Wednesday, August 16, 1933

I went down to Ruby's last night. Then we went up to Emmett and Melvin's for dinner and supper.

August 16, 1933 - Kansas City, Missouri
Mobster Charles Gargotta - AKA "Mad Dog - (center) being escorted to his arraignment
to face charges of murdering bootlegger Ferris Anthon and the attempted murder of
Sheriff Thomas  Bash on August 12, 1933. He is being escorted by Chief Deputy
William Schickhardt (left) and Deputy Al Finkelstine.

At the behest of crime boss John Lazia, Gargotta and several other mobsters shot
Anthon as he was entering his apartment building in Kansas City. However, Jackson
County Sheriff Tom Bash and a depty came upon the scene and opened fire. Two of
Lazia's men were killed and one escaped. During the firefight, Gargotta leaped from
the car, emptied a Colt .45 automatic at Bash, and then surrendered, yelling, "Don't
shoot me! Don't shoot me!"

Eventually Gargotta was acquitted of the homicide charge but convicted of the
illegal possession of a handgun. Charges flew that the jury had been bribed, and
the police offer handling the evidence was convicted of perjury. Over protests from the
police department, among others, the Governor of Missouri pardoned Gargotta.