The Untouchables

The Jake Lingle Killing (1x3)

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Gangs have divided Chicago in 2-- the northside is run by the Bertshce mob, the southside by the Viale brothers, Augie & Vito. The line of demarcation being Madison Street. At the news office, Jake Lingle phones in a story to the front desk: gang war has erupted on the near northside, 2 hoods with machine guns smashed the liquor supply at Bertsche's Club Chapeau, in retaliation for Bertsche's mob raiding a Viale warehouse. Jake Lingle gets shot in the back at the subway station. The public turns out by the thousands for his funeral. It was the first time in history that a newspaperman was killed by the mob. Publicly, Augie Viale says Bertsche killed him; Bertsche says Viale did. The newspaper puts up a $25,000 reward for the capture of the killer. Former hood Bill Hagen meets with Ness. He says he'll give Ness information about the booze racket, if Ness finds out who killed Jake Lingle and tells him first, so he can get the reward money. Ness reminds him the Lingle killing is not a federal matter. Later, Ness meets with D.A. Beecher Asbury; he tells Ness the truth. Dead, Jake Lingle is a martyr, a rallying point for the public to demand reform; but alive, Lingle was pocketing 50 grand a year by being a broker-- through him, the mob bought protection from the police. Bill Hagen, who used to be a big-time bootlegger from St. Louis, meets with Barney Bertsche, and gets a job with his mob. Barney Bertsche trusts him. Hagen tips off Ness about one of Bertsche's stills, at a farmhouse 9 miles outside of town. Ness grills all the crooks there, and finds out that a Patty O'Day, who used to drive a truck for Bertsche, supplied the gun for the Lingle killing-- Ness relates this info to Hagen. Over the next few weeks, Hagen tips Ness off 5 more times. Bertsche figures these raids are just bad luck; Jack Zuta tells him Hagen is a stoolie. They set a trap: they give Hagen false info about a still. Hagen calls Ness, tells him there's a cooker on Columbus Drive. If Ness raids it,