Walter Stevens
Encyclopedia
Walter Stevens was a freelance enforcer and "hitman
," popularly known as, "dean of the Chicago
gunmen," during Prohibition
. Although having the reputation
of violent gangster
, credited with the deaths of at least 60 men, Stevens was a devoted husband to an invalid wife and his three adopted children. Stevens was uncharacteristicly cultured compared to his fellow contemporaries, refraining from drinking and reportedly quoted classical literature from authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson
and poet Robert Burns
.
A long-time Chicago
gangster, Stevens first gained prominence as a labor slugger alternating between labor racketeer, Maurice "Mossy" Enright
, and other rivals often committing assault
and murder-for-hire for as much as $50 and, on orders from Enight, murdered rival gunman Pete Gentleman, in 1919.
During the early 1910s, Stevens began to develop political connections and, as seen during 1919 embezzlement
trial
of Illinois
State Treasurer
Len Small
, Stevens was able to help win Small's acquittal through bribery and intimidation
of the jury
. Small, who eventually became governor, pardon
ed Stevens after his conviction of murdering an Aurora
police officer. in October 1918.
Following Enright's death in 1920, Stevens was readily hired by the Torrio-Capone
organization, then in the midst of the violent bootlegging
wars which would come to define Prohibition
-era Chicago during the first half of the early 1920s. It was while with Torrio-Capone, that Stevens would be involved in the murders of five members of the "South Side O'Donnell's." Retiring in 1924, Stevens would continue to act as an intermediary securing political favors from local and state officials, including Governor Small, for the future Chicago Outfit. Remaining with the crime syndicate during the 1930s, Stevens eventually died from natural causes in 1939 (although other sources claim he died of pnumonia on February 15, 1931, at the age of 62.
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
," popularly known as, "dean of the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
gunmen," during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. Although having the reputation
Reputation
Reputation of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria...
of violent gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
, credited with the deaths of at least 60 men, Stevens was a devoted husband to an invalid wife and his three adopted children. Stevens was uncharacteristicly cultured compared to his fellow contemporaries, refraining from drinking and reportedly quoted classical literature from authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
and poet Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
.
A long-time Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
gangster, Stevens first gained prominence as a labor slugger alternating between labor racketeer, Maurice "Mossy" Enright
Maurice Enright
Maurice "Mossy" or "Mossie" Enright was an Irish-American gangster and one of the earliest Chicago labor racketeers in the early 20th century....
, and other rivals often committing assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
and murder-for-hire for as much as $50 and, on orders from Enight, murdered rival gunman Pete Gentleman, in 1919.
During the early 1910s, Stevens began to develop political connections and, as seen during 1919 embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
State Treasurer
State Treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 49 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. Texas abolished the position of Texas State Treasurer in 1996....
Len Small
Len Small
Lennington Small was the 26th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1921 to 1929. He also served as a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 and was Illinois state treasurer, 1905–07 and 1917-19.Small was born in Kankakee County, Illinois.Lennington Small was...
, Stevens was able to help win Small's acquittal through bribery and intimidation
Intimidation
Intimidation is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It's not necessary to prove that the behavior was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened.Criminal threatening is the crime of intentionally or...
of the jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
. Small, who eventually became governor, pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
ed Stevens after his conviction of murdering an Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
police officer. in October 1918.
Following Enright's death in 1920, Stevens was readily hired by the Torrio-Capone
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
organization, then in the midst of the violent bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
wars which would come to define Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
-era Chicago during the first half of the early 1920s. It was while with Torrio-Capone, that Stevens would be involved in the murders of five members of the "South Side O'Donnell's." Retiring in 1924, Stevens would continue to act as an intermediary securing political favors from local and state officials, including Governor Small, for the future Chicago Outfit. Remaining with the crime syndicate during the 1930s, Stevens eventually died from natural causes in 1939 (although other sources claim he died of pnumonia on February 15, 1931, at the age of 62.
Further reading
- Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of Chicago. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002. ISBN 1-56025-454-8
External links
- Becon News Online - An immune gunman and a creative defense by Matt Hanley