Charles Birger
Encyclopedia
Charles Birger 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.
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 gun
s 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.
. 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.
, 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 only sentenced 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 the last man to be executed in a public hanging in Illinois. He shook hands with the hangman, the "humane hangman" Phil 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's grave with his name in Hebrew)
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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bootlegger
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
during the Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
period in southern 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,...
. His real name was Shachna Itzik Birger, and he emigrated to the United States as a child with his parents from the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
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
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Birger was described as a good soldier and was honorably discharged on July 4, 1904, at Fort Meade
Fort Meade (South Dakota)
Fort George Gordon Meade was established in 1878 as a cavalry fort to protect the new settlements in the northern Black Hills, especially the nearby gold mining area around Deadwood. Several stage and freighting routes passed through Fort Meade enroute to Deadwood.For most of the past 120 years,...
, 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
Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg is a city and township in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It is located about southwest of Evansville, Indiana, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2010 population was 9,017, with a township population of 10,790. It is the county seat of Saline County...
, then a saloon keeper.
Following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adopted national prohibition
Volstead Act
The National Prohibition Act, known informally as the Volstead Act, was the enabling legislation for the Eighteenth Amendment which established prohibition in the United States...
, 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
Saline County, Illinois
Saline County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 24,913, which is a decrease of 6.8% from 26,733 in 2000. Its county seat is Harrisburg. Saline County is home to the smallest post office and the largest KFC in the United States....
eventually invited him to leave, after which he built a fortified speakeasy named Shady Rest just across the line in Williamson County
Williamson County, Illinois
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*92.7% White*3.8% Black*0.4% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*0.4% Other races*2.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. Shady Rest was located off old Highway 13, half way between Harrisburg and Marion
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
. 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 GangShelton Brothers Gang
The Shelton Brothers Gang was an early Prohibition era bootlegging gang based in southern Illinois. They were the main rivals of the famous bootlegger Charles Birger. In 1950 the Saturday Evening Post described the Sheltons as "America's Bloodiest 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
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
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
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
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
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
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
Herrin, Illinois
Herrin is a city in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,501 at the 2010 census. It is home to Country Musicstar David Lee Murphy, the hometown of baseball's Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman, and the hometown of San Diego State University men's basketball coach Steve...
. 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 gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s 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 GangShelton Brothers Gang
The Shelton Brothers Gang was an early Prohibition era bootlegging gang based in southern Illinois. They were the main rivals of the famous bootlegger Charles Birger. In 1950 the Saturday Evening Post described the Sheltons as "America's Bloodiest 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
West City, Illinois
West City is a village in Franklin County, Illinois, adjacent to the county seat of Benton, Illinois. The population was 661 at the 2010 census.- History :In the late 19th century, West City was a small settlement adjoining Benton on the west...
, a village near Benton
Benton, Illinois
Benton is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,087 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.- History :...
. 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 CountyFranklin County, Illinois
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 39,561, which is an increase of 1.4% from 39,018 in 2000. Its county seat is Benton.-History:...
, 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 only sentenced to prison. Nevertheless, Birger was hanged for the murder of Joe Adams on April 19, 1928, at the Franklin County Jail in Benton
Benton, Illinois
Benton is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,087 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.- History :...
. 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 the last man to be executed in a public hanging in Illinois. He shook hands with the hangman, the "humane hangman" Phil 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's grave with his name in Hebrew)
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.
See also
- Bad Charleston CharlieBad Charleston CharlieBad Charleston Charlie is a 1973 comedy film written by and starring cult actor Ross Hagen and directed by Ivan Nagy. The film, rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America, was distributed by International Cinema Corporation. The film is loosely based on the life and death of 1920s...
, a highly fictionalized version of Birger's life story as a 1973 film comedy
External links
- The Legend of Charlie Birger - WSIU-TV documentary (2003)
- Crime in Southern Illinois: Birger & his Boys by Rich Davis
Further Reading
- Angle, Paul M. 1952, Rep. 1993. Bloody Williamson - A Chapter in American Lawlessness. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-06233-7.
- DeNeal, Gary. 1981, 2nd Ed. 1993. A Knight of Another Sort. Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press. 304 pages. ISBN 0-8093-2216-1 (hardcover), ISBN 0-8093-2217-X (paperback).
- Galligan, George and Jack Wilkinson. 1927, Reprinted 1985. In Bloody Williamson. Marion, Ill.: Williamson County Historical Society.
- Hill, E. Bishop. 1927, Rep. 2006. Complete History of Southern Illinois Gang War: The True Story of Southern Illinois Gang Warfare. Marion, Ill.: Williamson County Historical Society.
- Johnson, Ralph, and Jon Musgrave. 2010. Secrets of the Herrin Gangs. Marion, Ill.: IllinoisHistory.com. 96 pages.
- Small, Curtis G. 1970. Mean Old Jail. Harrisburg, Ill.: Register Publishing Co.