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In the next two episodes Aaron and I discuss Mob hits. We talk about tactics and discuss early hits called “Signboarding” a guy. I use 2 different early hits on Kansas City Missouri police officers. Another famous “hit” discussed is a planned execution interrupted by the accidental appearance of the Jackson County sheriff. Was Sheriff Tom Bash there by happenstance or plan?

Photo is Charles Gargotta being escorted to jail for the murder of Anthon Ferris. Courtesy of the Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri

Ballad of Tom Bash

We’ve a shire reeve in our shire

We’ve a chieftain in this town.

We’ve a good man, bad for bad men,

We’ve a law that’s not down

Home from the garden party,

Home from the grisly jail

Home to the home that was home indeed,

Drove the sheriff of our tale.

He had chatted with his fellows;

He had seen the bars were locked.

On the foolish ones in durance

For the statues they had mocked.

His car drew south on Forest

With Armour just ahead

When gun shots split he welkin

And a fugitive lay dead.

Out of the dark sprang the Sheriff

With a lawful gun for bane;

Full in the sweep of their lights and lead

He killed the killer’s twain

We’ve a shire reeve in our shire

We’ve a chieftain in our town.

We’ve a good man bad for bad men

We’ve a law that’s not yet down.

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