The Rest of the Story- Reinhold

Reinhold worked hard to succeed in life.  He became an Optometrist and opened a practice in Chicago in the 1920’s.  Reinhold was also a very active person socially, becoming friends with people from all walks of life.  He loved hearing people’s stories and he lived vicariously through the very different lives of the people he would meet.

Reinhold especially enjoyed listening to thrilling stories from the more nefarious characters.  Living on Chicago’s north side, he was a Cubs fan like most of his neighbors.  Among them was George Moran, who lived in the same building at 2100 Lincoln Park West.

George spun incredible stories of speakeasies, bootleg whiskey, gangsters, and beautiful women.  The outlandish tales and the exciting and dangerous company he kept easily pulled Reinhold into George’s orbit.

Reinhold spent more and more of his time with George and his friends.  One cold morning in February 1929, Reinhold was waiting for George with a group of six of George’s associates in a converted garage on 2122 North Clark Street.  This was the most exciting event yet, George was expecting a shipment of bootleg whiskey and was supposed to be there at 10:30 to pay for the shipment.

All of a sudden, a group of five or six policemen materialized in a paddy wagon.  Ordering the men to “assume the position” up against the wall, the police frisked the men, and then stood back.  Suddenly a hail of machinegun fire erupted, killing Reinhold and the other six men.

Reinhold’s friend George was late for the meeting, and only turned the corner onto Clark Street as the paddy wagon showed up. George and two other associates fled away unscathed.

George was better known by his nickname Bugsy, and Bugsy Moran had made a very powerful and jealous enemy in Al Capone.  Optometrist Reinhold Schwimmer was unfortunate enough to choose this day to experience the excitement of the arrival of a shipment of bootleg whiskey.  This was not to be his day though, as February 14^th 1929 would always be remembered in Chicago for the St. Valentine’s Day massacre.