Tag Archives: Chicago Gangsters

Gangsters In Granite Vol. XIII Roger Touhy

04 Friday Feb 2011

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Keeping with the values & traditions of Joshua Perry’s Graveside Stroll. May I present to you  my loyal viewers, fans, admirers, etc. The latest installment to the very popular Gangsters In Granite Chicago Style graveside video documentary series.

In this segment of Gangsters In Granite Chicago Style Vol. XIII. We visit the graveside in Mt. Carmel of Roger Touhy who was a ruthless if not infamous Irish mafioso on Chicago’s suburban northwest side stretching all the way to Des Plains, Illinois.

I really hope you enjoy the latest installment of the Gangsters In Granite Chicago Style video series.  There is plenty more to come. While your viewing my latest video creation, don’t forget to comment, rate, and favorite this video, and the others. If your more inclined to do so feel free to send yours truly a friend request on You Tube or subscribe to my channel GraveHunterGuy. Thanks for watching, see ya soon.

Gangsters In Granite Vol. XI

16 Thursday Dec 2010

Posted by in The Gravecast Film Series

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For those of you who are interested. I’ve uploaded a new film to YouTube related to my Gangsters In Granite graveside film series. My latest film titled Gangsters In Granite Vol. XI – Danny Stanton. Is a biographical narration on the life of 1920s era Chicago Labor Racketeer Danny Stanton, who is buried in Chicago’s Mt. Olivet cemetery. For your viewing enjoyment the video is posted below. Let me know what you think, I love getting feedback on the films I create.

On a lighter note I’ve recently uploaded the footage from the second MiniDV tape I recorded in Chicago over two years ago. So I’ll be busy in the coming month or so editing the old footage to include voice-over narration, and photos. I’m now in the process of editing, all my old footage from cemeteries in the Detroit and Chicago area. Due to the grave hunting season being over for me because of the snow, and ice on the ground. I figure I’ll spend the off-season editing, the older footage, when I find the time to do so.

Chicago Trip Day 3 & 4

21 Monday Jun 2010

Posted by in Gravecations - Stories From The Road

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As mentioned the other day I’m doing updates this week during my visit to Chicago. Yesterday being the third day I was in town. I didn’t do any graving since it was Fathers Day and I have a tendency to avoid the cemeteries for grave hunting related purposes when holidays come around. So starting with Day 4. Today I trekked over to four cemeteries. The cemeteries I trekked to included Acacia Park Cemetery, Irving Park Cemetery, St. Joseph Cemetery, and finally Westlawn Cemetery.

Beginning with Acacia Park I found the gravesites of Johannes Anderson who was a WWI Medal of Honor recipient. Next I found the resting place of singer Ral Stewart Donner he sang and probably wrote the song “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got”, and closing at Acacia Park I found the gravesite of actress Audre Joan Knecht. Audre acted on stage and film during the 1940s and 50s. She was in the film “The Luck of Ginger Coffey” and also the film “Niagara”.

Moving along the next cemetery I checked out was Westlawn Cemetery. This is the cemetery where Oswald assassin Jack Ruby reposes. The thing I found bitterly amusing about finding this gravesite. The cemetery office for some reason or another wouldn’t disclose the location. But unbeknownst to them I had detailed instructions on how to find the gravesite from the book “Where Are They Buried? How Did They Die?” by Tod Benoit. Next at Westlawn I found the gravesite of Virginia Lee Corbin. Known as the  “The Dresden Doll of the Movies” she was one of the most popular child stars of the 1930s. She starred in many silent films, and films known as “talkies” which were films that implemented the use of sound in the early film eras. Her film credits include but are not limited to “Jack and the Beanstalk,” (1917) , “The Forbidden Room,” (1919), “The City That Never Sleeps” (1924), “Forgotten Women” (1931), among others.

The third cemetery I visited was Irving Park Cemetery. This is the cemetery where three of the seven Chicago gangland St. Valentines Day Massacre victims repose. The three Northside gangsters include brothers Pete & Frank Gusenberg, and Albert Kallachek. All three died on February 14th of 1929. It’s also rumored that notorious Chicago gangland asssassin Fred Goetz reposes somewhere in the cemetery.

And finally rounding off the day I trekked to St. Joseph Cemetery. In this cemetery I found the gravesite of Lester Joseph Gillis better known as gangster “Babyface” Nelson. All in all I had a very productive day. Stay tuned for further updates this week.

Movie Stars & Mafiosos Part Dux

09 Wednesday Jun 2010

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In honor of the visit to one of my favorite cities in the US of A, a city I consider a second home. I’ve decided to publish the list of gravesites I’m going to attempt to track down while I’m visiting Chicago next week.

The list is laid out starting with cemetery name, then the respective personages buried in that cemetery underneath. For the time being I’m going to leave out the gravesite locations of the personages. Keep in mind many of the people on the list have gravesite photos already on the internet and in some cases locations to go with the photograph. Lets get started shall we.

Evergreen Cemetery

Michael “de Pike” Heitler d. April 30th 1931 Capone gang member and pimp

Wunders Cemetery

Herbert Henry Rice (Actor) d. July 1938

Acacia Park Cemetery

Johannes Anderson (WWI Medal of Honor) d. April 15th 1950

Ralph Stewart Donner (singer, musician) d. Apr. 6, 1984

Audre Joan Knecht (Actress) d. Dec. 1, 1989

Memorial Park Cemetery & Crematorium Skokie

Egbert Van Alstyne (Film composer and lyricist)d. 1951

Eddie Ballantine (musician) d. Nov. 14, 1995

Karyn “Cookie” Kupcinet (actress) d. Nov. 28, 1963

Byrne Piven (actor, director, teacher) d. Feb. 18, 2002

Robert Reed (Actor) d. May 12, 1992

Mt. Olivet Cemetery

Walter & Tommy O’Donnell d. June 9th 1925 Southside O’Donnell gang member brother of “Spike” brother

George Meegan d. September 17th 1923 Southside O’Donnell gang member

Charles Kelly d. October 4th 1925 first “Tommy-Gun” fatality

Henry “Hoop-a-Daisy” Connors d. September 2nd 1929 Chicago Gangster

Maurice “Morrie” Keane d. December 1st 1923 beer runner for the Spike O’Donnell gang

Oakwood Cemetery

Jake Guzik d. February 21st 1956

Charles Simons (Civil War Medal of Honor) d. June 18th 1914

Rosemont Park Cemetery

Edward Vogel d. June 12th 1977 known as the “King of the Slots” ran coin operating racket for Capone gang.

Burton C. Kaiser (Actor) d. May 16, 2004

Holy Sepulcher Cemetery

Michael Quinlan (gangster) d. 1934

Richard Cain (gangster) d. December 20th 1973

Helen Morgan (actress) d. October 8th 1941

St. Adalbert

Joseph Bergl d. September 26th 1950

St. Mary’s Cemetery

John Edward “Spike” O’Donnell d. August 20th 1962 Southside O’Donnell’s leader

James “Daffy” Quigley d. October 12th 1931 member of Spike O’Donnell Gang

George Bucher d. September 17th 1923 Southside O’Donnell gang member

Rosehill Cemetery

Dr. Reinhart Schwimmer d. February 14th 1929

Marie G. Armstrong aka Mimi Forsythe (actress)  d. August 17th 1952

Martha O’Driscoll (actress) d. November 3rd 1998

Milton Sills (silent screen actor) d. September 15th 1930 Plot: Section 111 Lot 38

Burr Tillstrom d. December 6th 1985

Forest Park Cemetery

John Snyder aka Adam Heyer d. February 14th 1929

Waldheim Cemetery

Albert Weinshank d. February 14th 1929

Irving Park Cemetery

Frank & Peter Gusenberg d. February 14th 1929

James Clark aka Albert Kallachek d. February 14th 1929

Edward “Teddy” Newberry d. January 7th 1933

St. Joseph cemetery

Steve “Big Steve” Wisniewski d. July 18th 1921

Chicago bootlegger murdered possibly by the Druggan-Lake mob

Lester Joseph Gillis d. November 27th 1934

John Phillips d. August 27th 1924 Northside Chicago gangster

Mt. Carmel Cemetery

Charles “Cherry Nose” Gioe d. August 18th 1954

Patrick “Paddy the Bear” Ryan d. June 17th 1920

Rocco Belcastro d. May 15th 1933

Angelo DeMora d. 1923 Jack McGurns step father

Vincent Gebardi d. 1936

Anthony DeMora d. March 3rd 1936 Jack McGurns step-brother

John May d February 14th 1929

Joseph “Diamond Joe” Esposito d. March 21st 1928

Giuseppe Maggio d. December 8th 1922 Chicago Black Hand gangster nicknamed “King of the Black Hand”

Joseph Granata d. July 18th 1925 Chicago gangster

Thomas Somnerio d June 1st 1930 Capone gang member

Angelo Spano aka Jack Costa d. September 14th 1930 murdered in Fernwood Apartments 4056 Sheridan Road. Joe Aiello’s bodyguard.

Pasquale “Patsy” Tardi d. January 1st 1931 notorious “42” gang leader.

Vito Bascone d. February 24th 1926 Genna gang member

Alphonse Fiori d. March 14th 1927 Genna gang member

Carmen Ferro d. November 29th 1927 wire wholesaler and alleged bootlegger

John Rito d. March 16th 1930 Northside bootlegger

Calvary Cemetery

William “Gunner” McPadden d. December 31st 1928 Danny Stanton gang

Graceland Cemetery

Granville Bates (Actor) d. Jul. 8, 1940

Bob Fitzsimmons (Boxer) d. Oct. 22, 1917

Harold Ernest Goettler (WWI Medal of Honor) d. Oct. 6, 1918

Jack Johnson (Boxer) d. Jun. 10, 1946

Bohemian National Cemetery

Eddie Tancl d. November 23rd 1924 popular saloon owner

Frank “Lefty” Koncil d. March 11th 1927

St. Casimir Cemetery

Leo Klimas d November 23rd 1924

All Saints Catholic Cemetery

John Joseph Kelly d. November 20th 1957 WWI Double Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient

So as you can see going by the list I just showed you I’m going to have one hell of a smashing good time. I have my doubts that I’ll find all those gravesites during this trip. But then again I’ve been known to go to more than two cemeteries in one day. If I don’t find all these guys during the visit next week. I’m planning on going back in September or October.