On the site of this school once stood the Siebens Brewery one of the oldest in the city. It was also the site of an event that started a war. After prohibition began Johnny Torrio and the south side gang might have had things organized and general cooperation among the various gangs there was intense competition and constant probing for turf. Torrio's biggest rival was the northside gang led by Dion O'Bannion who was both a rival and business partner in the takeover of Cicero and The Siebens Brewery. In the late spring of 1924 O'Bannion let it be known that he was going to retire, leave town and wanted to sell off his share. Torrio gave him $500000 and then was tricked into being there when O'Bannion knew there was going to be a police raid. In the end Torrio was sentenced to nine months in jail and O'Bannion wouldn't return the money. This touched off a five year gang war that culminated in the infamous St. Valentines Day massacre. The first major blow came on November 10 when two Italian looking men paid Mr. O'Bannion a visit at his flower shop and shot him as they shook hands. We have posted a video that tells that tale. www.youtube.com This clip is part of the series "The Outfit Now & Then" produced by MindsiMedia and presented on ChiTownView's YouTube station. We show a mixture of crime scenes and homes associated with different Chicago mobsters and tell a little history with each clip. On our blog we have started posting a history of this organization that for many ...