James McLain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Antonio Tangorello | |
| Born | 1903 Trapani, Sicily, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died | June 12, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
James "Revolvers" McLain (1903–September 23, 1934) was a member of Jack McGurn's crew inside the organization known as the Chicago Outfit, and believed to be involved in the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Contents |
[edit] Start
Born Antonio Trangorello in Trapani, Sicily. His family emigrated to New York 3 years later, arriving at Ellis Island on July 18, 1906. Antonio later moved to Chicago with his family and girlfriend. One time Antonio and a few of his friends were in a movie theater, when local Irish police raided it. He changed his name to James McLain to avoid being beaten up.
[edit] Prohibition-era
James took a run in with a few Purple Gang members, They were fighting with him telling him that it was a jewish area. One of them pulled a gun and shot at James, both of them missed but ended up hitting and killing James' girlfriend.
James got back at the Purple Gang with the help of Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn. It was believed that Jack only did it to tell the Purple Gang to stay in Detroit. James started work in McGurn's speakeasy, the Green Mill, as a bartender. He later became involved with McGurn's crew inside the Chicago Outfit which at the time was ran by Johnny Torrio and Al Capone.
James help McGurn kill Frankie Yale In 1928
[edit] St. Valentine's Day Massacre
James suspectedly helped plan the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929, which was meant to bring the war of the North Side Gang to an end by killing George Moran. Six members of the North Side Gang were killed, none of which were George Moran. He remained out of the police's mind for suspects of the killings because a local flower shop owner claimed he was with James at the time.
[edit] Later years
On August 25, 1933, the Western Open golf championship began at Olympia Fields Country Club in the far south suburb of Olympia Fields, Illinois. McLain entered the competition but, as did McGurn, using his birth name Antonio Trangorello. When McGurn was arrested, James thought it would be a good idea to leave as well, as someone could easily find out who he was.
When Frank Nitti took control of the Chicago Outfit he didn't think McLain was going to keep his mouth shut about the happenings on St. Valentine's Day. However, Paul Ricca (thought to be the real boss of the Chicago Outfit), thought that McLain was a good assassin and gunman, so he kept James on board.
In June 12 1934 James McLain was gunned down outside his apartment in Cicero, Illinois. Louis Campagna is believe to have fired the machine gun that killed him. It is thought that Paul Ricca changed his mind about McLain.
