Al Capone,the FBI,Jack Ruby,Puerto Rican Nationalist shooters & a Heiser holster for a S&W .357 Magnum
The following is a copy of an FBI document that mentions Scaramuzzo & Sons gun shop in Chicago.Louis Scaramuzzo reportedly made 2 unmarked Thompsons for Al Capone in the 1920's,at least according to an apocryphal article I ran into on the 'net.I'm sure some of you Chicago guys have heard of them;there apparently is still a Scaramuzzo selling guns in Arizona.
I learned about all of this while looking at the Heiser holster depicted below."SCARAMUZZO & SONS CHICAGO,ILL" is stamped on the back.This holster,probably dating to the 1940's,was made for a S&W .357 Magnum.Chalked on the belt loop is "MAG 5 1/2".I know,that doesn't make a lot of sense (although that barrel length was probably furnished on a Registered Magnum or 2) but it is not the only Heiser I own that is marked like that.It does fit my model 27 with a 5" barrel with a little room to spare.
Enjoy the photos & the report.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA # 1426
NRA Endowment Life member
Document # 124-10077-10025 Is a 6 page document from SAC, Chicago to Director dated 11/25/63.
Administrative -CG[ ]-PC advised SA John R. Bassett on 11/24/63 that he had been a close friend of subject Ruby for many years in Chicago. This informant advised that "Sparky" was hot tempered on occasions but was generally of a good disposition. He stated that Ruby was an excellent fist fighter. According to this informant, Ruby, in the mid 1940's operated a "book" over a restaurant located east of Kedzie Avenue on the north side of Roosevelt Road in Chicago. Subject was a close friend of one Abe Zuckerman, also known as "Zuckie". In the middle 1940's according to the informant, Zuckerman was shot and the informant believed that this occurred because Zuckerman did not cut Leonard Patrick, one of Chicago's top hoodlums in on the profits of his book. Shortly after this shooting, Patrick told the subject to leave town, accusing him of operating a book without Patrick's sanction. Patrick warned the subject that if he did not leave Chicago, he would "get what Zuckie got". The subject left Chicago at this time for Dallas, Texas where he ran a club owned by his sister. Informant advised that he has not been in touch with the subject in recent years and was completely at a loss to understand the subject's action in shooting Oswald.
PCI Frank DiLeonardo advised SA John W. Roberts jr., on 11/24/63 that Jack Ruby had, at one time, been close to Ross Prio, Chicago top hoodlum. This informant further advised that Ruby had been a close friend of one Joe Scaramuzzo who owns a gun shop on Halsted Street near Taylor Street in Chicago.
The Chicago division records contain no information concerning Abe Zuckerman, also known as "Zuckie". The same records reflect that Joseph Scaramuzzo is the owner of Scaramuzzo and Sons gunshop, 801 S. Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois. It should be noted that three of the four guns used by members of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico in the shooting at the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. on March 1, 1954 were purchased by one William Galetty, Gary, Indiana from Scaramuzzo and Sons, 801 S. Halsted St. Chicago.
The following is a copy of an FBI document that mentions Scaramuzzo & Sons gun shop in Chicago.Louis Scaramuzzo reportedly made 2 unmarked Thompsons for Al Capone in the 1920's,at least according to an apocryphal article I ran into on the 'net.I'm sure some of you Chicago guys have heard of them;there apparently is still a Scaramuzzo selling guns in Arizona.
I learned about all of this while looking at the Heiser holster depicted below."SCARAMUZZO & SONS CHICAGO,ILL" is stamped on the back.This holster,probably dating to the 1940's,was made for a S&W .357 Magnum.Chalked on the belt loop is "MAG 5 1/2".I know,that doesn't make a lot of sense (although that barrel length was probably furnished on a Registered Magnum or 2) but it is not the only Heiser I own that is marked like that.It does fit my model 27 with a 5" barrel with a little room to spare.
Enjoy the photos & the report.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA # 1426
NRA Endowment Life member
Document # 124-10077-10025 Is a 6 page document from SAC, Chicago to Director dated 11/25/63.
Administrative -CG[ ]-PC advised SA John R. Bassett on 11/24/63 that he had been a close friend of subject Ruby for many years in Chicago. This informant advised that "Sparky" was hot tempered on occasions but was generally of a good disposition. He stated that Ruby was an excellent fist fighter. According to this informant, Ruby, in the mid 1940's operated a "book" over a restaurant located east of Kedzie Avenue on the north side of Roosevelt Road in Chicago. Subject was a close friend of one Abe Zuckerman, also known as "Zuckie". In the middle 1940's according to the informant, Zuckerman was shot and the informant believed that this occurred because Zuckerman did not cut Leonard Patrick, one of Chicago's top hoodlums in on the profits of his book. Shortly after this shooting, Patrick told the subject to leave town, accusing him of operating a book without Patrick's sanction. Patrick warned the subject that if he did not leave Chicago, he would "get what Zuckie got". The subject left Chicago at this time for Dallas, Texas where he ran a club owned by his sister. Informant advised that he has not been in touch with the subject in recent years and was completely at a loss to understand the subject's action in shooting Oswald.
PCI Frank DiLeonardo advised SA John W. Roberts jr., on 11/24/63 that Jack Ruby had, at one time, been close to Ross Prio, Chicago top hoodlum. This informant further advised that Ruby had been a close friend of one Joe Scaramuzzo who owns a gun shop on Halsted Street near Taylor Street in Chicago.
The Chicago division records contain no information concerning Abe Zuckerman, also known as "Zuckie". The same records reflect that Joseph Scaramuzzo is the owner of Scaramuzzo and Sons gunshop, 801 S. Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois. It should be noted that three of the four guns used by members of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico in the shooting at the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. on March 1, 1954 were purchased by one William Galetty, Gary, Indiana from Scaramuzzo and Sons, 801 S. Halsted St. Chicago.
)
