[GODREKR]

Charlie Birger

Gangster, bootlegger, family man, and the Robin Hood of Southern Illinois - Charlie Birger is the last man to hang in Illinois in 1927.

Birger on his way to the gallows. I'm not sure Jesus heard the Jewish preacher's prayer on behalf of Birger.


Birger marching up steps about to meet his end.


Smiling on death row: This 1928 photo shows bootlegging gangster Charlie Birger, center, on the gallows just before his public hanging in Benton.





Birger shakes hands with so-called “humanitarian hangman”.


Birger insisted on hanging in a black, not a white, hood — owing to his hatred of the Ku Klux Klan.


Checking Birger for a heartbeat as he hangs at the end of the rope.


Doctor checking Birger for any sign of life.


Birger's casket under the hanging scaffold


Birger's grave with his name in Hebrew.


The noose used to hang Charlie Birger, a bootlegging gangster who moments before meeting his maker on the gallows flippantly remarked how lovely the world was, is displayed with the flour sack is was stored in, lower left, and a photo of Sheriff Jim Pritchard and his family at a jail museum.

Scroll down for more pics.

Charles Birger (1881 – 19 April 1928) was an American bootlegger during the Prohibition period in southern Illinois. His real name was Shachna Itzik Birger, and he emigrated to the United States as a child with his parents from the Russian Empire.

Army records show he enlisted in St. Louis on July 5, 1901, and was assigned to Company G of the newly formed 13th Cavalry Regiment, which was stationed in South Dakota. Birger was described as a good soldier and was honorably discharged on July 4, 1904, at Fort Meade, South Dakota. When he left the army, he became a cowboy. However, he eventually returned to Illinois, where he married and became first a miner in the quickly expanding mining community of Harrisburg, then a saloon keeper.

Following World War I, the United States adopted national prohibition, which banned the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the country. Charlie saw this as a business opportunity.

Charlie's initial base of operation was Harrisburg, in Southern Illinois. The authorities in Saline County eventually invited him to leave, after which he built a fortified speakeasy named Shady Rest just across the line in Williamson County. Shady Rest was located off old Highway 13, half way between Harrisburg and Marion. A small barbecue stand just off the highway served as the guard shack.

War with the Ku Klux Klan

Charlie Birger and the rival Shelton Brothers Gang fought for control of the coal fields of southern Illinois, but their attention was soon diverted by a common enemy. In the 1920s the Ku Klux Klan supported prohibition. Alcohol was viewed as an "un-American" vice practiced by immigrants, many of whom belonged to the Catholic Church and other religions. Many immigrants worked in the coal mines of southern Illinois, living mainly in very small towns with a strong ethnic identity. Alcohol was a part of their life, and bootlegging came naturally to them.

In the spring of 1923, the Klan began organizing in Williamson County, holding meetings attended by more than 5000 people. The Klan drew its support from both the farming community and people in the larger towns, the latter mainly of southern origin and belonging to the Baptist and other traditional Protestant churches.

The Klan soon found a charismatic leader in S. Glenn Young, a 58-year-old former federal law enforcement officer. Large mobs began going door to door, forcibly searching houses for alcohol. If alcohol was found, the occupants were taken to Klan "prisons". Federal authorities apparently had deputized the Klansmen to aid in the enforcement of Prohibition.

Many elected public officials of Williamson County were viewed as being allies of the bootleggers, perhaps correctly. These elected public officials were driven from office and replaced by Klan members. The state government was either unable or unwilling to reestablish lawful authority.

On January 24, 1925, a shot was fired in the street in Herrin, Illinois. Deputy Sheriff Ora Thomas responded and walked into a cigar store, where he saw Klan leader Young. Thomas drew his pistol and shot Young twice. Young was able to shoot Thomas once before falling to the floor. Two of Young's companions joined in the melee, and all four men were fatally wounded. The Klan held a public funeral for Young that was attended by more than 15,000 people.

In April 1926, Charlie Birger and the Shelton Brothers joined forces to attack the remaining Klan leaders in Herrin, using Tommy guns and shotguns. The police were called repeatedly, but did not respond. The Klan buried its dead and the coroner ruled that the deaths were homicides "by parties unknown."

Although the Klan's losses were not large, the Herrin attack broke the back of the local KKK. Lawfully elected officials returned to their offices, and Birger and the Shelton Brothers went back into business.

War with the Shelton Brothers

Charlie Birger regarded Harrisburg as his town. He would not tolerate crime in Harrisburg. When a small shop was robbed, Birger publicly made good the owner's losses and the suspected thief was found shot dead a few days later. This incident coincided with the beginning of his war with the Shelton Brothers Gang. It would be fought over control of bootlegging in the area.

By October 1926, the Birger and Shelton Gangs were in open conflict. Both gangs built "tanks" - trucks converted into makeshift armored vehicles from which they could shoot. The Shelton Gang even tried to bomb Shady Rest from the air. The dynamite they dropped missed. Many were killed during the war and it was sometimes not clear which side they were on. Three deaths became important in ending Birger's own life.

Joseph Adams was the mayor of West City, Illinois, a village near Benton. Birger learned that the Sheltons' tank was in Joe Adams' garage for repairs. Charlie demanded the tank. When Adams failed to surrender it, Birger's men orchestrated a drive-by bombing, destroying Adams' front porch.

In December 1926, two men (Harry and Elmo Thomasson) appeared at Joe Adams' house, announcing that they "had a letter from Carl [Shelton]". They handed a letter to Adams. As he started to read it, they drew their pistols and shot him dead.

The following month, the Shady Rest was destroyed by a series of large explosions and an ensuing fire. Four bodies (one a woman's) were found in the ruins, charred beyond recognition. This was widely seen as a decisive blow struck by the Sheltons.

At about the same time, Illinois state trooper Lory Price and his wife went missing. Price was widely believed to be associated with the Birger gang. He had been running a scam in which Birger would steal cars and hide them until a reward was offered. Then the trooper would pretend to find the cars and split the reward with Birger.

The hanging of Charlie Birger

In June 1927, Birger was arrested on a charge of ordering the murder of Joe Adams. Birger allowed himself to be taken into custody without a fight. He had been arrested many times, and had always been released a few days later. He may not have realized he would be tried in Franklin County, one that he did not control.

Birger and the two men who did the killing were convicted; however, only Birger was sentenced to hang. Birger objected that it was unfair he should hang while the confessed trigger man was sentenced only to prison. Nevertheless, Birger was hanged for the murder of Joe Adams on April 19, 1928, at the Franklin County Jail in Benton. At Birger's request, he was accompanied to the gallows by a rabbi and wore a black hood rather than a white one, since he did not want to be mistaken for a Klansman. Charlie Birger was not the last man to be executed in a public hanging in Illinois. Charles Shader was hanged October 10 of that year. He shook hands with the hangman, the "humane hangman" Philip Hanna, and his final words were, "It's a beautiful world."

Charlie Birger is buried in Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. His marker bears his real name of Shachna Birger. His sister (Mrs. Rachel Shamsky) and one of his two daughters are buried nearby.

Birger was in the news again in 2006 when the granddaughter of the sheriff who had supervised the execution sued the local historical museum in an attempt to regain possession of the noose used in the hanging.

Charlie Birger




Charlie Birger and his gang


Charlie Birger and his gang


Bullet riddled car by gangsters.


Birger armored truck.


Shady Rest


Unexploded bomb dropped on Shady Rest Birger hideout.


Birger hideout after the fire


Carl and Earl Shelton










Shady rest marker at site of hideout. Now on display at Williamson County Historical society.


shady rest tombstone

[GODREKR]

If that was too much for you to read then maybe you'd rather read the comic version instead. (Note: It's obviously not accurate.)

[CrunchyCripple]

Sounded like a pretty good guy for a criminal. I'd be on his team.

[kellyhound]

humanitarian hangman

lol

[vagabond]

Anybody that stands up to the Klan is a hero in my book- definitely did NOT deserve to be hanged.
Fascinating bit of history Godreker, of which I knew nothing about until your post!

[jlip22]

Great post

[Spiffyfable]

Interesting

What a Lovely World

[Kelseecat65]

Very awesome post... He was a handsome guy.

[Ghost306]

Really interesting read!

[Craven]

It's a beautiful world.