◆ SpookStack

i t 1 1 i, - = ns Me io ry EE ae “Rig” Jim Colosimo as the photographers and police fonnd him es few minutes after an expert killer deposited several bullets in hig head. The assassination took place in Coloslimo's ornate cafe. Colosimo changed too, but not go definitely as did the cafe. Dale Winter, devoutly in love with him, worked long and assiduously to make a fine gentleman out of him and she did wonders, considering the material. But even in riding togs, in evening clothes, “Big” Jim retained some of the odor of the underworld. The transformed Colosimo lost caste with the under- world. It was plain that the king had gone wrong, and in the dumps and dives honeycombed throughout the old levee district there were whispers that the finger was again on Colosimo, And it was. And this time neither Little Johnny nor Capone could avail him anything. On March 29, 1920, Colosimo divorced his wife, Victoria, and on April 16 he was married to Dale Winter. The cere- mony was performed in Indiana and the underworld lord with his bride went honeymooning at an Indiana resort. The newspapers smoked with the story of his marriage and there was 4 great flare of excitement, except of course in the underworld. Colosimo’s new found happiness lasted how- [é} ever only twenty-five days. He met his doom on May 11, shortly after he and his bride had returned to Chicago. Death came mysteriously and suddenly in the lobby of his eafe on a sultry afternoon whither he had gone hur- riedly in response to a mysterious telephone message. The mystery of his assassination has net been solved to this day. Thirty persons were questioned at the time and among them were Capone and Torrio. It was all a waste of time, even the long session the police held at headquarters with Little Jimmy Cosmano who came forward voluntarily, Miss Win- ter dropped out of the underworld at once without making any claims even to the estate of her husband. And so King Colosimo who was growing respectable came to an inevitable end. Johnny Torrio stepped forth. As Johnny had eclipsed his boss, soon too was Capone to eclipse Torrio. The end of Colosimo, you might say, was the beginning for Capone. He and Torrio Segan doing things in a big way as we shail see. 43