Vincent Drucci: 1898-1927

Vincent "the Schemer" Drucci (real name Iorveco di Ambrosia and known as "Schemer" because of his tirelessly wild imagination) was a burglar and jewel thief who had fought honorably in the naval forces during the War. Drucci had made his criminal debut by smashing up public telephones and looting the coins inside. Born in Chicago to John and Rose di Ambrosia, both Italian immigrants, he had been friends with O'Banion since adolescence. Drucci's effectiveness as a businessman was minimized by his rampaging temper, making his enforcing and intimidating abilities his primary asset to the gang. Always creative, he once eluded police pursuit by leaping his car over a bridge just as it was raising to allow passage of a boat.

"Drucci could be a crazy bastard when set off, but he also had the wildest sense of humor," a former truck driver for the North Side gang recalled. "Once he got a hold of a priest's outfit, put it on, and stood in front of a café on Rush Street. Every time a couple would walk by, he'd say, 'Nice ass, honey' and shock the hell out of them. When the girl turned around, he'd say, 'Not you, lady, your fellow.' Then they'd be shocked again. Once Dean joined in on the fun by pretending to kick the shit out of him. People were going nuts, thinking that some priest was being beaten up."

Drucci's position in the gang disputes the claim that O'Banion hated Italians. Writers and students of the Capone era have put it forth that an inherent spite toward Italians caused O'Banion's later problems with Johnny Torrio and Al Capone. Those who knew O'Banion personally dispute this.

Drucci found himself co-chieftain (along with Bugs Moran)of the North Siders after Hymie Weiss' machine-gun slaying in October 1926. The inter-gang war that had been bloodying Chicago's reputation since Dean O'Banion's 1924 murder had decimated both the North and South Side forces, and despite his reputation for irrational thinking, Drucci proved a willing audience to peace overtures from Maxie Eisen, an old friend who'd been appointed a go-between for all the battling factions. Weeks after Weiss' death, Drucci and Moran represented the North Siders at a conference attended by all of Chicago's major gangs. Moran, still bitter over his friends' murders and strongly believing that the North Siders should persevere in both their revenge campaign and expansion into hostile business territory, initially protested at the idea of a ceasefire. But Drucci, with commendable foresight, persuaded him to fall into line.

Peace reigned for weeks afterward. Then, In April 1927, Drucci's combative instincts were put back to use, this time in the mayoral race between the incumbent William E. Dever and the returning "Big Bill" Thompson. Under his direction, a gang of North Side sluggers broke into the office of 42nd Ward alderman (and Dever man) Dorsey R. Crowe, beating up the night watchman and destroying the premises. Chief Collins ordered the immediate arrest of all known North Side gang leaders. On April 5, a detective squad spotted Drucci and two companions, Albert Single and Henry Finkelstein, coming out of the Hotel Bellaire, and stopped them. A search of all three revealed a gun tucked in Drucci's waistband. As the officers escorted the men into a nearby squad car for a trip from the detective bureau to the Criminal Court Building Drucci objected to one of them, Danny Healy, holding his arm. The North Sider cursed him, and Healy responded by drawing his own gun and saying, "You call me that again and I'll let you have it."

Danny Healy was one of the force's toughest officers, a man who hated criminals and did not hesitate to let them know it. He had killed a bandit during a shootout on Armitage Avenue in early 1927, and nearly killed Joe Saltis in November 1926, during a raid on a Stockyards saloon.

Drucci, who likely knew of the young officer's tough reputation, was only too happy to let him know what he thought of police officers in general and Healy in particular. As the gangster got into the squad car, he snarled, "You kid copper, I'll get you. I'll wait on your doorstep for you."

Healy told him to shut up. "Go on, you kid copper," Drucci taunted. "I'll fix you for this." When Healy repeated the order to keep quiet, Drucci challenged, "You take your gun off of me and I'll kick hell out of you."

Despite the hostile exchange, Healy got into the back seat of the car with Drucci, Albert Single crouching nervously between them. Patrolman Roy Hessler sat in the collapsible seat in front of them with Henry Finkelstein, and Lieutenant Liebeck sat up front with his chauffeur, Sergeant Matthew Cunningham. The car proceeded east on Wacker Drive. As it neared the Clark Street Bridge, the quarrel between Drucci and Healy intensified. The police officers later testified that the North Sider, beside himself with rage, punched holes in the side curtaining before leaping at Healy with a cry of "I'll take you and your tool!!" The police officer drew back and shot him.

Henry Finkelstein told a different story. He claimed that Healy threw the first punch while in the car, initiating the scuffle, and that Sgt. Cunningham pulled over as the car came into Clark Street. Healy, he insisted, got out, turned, and shot Drucci while the gangster sat with his hands on his lap. Albert Single said that both cop and gangster had struck each other before the fatal shots were fired, and that Drucci had challenged Healy to "Take off your gun and we'll get out and fight it out."

Whichever way it happened, Drucci fell to the floor of the squad car, bleeding heavily from gunshot wounds to his arm, leg, and belly. The squad car made immediately for the nearby Iroquois hospital, but the attending doctor there said that the gangster's condition was too serious, and ordered him sent to the county hospital. Drucci died just before arrival. His lawyer, Maurice Green, was waiting at the Criminal Court Building with a writ of habeaus corpus; he'd been notified of the initial arrest. When Green learned of his client's death, he telephoned Cecelia Drucci, the gangster's blonde wife, immediately. After identifying her husband's body that night at the morgue (she took one look and sobbed, "My great big baby!!"), she demanded that Healy be charged with murder, to which Chief of Detectives Bill Shoemaker responded, "I don't know anything about anyone being murdered. I do know that Drucci was killed trying to take a gun away from an officer. We're having a medal made for Healy."

A coroner's jury ruled the killing a justifiable homicide. Officer Healy went on to serve on the Chicago police force for thirty-seven more years. Upon his retirement in 1964, he became Chief of Police of Stone Park, a West Side suburb where several motels, cocktail lounges, and gambling houses had Syndicate money backing them. It is interesting to note that Healy, whose disdain for gangsters motivated him to kill Drucci, did not inconvenience the Stone Park operations in any way.

On Thursday, April 7, Drucci, a veteran of the Navy, was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery with full military honors. His $10,000 aluminum and silver casket was draped with the American flag and surrounded by $30,000 worth of flowers, most of which had been provided by William Schofield. Viola O'Banion consoled the widow. As Cecelia Drucci left Mount Carmel after the burial, she managed to smile at reporters. "A policeman murdered him," she said, "but we sure gave him a grand funeral."

:End

Thanks to Mari Abba for the info for this section.