English Project Jan 1929 | Page 8

St. Valentine's Day Massacre

On February 14, 1929, Valentine’s Day, seven men were found shot to death outside of a garage on the Northern side of Chicago. The men killed are believed to be linked to George “Bugs” Moran, a notorious Irish gangster. Moran is a longtime enemy of Al Capone, who is quickly gaining control over most of the underground business of Chicago.

In recent years (the late 1920s), Chicago gained a reputation for lawlessness and violence. Most of this was due to the increase in gang violence as a result of the prohibition of alcohol by the 18th amendment in 1920. One of the most notorious of

these gangsters was Al Capone, who made a larger profite through bootlegging and speakeasies. Capone has been known for being ruthless and gunning down his rivals in order to obtain complete control.

Not long before the attack on February 14, Moran began running his bootlegging business in a garage on the North Side of Chicago. Eye witnesses tell us that a group of men dressed as police officers pulled up to the garage and appeared to be raiding the garage. They then shot and killed the seven men lined up in front of the garage.

By: Megan Neal