Al Capone and His American Boys: Memoirs of a Mobster's Wife

32 Gus Winkeler and the New North Side

Returning to the apartment one evening I heard the low hum of men’s voices in our sitting room and turned aside into my own room rather than disturb Gus and his guest. In a few minutes the maid knocked at my door and said my husband wanted me immediately. I went to the front room and much to my surprise was greeted by George Goetz, Gus’ former companion in many escapades, who I had not seen for months. Naturally I was glad to see George and he seemed glad to see me, although it was evident he was laboring under a strain. I inquired about Mrs. Goetz and we talked over many of our experiences together, recalling trifling incidents that had seemed terribly important when they had occurred. Wewerestilldeepinconversationwhenthedinnerhourapproached, andbecauseGusdidnotseemtomind,IinvitedGoetztostayfordinner. He accepted. I was mystified at Gus’ seeming unconcern that Goetz had called at our home. For as I have already said, when he became Boss of the North Side he gave strict orders that none of the syndicate men and none of his own employees were to call at our apartment. He consideredthis absolutelyessentialinbuildinguphisreputation as a gentleman. This rule was maintained so strictly that as far as I can remember, Goetz was the only man connected with the underworld that Gus ever admitted to our apartment at 3300 Lake Shore Drive. 32 Gus Winkeler and the New North Side 184 Gus Winkeler and the New North Side 185 It was Gus’ fastidious attitude in such matters that caused one Chicago newspaper to dub him “a well-mannered gentleman of the clique.” It was the same attention to such apparently trivial details that caused Alexander Jamie, director of the Secret Six, in a series of articles written by himself for a national newspaper syndicate concerning the workofhisanti-crimeorganization,tosay:“GusWinkeleristhesmoothest and most suave crook to ever operate in Chicago.” Thatiswhymymystificationatthelettingdownofthebarswaswith me throughout the evening, and when Goetz left late that night I asked for an explanation. “I admit I slipped a little,” my husband explained. “I don’t approve of his coming here, but after all, you can’t turn your back on an old friend like George Goetz. I knew it must be a matter of vital importance to George or he wouldn’t have dared to come here. “The truth is,” Gus went on, “George is getting into hot water.” Gus seemed inclined to let it go at that, but I pressed him for further information. “Well, if you must know, George is interested in some stolen bonds,” I was told. “He wouldn’t have dared touch them if Al Capone were here, but you know how things are now. A gang from the Twin Cities [St. Paul and Minneapolis] has these bonds, and George thinks there’s a big turnover. “Of course, that’s George’s business if he wants to get mixed up with them, but I’ve been off that racket for a long time and I don’t want to be dragged into it again.” That was the last I heard of the bonds until a few nights later when Gus came home, upset and worried. He paced the floor with one hand in his pocket, the other rubbing thebackofhisbenthead—agesturethatalwaysmeanthewasfacedwith a worrisome problem. “Well, what’s wrong now?” I demanded. Gus literally “blew up.” “Plenty,” he snapped. “It’s those damned bonds George Goetz was telling me about. That paper is going to get me into a hell of a spot.” “I don’t see how,” I answered, “you aren’t trying to handle any of them, are you?” 186 al capone and his american boys “Hell, no, of course not, but that damn fool Eddie Lebensberger is dipping into that deal, and mark my words, he’s going to get in one swell jam. “Lebensberger don’t know enough about that racket to try to do anything with it, but he’s seen it done by others and he thinks he’s going to make some easy money. “Any money you make with stolen bonds isn’t easy. The government is trailing these bonds like nobody’s business, and as sure as Fate, Eddie is going to go to jail if he don’t bail out in a hurry. “I can’t afford to have him go to jail right now, and if he wasn’t such a fool he ought to know that if he gets mixed...