Me & Mrs. Mark took this Chicago Crime Tour yesterday and it was terrific. It featured all kinds of crime in Chicago's rich crooked history but obviously we were all interested in the Capone/gangster stuff.

We stopped at the Biograph Theater were Dillinger was killed and walked down the alley were he laid dead while onlookers tore souvenirs off his body and dipped their handkerchiefs in the pools of blood on the bricked street. The tour guide pointed out the wooden utility pole nearby was alleged to have been blood splattered during the hail of bullets. Souvenir hunters have gouged out chunks of the wooden pole thinking they have a great find. Problem is, the original pole has been replaced several times since Dillinger's death.

As most of you know, the site of the St. Valentines's Day Massacre is now a vacant grassy lot owned by a nearby nursing home. Not much to see there but it was neat to see the original neighboring buildings that were there in the time period.

My favorite part of the tour was the stop at Harry Caray's Restaurant. Before it became the restaurant, the building was owned by Frank Nitti's in laws. In 1997, when the restaurant was being remodeled, workers discovered a thousand square foot secret room in the basement while knocking down some cinder blocks. We never were told if they found anything of significance down there. If anybody has heard anything, I would love to know. You can go downstairs and view the opening of the room but it is blocked off to the general public. On the way down, there are countless pictures, art and newspapers framed hanging on the wall. Very cool stuff. I will be posting pics soon. Sorry - I just don't have the time right now.

http://www.chicagocrimetours.com/