against gangsters in the Klan. The Sheldon's decided on a more direct approach to get rid of escalated yog two of their henchmen ambush Young and his wife Martha as they drove in their car blind. Severely wounding him Young went to Atlanta to recover. He'd been fired by the Klan's leadership but still enjoyed popular support among the rank and file Klansman in Williamson County. He returned in September of 1924. The climax at least in the Williamson County was the shooting of s Glenn Young by the sheriff's deputy or a Thomas in the Canary cigar shop in error and both men or at Thomas and this glen young were killed.

I think the final words were Don't pull that guy in or out and he pulled it out of his bass and I of course Maybe had he not initiated that the shootings that plan would not have been annihilated. The official record claims are a Thomas and escalate Young killed each other and the two other victims in the shooting died at the hands of parties unknown. Many believe that Berger and his men may have played a role in the incident. The story that I heard and that I read in a client paper which pretty much jibes with what I heard is that he definitely was around. I don't think Berger had any involvement in the shooting. But I do think he was on the scene. And Mr. Boswell said that the whole story never came out. Whatever you believe about the shooting one thing is clear. Young and Berger hated each other and Charlie was more than happy to see him out of the way. Ask Glenn Young as the leader of the Klan had a monstrous

funeral with thousands of people viewing the body with a Klansman dressed in their uniforms guarding serving as an honor guard at the funeral. And with the local ministers both Baptists and Methodists trying to conduct this service. By contrast Nora Thomas had a modest funeral. Ironically both men are buried in the same cemetery mescaline Young's big vault has not survived the test of time well it's pockmarked with bullet strikes or a Thomas's headstone probably donated by a union has fared much better over the decades. For many the clan had lost its luster with the death of Ask Glenn Young Jan. 19 to 25. The strain of bloody shootouts involving the Klan over the following year caused many to lose faith in the organization. I don't like Chian day in the 926 we get a remarkable

scene in front of the Masonic Hall and the Masonic Hall is adjacent to the hospital which had been shot up earlier when clansmen were after their prey. On this day the burgers in the Shelton's put on a show of force by cruising up and down the streets of Heron armed to the teeth. They wanted to show the clan who was boss. The clan anxious to win victories in the election of county officials had taken up position at the polling place in the Masonic lodge. They were challenging citizens of Italian descent including a nun who had lived in Heron for over 20 years. A gun battle erupted out front that led one of birders friends or Treadway among the dead. Also killed was noble Weaver Berger ally in the Franklin County underworld. I think six people were killed three on one side and three on the other as were noble Weaver

was killed Weaver's death was especially significant because it may have shifted the balance of power between Charlie Burgess and the Shelton gang. A. Well Noble was considered one of the big gangsters around he more or less controlled Franklin County. During the teens and the very early twenties. Of course he was killed that if Noble had survived a few extra years Shelton's probably wouldn't move. Dan the way they did Berger on another occasion confided to a friend that on the day of the attack upon the polling place and herein the Shelton's stayed away from the shooting. Sandy Berger's men into the thick of the fight gang alliances are always tricky at best and the failure of the Shelton's men to support burgers put me in the election day shootout may have aggravated existing tensions between the two.

There is one story that during the Masonic Temple shootout that the Shelton's had and had fought vigorously enough and that. That was you know given as a reason but that's just a that's just a theory. I mean there are there's a variation to every story here. And when all the shooting was over six men were dead all of them members either of the clan or of the allies of the gangsters. It's a remarkable moment in the herrin civic history. And it is a spot that is memorable but which does not have any historical marker in front of it. Probably I think it should ironically across the street as this marker commemorating the site of the First Baptist Church. This was one of the churches that would welcome the Klan into the community. There are other stories about what

caused the burger Shelton rip. One claims that a Shelton stole a diamond from Milo Pruitt a friend burgers the most widely accepted story involved the Failed to slot machine partnership. Apparently it is the breakdown of that arrangement. Some quarrel over the distribution of stop machine proceeds that led to the bitter war. Between the Burger King gang and the Shelton's as long as they have a common enemy in the form of ask Wayne Young and the Ku Klux Klan things were were OK but you know there's a saying character is fate. The clans power was on the wane and while you've said Gatty Klansmen and their opponents vowed to live in peace many who had publicly supported the clan like Arley Abbas will quietly change their tune. He told me he had never worn the Klan outfit.

Ever now in the book by George Gallagher and it's a picture of when young Paul bears as one of its possible that his Either he and his memory played a trick or are it's true. But he said even though he was associated with the client he was never a member of that organization. It was very important to him. Boswell had been the attorney for as Glenn Young who had defended the Klan and all the Klansman. Then he had achieved election as state's attorney. And then after the murder of s Glenn Young he dismissed the indictment of all those who had been involved which included people like Boswell himself. Oz Well then switched his allegiance from the once powerful clan to the now powerful bootleggers including Charlie Berger with whom he had a long and troubled relationship. But

basically it involved payoffs to the state's attorney for the continuance of bootlegging establishment and also the various rackets they were associated with the gangsters. This is a man who held the office of state's attorney and yet was as corrupt as any man could be. Arlie Boswell downplayed his relationship with the gangsters saying he had only casual dealings with them. Here's how he remembers meeting girls Shelton. All right I want you to meet Mr. Sherman. And I said Sheldon Are you one of the famous Shelton and. He said Well I don't know how famous we are I am a shot and all right not at all with running. We said there's a. Car on. My course way shaking hand and I said well I'm damn glad to meet your

comic I understand you're going to kill me when you leave. I don't know an age I don't know you're not on the list and I think that's damn good if I am. There. The program you're going to. Be eyeing closed doors. That's where the deals were struck and the plans were hatched. What went on in those sinister backroom meetings is only partially No. This is the nature of gangsters. Money is their motive. They work deals settle scores and get rid of loose ends. While the plotting is hidden the results are not an all out gang war. One of the most colorful in America's history was about to unfold not in Chicago but in the backwoods of Illinois in a region called Egypt. There's a.

Nice guy hanging over our heads. The printer out here in a few days. We can and can't wonder why. We can't. Hang any strictures. Swings what's wrong. Does it mean to go with the river you love with. Your. Group. Or. With the river. Here. In part one of the legend of Charlie burger a small town hoodlum began building an empire based on illegal booze and vice in the coalfields in

hardscrabble farms in the place they call Egypt in deep southern Illinois. Charlie burger led two lives by day pillar of the community and Harrisburg by night a ruthless vice Lord who let no one stand in his way. I've killed men but never a good one. Iraqi elder man. He had perfected a technique of getting people to threaten him before he shot the. Building up. An argument of self defense. How would would you react. Killed shipyards and serve no prison time. Killed Pripyat. Serve no prison time. With credited with killing Cecil Knighton. No prison time. Whitey Doring no prison time. Man oh man if you and I shoot somebody we go to jail. So if it did go to his head you can see why he established himself

as a rising star in the underworld. When he hooked up with the Shelton's real pros in the bootlegging game the shelter's proved to be very very adept at this they were early pioneers in perfecting the payoff system of getting public officials to look the other way so prohibition was not enforced. You know in so doing they perfected the the methods of modern gangsterism. The KKK had become popular for their stance against bootleggers but the gangsters united and fought the Klan. The killing of Klan Raider as Glenn Young and a bloody shoot out on Election Day turned the public against the Klan. Gangsters were now in control a lot initially just like State's Attorney arly Boswell found it was easier to get along by going along. Just saying character is fate. Well.

They were in the slot machine business and they got to thinking it each other. Each of the other parties were holding out some of the slot machine returns and and good buddies later became dire enemies. Shortly after his release from jail in 1925 Berger realized his dream of building a rustic pleasure palace and hideaway called Shady Rest the compound was strategically located along old Route 13 across the Saline County line just inside Williamson County where Berger could count on his pal state's attorney arly Boswell to keep the law from interfering with his business. Once complete this border is like a long building and complex of smaller outbuildings served as burgers most notorious hideaway.

A unique feature of Shady Rest was its power generating station. Electricity was still a rare commodity in rural areas outside of towns and Shady Rest. Chillin like a beacon at night. Oh sure. My grandfather like my father had a little boy with him came by one that grandpa thought it was a city it was just laid up and he'd had some car trouble and so he went down there to get some help and then he said you realize what it was. For. This was Charlie's heyday in 1926. The rest was probably one of the most winning hot spots in all of southern Illinois. A roadside barbeque stands out in front of the property. Located 100 yards off the main road. Shady Rest seem like a good place for the locals to blow off a little steam. The main building hosted Barty's where the

region's top bands played. And of course drinking gambling and prostitution were always on top. All around back was an arena that showed a more sinister side of burghers palace of sin. That's where the blood sports took place. Those who attended the event said done. In general. Then by the cock fights but the dog fights were too much too bloody too horrible too disgusting even for those who enjoyed the cock fights which was not necessarily a classy sort of person. Shady Rest was a symbol of Charlie burghers power. The side Shady Rest burgher controlled a far flung network of drinking gambling houses. He owned a stake in some of these joints and supplied product protection to the rest to service this empire. He surrounded himself with bootleggers gunman and an odd assortment of misfits overseeing

this band of mostly illiterate young ruffians were burgher lieutenants ard Newman and Connie Ritter. Ted price recalls a name killer with Connie Ritter when he was about 13 years old and she made her come up and took the dharma slap me away from the bar. Well I again lack that Mexico had tied into I am and we with government pretty good and the birds around you know Newman throw me off probably might have leave yet he left me alone at a little thing. Yeah cannot answer you now or spunky little nail it out again like to have you on my again. Now Tony my one man arrests and no gain you any input around my dad. And. CARICOM and shame for all of I don't know a month or two activities are you ready you're going to if you know Ted Bryce also claims he witnessed This is stored mobile no to kick your ass.

When my Uncle Jim Brandon Lloyd Brennan went over there to rabbit on a good rabbit hunting country and there they took me with him. And Bourbon him got on an old car there and taken a picture. And they wanted us to get in the picture because we had him shotgun. But you know I got in and he's a man on the right hand side the very top gun up on a friend of the car. Man I was with him didn't get in and we stand out died and watched him. In southern Illinois there is a remarkable moment when he brings a cameraman from Harrisburg to take pictures of his gunmen in front of Shady Rest. The retreat that he had built up for his own pleasure and profit. And there they all are every man of them armed every one of them grinning. A series of photographs that. Had the effect of showing people these men are

armed and dangerous. Their grins indicated that perhaps they weren't going to shoot school children. They would not be a menace to women but they would certainly be a menace to anybody who challenge their control of bootlegging and other rockets in southern Illinois. Berger eagerly sought the limelight. Unlike the rival Shelton's who preferred keeping a lower profile the Shelton's power for one thing I did not seek publicity. Berger did that Berger was an early and very successful practitioner of public relations. Those things did not occur by accident. They were orchestrated and they were intended to showcase the the accomplishments and the viability of Berger and his organization. Charlie's double life continued. He married his housekeeper's 18 year old daughter

Bernice. She took care of his girls and played the role of a dutiful subservient wife to a respected member of the Harrisburg community. He dressed for the occasion and when he was over here among the good people among church people among them. Just just the general population. He knew he wanted to look good and he knew how to do it. When he went over to Williamson County in Franklin County he had a he wore neat pants had put t had on the leggings and all that when he went out to do is Knight or he dressed differently. They so IMO were there as well as in a kind of a semi military. Fashion a kind of a rough person who would perch if you got in his way. But over here he was a general. He was a gentle tomcat that came up for cream at breakfast on the back porch.

And now. For the most part people were unaware of the true scope of burghers criminal activities. When a car was stolen and somebody really wanted it back. He would be well advised to offer a reward. At the point where a reward was offered. There is an unholy triumvirate involved with. Harlee Boswell The state's attorney CHARLIE BURTON controls the rackets and Maury Price's state patrolman who is likely to find the car after the reward has grown to an attractive level. Price would find two or three of these vehicles wara Lee would notify the owners. No one was actually charged with the crime but they all received cuts in the rewards. As burger prosper the rivalry with the Shelton's intensified along the borders of their home

turf. Further in the Shelton's turned to exotic new weapons to win control of Williamson in Franklin County. The Shelton's build a tank like armored truck to the end of intimidation. Actually what it was was a gas tanker that day and built right west setting. And they cut out ports from machine guns and such and shells would drive it around. It turned out to be more for show than anything else because it was like a lumbering dinosaur I mean it moved very slowly. One of the few times it came into play though ironically was when Newman and Bess actually drove within reach of this armored vehicle and the new ones were fired upon. And I think. One or both were nicked. Alarmed that he might lose his public support burger went high tech for his day by taking his message directly to the people in this territory.

Charlie had this statement broadcast on radio station WABE in Harrisburg. It has reached the stage where the meeting of the break might even more from here last week when Mr. enough of our human to be frank with Mr. and Mrs. Berger were fired upon by the enemy. Berger ended his message with words intended to reassure the local citizenry. People on the highways are in no danger because there is God enough and folks will be only going for the people of Saline County might have found comfort in Berger's words but not here in Mayor Marshall McCormick McCormicks town was claimed by both gangs and he wrote to the governor for help. They have denied the people of these counties the right to travel the public highways of the great state of Illinois unmolested. No citizen will produce evidence while these gangs are at large for fear of their own lives being taken. And no prosecuting attorney could live who attempted it arly Boswell's state's attorney for Williamson County claims he did try to prosecute the

gangs. Right. Relentless prosecution your ass go with it and the fact that they didn't I mean a name and no they tried to shout and five times and hit on three different occasions. Are there any specific times that stand out the most harrowing we have to move hearing was the one that I was where I was shot at but wasn't hit and coming from an American Legion convention down to Chinatown and crap archery where. A car pulled up beside me and 13 looked like somebody was standing on the running board member of the running board on cargo bay and he began to shoot and then my window was rolled down only a sad but it bullet went on through and broke every glass. And you still can't understand how I missed being by look at where those arly Boswell was lucky. But the body count was to climb higher as Berger became fixated on winning this war at all cost in order to do that.

He wanted to match the Shelton's armor. Yeah. I remember that he went to Uncle Tom Kane and said I want you to bill me an armored car I'll call Tom came did not want to do it and he said Well Mr. Cain. I can't make you do it but I can make you wish to God you hand. And so Mr. Cain building the armored car about way toward the old man today and trying to figure out why he has Billy. Evidently they had removed everything except the motor and the wheels and he built what made wood on both sides the top and then he covered that with steel. The two iron clads never met in battle but the games never stop looking for new and ingenious ways to take out their rivals and their determination to wipe out burger the Shelton's launched what many claim was the first aerial bombing raid inside the continental United States. In truth bombs were dropped years earlier on striking miners at Blair

Mountain in West Virginia. Even though it wasn't the first attack of its kind the air raid on Shady Rest showed just how far the gangsters were willing to go with their blood feud when the Shelton brothers burgers hated rivals induced a barnstorming pilot to fly over a shady rest with one of the Shelton getting on board and drop bombs on Shady Rest. None of which hit the target but all of which hit the front pages. It was a dramatic event so they ended up getting a couple of pilots that they knew of that had been giving free rides. They had I believe it was Curtis Janney and it was a more one trainer it was my wing. And it had two seats and I had they went ahead and I got this one pilot

to take them out. One of Shell's men had wrapped. Some I trow around sticks of dynamite and want the thing to do that flight over her shady rest and everywhere trying to blow it apart. Well the first two bombs that were dropped were dads. W e s Douglas a reporter for the American Mercury magazine claims to have seen the aftermath of the bombing he recounted a conversation he had with Charlie Berger the day following that attack. That juice was no good. I knew all the time they had a stock of it and that's what kept me away from them. They hit a come along and their plane dropped dead all over the place. One hit the roof and made a sort of a hole the right wood another lit right over there and you can see all the harm it did. Yes sir. If I had known that glycerin was on the fritz I just have driven over to Shelton joined my armored car and naturally filled them and the joint full of bullets.

No one was hurt but one of the bombs is said to have killed one of burghers bull dogs and a pet eagle. As for the plane this small strip of canvas from the wing part of a scrapbook is said to be all that remains that was salvaged some way by the scrapbook maker. No plan to do away with the other gang was too bizarre or outrageous. In one instance art Newman and another gang member disguised themselves as women in an unsuccessful attempt to kill big girl shelter. For his part burger announced a bounty on Carl Shelton. Bodies of people with ties to Burger gangs began to appear with disturbing regularity. It's very often difficult to determine who was killing who there are a lot of bodies that turn up along the way. Sometimes these are members of the burger gang sometimes these their allies are members of the Chaldean gang but we're not actually sure. Not certain who's been killing them with spiked with Shell and.

Charlie did more damage to his own gang and shell instead. Yes. The. Rah rah. Could it be the burger may have been responsible for some of these mysterious deaths in his research period in the uncovered an appointment ledger for murder civil attorney about a meeting with Berger his wife and sister concerning an insurance policy on slain member High-Pockets McQuay. They come in the book about the policy the policy of McQuay. If there may be another conclusion to be drawn and I don't think there will ever be anything to verify this beyond just a line or two and with a diary. But what else can it mean. While I can't be proven that Berger had High-Pockets whacked with the insurance money it does provide sobering insight into Charlie burghers true nature.

People take out insurance policies of the people and the needs of the people are killed. If that is true even in one instance and we've chosen are you hero if you call it that I call the use of the word go some people have we've chosen our notable characters rather poorly because that's cold blooded that's not that's just that's mechanical and that's it. It's chilling. To the public. Berger was still regarded as the good hearted bootlegger protector of Harrisburg. But he could be ruthless and unspeakably cruel when he thought someone might have wronged him. In fact to me. There's a kind of a game playing. And all that. And the most perfect example is the death of shag watch. They made a game out of killing a man. They both turned a life of bloody Iran. If they made over a deal to you but.

He would live of course that really wouldn't happen if he made her feel he wouldn't have lived they still have to deal with what they told me that. For him to want to. Care. But made a game out of it. Berger's obsession with getting rid of the Sheldon's armored truck made West City Mayor Joe Adams a marked man. Adams took care of the truck the Shelton's when it wasn't being used that Joe as he was called was not only a politician he also controlled much of the vice in West City. Very good folks in Ajo Adams because Adams was an obvious open ally of the Shelton's. He made sure Wes said he was very hospitable to the shelters and to their men at the time. I. Was sort of a jumping off place for the shelves in terms of their southern Illinois operations and so. Here at the peak of the gang war. Berger wanted to. Strike right at the heart of the Shelton's and it was often difficult to know where the shells were on. Going.

Have a night. Jo Adams old insulins became the targets for many of burghers attacks. Berger would telephone threats to at least once when Joe's wife Eli answered he gave her some advice. Better take out all the answers you get. Berger instructed Waddell true of West city to deliver two messages the first was to inform his honor that he would be killed before the week was up the second was to inform the little old Franklin County law that it was not big enough to keep him from keeping Promise number one we knew that death threats were made to her and that Addams Family and also other friends that were doing but liking him will set him right there. Adams was being more or less a marked man. Back at Shady Rest Berger had hired two young orphans Carey and Elmo Thomasson to make good on his threats. The plan was to have the boys lure Adams to the door and shoot it. On the afternoon of December twelve thousand nine hundred twenty six.

The Thompsons knocked on Joe Adams door and were met by Mrs. Adams. One handed. A small child. And it is the right pass for Joe. To get the two boys a little bit of help. And it was signed CBS and she had looked at it and she went got her husband. About that time. One boy slid a revolver. And he fired the first two shots and the other boy went ahead and made the second tape. By pure coincidence two teenagers Jenni Murray and her boyfriend Jeff Kramer who were out on a joyride wanted to see Joy Adams house which had been bombed just a few weeks earlier. We saw him fall in the doorway. And. Anyway there was a man that ran in front of our car. And when they got a lot of us.

Down I just sort of led to this. They were all from that and the other one ran to the end of the block. So anyway after that. I knew he knew he recognized that he had to have that one that he used to play with my neighbor triers children and that he recognized me. From the labs. The significance of what the teenage joyriders saw on December 12th portrayed in this drawing by Harvey Dungy remained hidden for many months. Laugh out in the old way of getting your land up hard cock. And man that rise up just in the ladder a. Lot. The gang war intensified in the wake of Joe Adams murder on January 8th

1927 jadi rest burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances. They always thought that. Michelle rolled up ears. Pleasure been hysteric. My dad and I wouldn't know the name before it happened but. Who done it we never knew. No one night bird figured that he was going to more or less get rid of a little bit of evidence that he had he was going to try to find shelter into the bombing. So he went to his own place with two other gangsters are was one of them. They went ahead and shot three of the people right offhand inside the building.

Charlie more or less said well go out here and you some of this dynamite and lower power generator out. Well the gentleman did it. His name was Murdo ones. When Bert came around the corner they turn around smiled and shot him. Arlie boss will never believe this again. Eager to get rid of a hell of a lot better way to go you know that it. The gang war took another violent turn on January 17th 1927 when Berger's cronie officer Lori Price disappeared along with his wife Ethel. Slim Bryce was a familiar figure at the area's many roadhouses including burger Shady Rest Ethel who was then pregnant was a well like kindergarden teacher their mysterious disappearance would soon play a role in Berger's ultimate fate. But not before burger opened a new front against the Shelton's burgers attacking the darkened country road at the bar of justice itself on January 30 1st of that year at Quincy Illinois.

Charlie burger in two of his henchmen. Art Newman and Harvey Dungy were the star witnesses in a criminal trial involving their mortal enemies the Shelton's who had been implicated in a payroll robbery in Collinsville. It did look like Berger was on his way to winning a war especially after the trial in Quincy. The other three Shelton's Caro Earle and Bernie on charges of committing the Collinsville a male messenger robbery Vereker had an argument. Dan and Harvey Dungy. Were the main witnesses against the. Shelby brothers have the trial. And their testimony was pretty much accepted. By the. By the judge and by the court room. And at that point it looked very much like like as the verdict was coming in the guilty verdict against Felton's it looked like a burger had Burger had one. In fact the Shelton's were even quoted as saying on their way to Leavenworth to their to their guards to the marshals taking him to

Leavenworth that burger has wine and we just hope that someday though the real truth comes out and people will see that we were really not the perpetrators of all the things that have happened. And. Indeed it turned out of course that. They were right. And it wasn't very long in the future when when the whole tide turned. On February 5th 1927 the day the shelter's were sentenced to 25 years in Leavenworth a grisly discovery was made near DuBois in Washington County. The badly decomposed body of Lori pries was discovered in a farmer's field. There was no sign of his wife Ethel finding out what had happened to her in capturing the killers was becoming a public obsession fanned on by the press. Leading the pack was a reporter for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch named John T Rogers. John riders had a marvelous talent for getting people. To tell me things.

ROGERS. First of all got Harvey Dungy to retract his testimony that was pivotal. In getting the Shelton's convicted Camas own mill robbery that in turn earned them. A sentence to Leavenworth prison. So Rogers was as I said pivotal in a situation after helping to clear the Shelton's Rogers talents would next be brought to bear on solving the murder of Jo Adams. It all started with a bit of information inadvertently supplied by a tight lipped Jess Kramer when he was questioned by Franklin County prosecutor Roy S. Martin. Just never I don't think he told her. Yeah I don't think he's just telling this guy but they knew. I said something about the brother. Well they were the only two brothers that they could suspect fell by that they found there ran the note Elmo and Harry Thomason handed to

Joe Adams mentioned a common father. Roy S. Martin put two and two together. He got Jess Kramer to tell him what he saw but only under the condition he wouldn't have to testify. Years later he wrote this letter acknowledging Kramer's role with the facts furnished me by Mr Cramer. I was successful in obtaining a confession from Harry Thomason Jo Adams while I was able to identify Harry Thomason as one of the shooters. Elmo Thomas and the other shooter they conveniently perished in the shady rest bar. Mindful of his promise to Jess Kramer. MARTIN needed a confession from Thomason to do this he turned to John T Rogers and once again Rogers was able to get a confession award for birders arrest soon followed. Here's how burghers arrest was portrayed to the nation by American Mercury magazine. Martin kept the whole thing quiet and sent his Sheriff Jim Pritchard to arrest Charlie

Berger on the charge of being a party to the killing. This was a joke to Robin Hood. He was positive he could beat the charge for he knew nothing of the confession. Replying to the sheriff's telephone call a surrender. He said he would if he could come in with his machine gun. Why not Charlie answered the sheriff. I don't think there's anything to this. And so Charlie stepped blithely into jail with his weapon in his hand and stayed up all that night playing poker with the sheriff and his deputies. How well they succeeded is shown in the fact that Charlie went with them to court the next morning and left behind his trusty machine gun. There they had him in their net. With 40 deputies gathered around him where only one had stood his court open. Robin Hood was nabbed. Oh no. Pritchard would not do that. A lot of people think that because they they associate burger with the jail they're bitten you

know with the Museum of the walk. But that happened here it's going county didn't happen for a very long time either. But Pritchard hated burger. They were not buddies buddies at all. When Cher Pritchard and also Sheriff Coleman from Washington County came to saline deputies would release him. And Pritchard was shocked to see Parker sitting there with machine gun in a cell. Eventually sheriff Pritchard was given custody of his prisoner. They're locked away in the Franklin County Jail. Berger learned of Thomas's confession. Charlie Berger was never to be a free man again. Like rats escaping a sinking ship Berger's Lieutenant Mark Newman Connie Ritter slipped the way. This. After the. Price killings Lori and his wife Apple.

Cart got scared and he left. Well they found him in California. And this was in 1927 at that time. As ironic he was using. The name of John Rogers. I know plenty and now tale plenty if it will save my name. But I won't help you. Let me talk to Johnnie Rogers square guy Rogers of course when. I went west pushchair Pritchard. To retrieve Newman and so Newman. Really unloaded to John Rogers up. A lot. It was on a long train ride back from LA. And my guess was alway to wagtail annoying. On Sunday June 12 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch chronicle the entire confession in extraordinary detail including a letter of appreciation from Roy S.

Martin. When your reporter John T Rogers started with our sheriff for California three weeks ago to bring art Newman back to Franklin County. He remarked to me that he would bring back a solution of the preist murder mystery. He did so. On the afternoon of the night Mr. and Mrs. Price are taken from their home. Berger called me to his home he explained that he believed price was snitching on him to the authorities of Williamson County and he wanted to put a stop to prices talk. Price got into the back seat with Berger and Wooten in the front seat with me. Price asked us not to talk there suggesting that we drive down the road a little way. As we started Berger called up to Simmons and the other take that woman out and do away with her. This alarmed price and he exclaimed as our car started. Charlie please don't hurt Ethel.

They went out and shot or threw her down one of the shafts and as they're gone a man Conny Ritter had cut himself with some of the rusty metal out there. And. They had her body I believe is around 330 or so in the Cabinet last price held up his right hand and said I swear I'm innocent. Charlie been cursed and fired three shots. I don't reckon it was enjoyed it for it shot it well like Norman. You have to at some point he set some account as close to truth as you're going to get and Newman's Newman's version is pretty much the accepted. Account of what of what happened and I was in that three day period there that really led to the destruction of her. There's no way to be absolutely certain that we are to believe Newman or any of those gangsters who either testified or told their

stories to newspaper reporters. Now we suspect that some of them are busy dramatizing their role and building up their own importance. We do know that when Arthur Newman said something about Charlie getting sick to his stomach because he was sitting dying body of Lori Price. It has a certain ring of truth. I can kill a man but I can sit on him I don't know what the hell's the matter with me. It isn't my nerves every time I kill a man it makes me sick afterward. That's what troubles me. I guess it's my stomach. Arly Boswell called lard Newman a trickster. OK OK I understand eat a little would lead no more what I considered rather incredibly good to

hurt you. I love the food. But you would have probably done the same thing. You put us through the same thing and. You're going to try to say that. Back. Now the guy knew that if I ever got my well out of it I might have to eat. He knew that he wanted to get away from. I knew it was happening but. Still the only way he could get us out of it was half through I might leave it at the weight of a job that I did after I look. After digging for more than a week in the abandoned Cartersville district my health food prices remains were found. Why were are numerous so that they would be. Well you'll find that a lot of the stories Newman told turned out true for instance Newman made a comment about Conny Ritter Conny Ritter was actually the one that took out the prize he was one of them. Conning had said that he had cut his lip. With metal while

hiding the body after they'd shot or. When they did pick. Ritter arrive and bring him back to. The trial. His flipper still faster. And again it was John. ROGERS. Newspaper men Post Dispatch. He does want another story. In the sweltering heat of July Charlie Berger Arthur Newman and Ray Highland went on trial for the murder of Jo Adams. Despite the stifling temperatures the courtroom was packed every day. He tried to make it appear that he was being inconvenienced by it he was quite well dressed he was he and the judge were the best dressed people in the courtroom and like he was an important guy who just happened to get caught up in the system and get this over with and and get out of here and go on with our lives but of course it didn't work that way.

Once friends art Newman and Charlie Berger were now bitter enemies one day during a break in the proceedings Berger lost his cool and shouted at Newman. You dirty woman killing son of a bitch you ought to be ashamed to ask for a trap yacht then ask the people to hang you. Newman and Parker fought with one another in a court room they had separate him. They more or less. I refuse to go up on the stand Barbara wanted to go first. His lawyers refuse that. They want to know what have a dance and then was going to use it against him. Berger Newman and Ray Highland who drove the killers to Joe Adams house all refused to take the stand. The prosecution in turn offered up a parade of witnesses who implicated Berger and his henchmen in the mayor's murder. Prosecutor Roy S. Martin one of the jury to do more than convict he wanted them to send the message. I see in your verdict the passing of the rule of the machine gun guy

and the establishment of the rule of law. I know that you men will say that the gang war has no place in this part of Illinois and that the gangster and the gun for gangsters has no place in Franklin County. On Sunday July 24th 1927 the jury of 12 men took less than six hours to reach their verdicts. All three were found guilty for the murder of Jo Adams Hylan and Newman were sentenced to life in prison. Verger sentence was fixed to death by hanging. With. Us. End up in one camp and then turn them up again. And lead no plan that you already had no chance. Yet. Meet me in thought.

And again drop off my. Burger was sentenced to die on October 17 1927. But a series of appeals pushed the execution date back until April 13th 1928. Of course they have a hundred witnesses hundred men were issued cards to watch going to the fenced area to witness the hanging of Charlie burger and that first number which was circled was the 13th of April and that was to be the execution date. And as a last ditch effort Charlie requested a sanity hearing. So they asked Mr. Berger what he had to say. And the statement the most remember is he said Well. When I when I when they hang me they do hang me. I hope they bury me in a Catholic cemetery. And the judge said well why would that be. And he said that because that's the last place the devil would come looking for a Jew. Of course the courtroom just roared in laughter and they knew it was over with and

that basically ended the sanity hearing. After the hearing Berger resigned himself to the fact that his execution was inevitable. George Ward's father was a nephew of the judge. You got to see Berger in jail. Berger had a present for him that Berger had made comment. He said Well you know boys you need a reminder of me. And he turned around to me and told Judge Miller he said would it be all right he said if the Iggs boys have one of my weapons. Berger made a comment about the gun when he was giving it to the boys he said that I've used it he said in fact one time it caused me to run a good pair of pants. He apparently he took a shot at someone but he did it as his hand and the gun were still in his pocket. So blew a hole in the in his pants. And he said the gun also was a little bit hair trigger and he told the boys they're going to have it don't carry around like he did or

they might lose their family jewels. He was brought in for the killing of Joe Adams the mayor of West Sydney a disreputable person who was establishing a haven for the rival Shelton gang. But what really turned the public against him more than anything else was the murder of Lori Price and in particular the murder at the same of Ethel price and he killed Ethel price the women said wait a minute that's gone far enough. If they want to kill each other well and good. The sooner the better. But when they move over and start killing innocent people and killing women. That's over in our backyard. And and I remember that that it was it created quite a consternation among

all Southern Illinois and they said that's too for he's gone too far. And they drew the line in the sand. And from then on Charlie Berger was in deep trouble. His life was taken for killing a man who was probably not a whole lot better than he was. Now I find that interesting because the people who killed Mrs. Price they never saw him suffer the ultimate penalty. Charlie was aware he'd lost the public relations battle. He summed up his situation this way. To Omarion daily Republican reporter I can't believe that I'm to be hung for killing a man like Joe Adams for everybody knows that he was going in for me more than I was for him. It looks to me like they're hanging me for the price of martyrs just because that dirty no good Newman says that planted him stories the burger tried to hang himself in prison have surfaced over the years. Sheriff Pritchard denied that Berger had resigned himself to the fact his fate was

sealed and offered some gallows humor to executioner Phil Hanna who called on him prior to the execution as is customary. I offered her the choice of the black or white death. He laughed and said. The Black One of course fail. He was saying I want to look like a damn clue clocks or. Arly Boswell also called on the can demand that morning. He was pacing up and down the cell. Yes and there were and it made him live a little more for the world and as it Hello fellow I believe in that stuff solely in his head but then they have only knew they could be with you Neal had another hour of live and I apologize for it. So I joined I you know I went to the parole board to talk to the parole board to get you an extension of time. And on the agreement that you made with your sister that you tell me all about the

killing of Lori and Ethel price. Like I said. I'm being hung for a crime I never committed. And I said Of course I don't like those either but I'm not going to put them in the same position that I'm in and I'm not about to tell you anything. And he didn't. Enjoy that. And didn't talk to him anymore. I did see him hanged. And after he was hanged I have to be one of the first selected they could fly me to the undertaker. That's the end of that. It may have been the end of Charlie Berger the man but Charlie burger the legend refuses to die. The journey burger story fascinates us today with all of its improbable and colorful characters who were brought together by fate. One of the most intriguing and troubling is former prosecutor Arlene Boswell who

lived to his grave believing he was a victim of circumstance. I see that his whole career. I mean he was there he saw the aftermath of the hair the massacre. You know he asked me that. That's when it came to waves and co. and then the state's attorney and. And all this shot at. And even wounded a few times but. If you were sitting across from him talking to him as I did many many times over the years. For those minutes you were with him you'd be won over. Then you'd leave the room and they waited. But he would win you over and. And that's what really got to him. That poing all didn't come and talk to Paul Ingles book bloody Williams and lays much of the blame for the lawlessness of that era at the feet of corrupt officials like Arley Vonzell. John Lyons Simon agrees. For some things there's no forgiveness and I think Carly Boswell

is somebody for whom there was no forgiveness at least on my part and there never will be anybody who used his considerable talents his ability to be elected to public office to further the goals of the Ku Klux Klan and then switch them. To the uses of Charlie Berger and his group O lawbreakers is not somebody that I'm willing to pardon not somebody I ever met. Not somebody I knew personally not somebody who could charm other human beings. But he has no charm for me. Arlie Boswell was tried convicted and sentenced to two years in the federal penitentiary for violations of the Prohibition Act. He served 17 months and almost died at Leavenworth when he was stabbed by gang members. Years later he returned home to Southern Illinois and eventually set up a private law practice in Harrisburg. Buried in a

hole recorded over 50 hours of interviews with Arlo Boswell and one statement he recorded stands out above the rest. Yes they have to get it right this is the yeah that I paid to get it right to get it. And here you are. Gary didn't the OHL agrees. He wrote what Boswell was or was not in the 20s is now a matter of history and continuing debate. But in the 1980s he was a grand old gentleman. He was one of the most remarkable men I've ever met. Arlene Boswell and Charlie Berger paid for their mistakes and for the most part local people seem content to overlook the darker side of their natures. Gary deniel recalls a conversation he had with a former Saline County sheriff. Talk about the burger again he said.

Oh I thought Artie Boswell was the last member of Burger King's still alive and he was laughing about it. He and Basile were good buddies you know. This was a matter for joking for light hearted banter for Katie in and hey you know you hear this you were Burger burger again. Eventually Charlie burger changes. From a lawbreaker from a gangster into a kind of hero. He is the subject of sentimentality. And. Envy as well. People who have diminished lives low expectations of themselves their children their community. Their. There are larger groups as well begin to think well of Charlie Berger a man who did what he wanted to do. But sometimes I think we live in a region where people don't opt in to have time for art you know that time for the. Whole it sounds really intellectual of a cultural thing. But they do

have time. For gangsters and they have time for a lot of violators. And Berger fits the bill perfectly because he was handsome. He was so. Charismatic. And he had a certain sense of itself and yes he had a certain sense of style. But. Does it speak well of us that we choose a man like Charlie Berger for if not a hero or sort of a semi hero if somebody had invited him in a play and he would have done that. He would have been the hero. Pretty much like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. And I think a lot of people see him in that respect. They. Don't see the dark side to him. Although the dark side also interests in a lot of a lot of people. If we emphasize good things over bad things things will be better.

But as I say human nature has a cork in it. And we have the pull toward the lore instinct and everything's on that side. And it makes interesting discussion and people will talk about these bad things. That Happen. But a bigger story had all of the elements of a Hollywood movie had alcohol women death. A handsome figure in the in the center conflict shooting. Charlie died young relatively young in his late 40s which added to the legend had Burger gone on to live or die in jail. Would we be talking about him now. Gary Daniil calls this kind of speculation and unanswerable question. But in the end he believes asking questions like these may be the true value of the legend of Charlie Berger. If we were faced most of us if we were faced with the same choices that

Berger was faced with with me do it the same way. Can we blame him. Was he just a victim of circumstances. Would we be would we take the would we did we take his way if we had his background in his experiences and so on. Are we better than you. Did he deserve to be to hang on the gallows. And did did did already did Are we too good for there to meet us inasmuch that in the new the other national question we talk about before. Who deserves to be remembered. Today every where we look the image of the gangster is being transformed into a likable character. And I caught of the good old days on a stall to figure a friendly sort who only gave the public wanted wanted good times and harmless

fun. Well the past looks great through those rose colored glasses until you examine the life and times of a gangster like Charlie Berger. And doing so you soon discover the rose colored glasses the contented with blood and so it is with the legend of Charlie burger. No matter how it's dressed up and presented our system of justice hangs in the balance. This is the legacy not the legend of Charlie burger. KING. Maker. Banjo. Johnny Mac in bed.