Information AboutShelton Gang |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SHELTON BROTHERS GANG | |
| history of illinois | |
| mafia gangs | |
| prohibition gangs | |
| williamson county, illinois | |
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Formed by Earl, Carl, and Bernie Shelton shortly after Prohibition came into effect in 1920, the gang operated in Williamson County, Illinois making moonshine and other illegal liquor. They eventually dominated liquor distribution in East St. Louis, Illinois until former ally gangster Charles Birger attempted to take over the Shelton Brothers bootlegging operations in 1926 beginning a violent gang war, which saw both gangs use converted armored trucks and a bombing raid by the Sheltons on Birger's Shady Rest headquarters, over control of bootlegging in southern Illinois. Despite having over fifty gunmen, the Shelton Brothers were unable to compete against Birger and, by 1928, based on the testimony of Charles Birger and Art Newman, the Shelton Brothers were convicted for a 1925 unsolved mail carrier robbery of $15,000 and were sentenced to 25 years. Soon after the gang slowly disappeared as Birger dominated bootlegging in southern Illinois until he himself was hanged for the murder of West City, Illinois Mayor Joe Adams in 1928. After their release, Carl and Bernie Shelton would be murdered in 1947 and 1948 respectivly, by former gang member Frank "Buster" Wortman who would eventually take over the Sheltons operations dominating St. Louis's illegal gambling and other criminal activities until his death in 1970. FURTHER READING
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