The Shotgun Man...!

This is a case where the myth just might have a little truth in it.

Given the time and location where the legend started, this legend probably has a lot of fact behind it. The folks known as the Black Hand back then were not above a taste of violence from time to time, and probably had a lot to do with spreading the story around.

Was The Shotgun Man Real?

Early 20th-century Chicago was a dangerous place for Italian immigrants living in Little Sicily. Black Hand extortion was a popular racket practiced by many criminals with no connections to each other. They knew that most people were scared enough to pay. Otherwise, these people would be visited by the Shotgun Man—an enforcer targeting people who refused the Black Hand.

The Shotgun Man was Little Sicily’s boogeyman, said to prowl the intersection of Oak Street and Milton Avenue that was known as “Death Corner.” He would wait at the bottom of a staircase, shotgun at the ready. As soon as his victim came into view, the Shotgun Man opened fire. Then he disappeared before anyone realized what had happened.

It’s been over a century since the Shotgun Man roamed the bloody streets of Chicago, and his legend has been growing steadily ever since. Nowadays, people say that he killed over 100 victims. He was so feared that he could casually walk the streets, gun in hand, even after a murder, without anyone reporting him.

These are almost certainly the exaggerations that occur with most myths over time. Some murders ascribed to the Shotgun Man never occurred. Others had no distinguishable connections between them. The city was undoubtedly rife with crime, but there’s no evidence to place most of it on the shoulders of just one man.

Sounds to me that real or not, the story accomplished what it intended. People were scared and with good reason. It was a very violent time. Thanks to Listverse for this information.

Coffee inside this morning. It's raining outside.