Jackson-Franklin County IL Archives News.....Ritter Pleads Guilty, Gets Life in Pen. Killed Mayor "Big Joe" Adams of West City, Ill May 26, 1930
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Mary Riseling riseling@insightbb.com July 18, 2006, 6:27 pm

The Daily Independent Newspaper, Murphysboro, IL May 26, 1930

Benton, Ill., May 26

    Connie RITTER, former Charlie BIRGER gangster pleaded guilty today to a
murder charge in connection with the slaying of Mayor Joe ADAMS of West City,
Ill., in December 1926 and was sentenced by County Court Judge C. H. MILLER to
life imprisonment in the state penitentiary at Chester, Ill.

    Ritter thus evaded jury trial in a case that would have brought out again
all the amazing activities of the notorious gang.

    Mayor Adams was shot to death by Birger gangsters, after he was lured to his
front door step by a note to which had been signed the Name of Carl SHELTON,
rival of the Birgers.  Ritter was accused of writing the note and of paying off
Birger's gunmen at $50 for each shot they pumped into the body of Adams, whom
they suspected of favoring the Sheltons.

    Ritter took the sentence calmly, sitting in the Franklin county courtroom,
which was filLed with spectators.  Many of them were friends of the defendant,
who was born and brought up in this neighborhood.

    Judge Miller said that the state had agreed to imposition of the life
sentence.  Ritter will be taken to the penitentiary this afternoon.  He was
captured at Gulfport, Miss., last fall after being a fugitive since the Birger
gang atrocities.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/newspapers/ritterpl142nnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 2.0 Kb