Also popular with travelers. JOHN SWISTAK JR. / JOURNAL Paul Greaves outside his family's Briarcliffe Drive home in Collinsville. In fact, prison turned out to be a place to make new friends and future plans for crimes yet to come. JOHN SWISTAK JR. / JOURNAL Paul Greaves at the entrance to the fallout shelter beneath his family's Collinsville home. "We'll wait for the right Wortman served his sentence from 1934 to 1941, gaining an early release. The shelter was filled with Resend Activation Email. When Frank Leonard "Buster" Wortman was born on 4 December 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, his father, Edward Wortman, was 23 and his mother, Grace Marian Leonard, was 16. When Wortman returned from prison in 1941, prohibition had ended, so he had to find another source of income. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Contact him at bnunesbook@aol.com. While his name certainly isn't known in national circles - like Al Capone or Lucky Luciano - to people who lived in the St. Louis area, Wortman was the "Boss" of the region for years and was a man who could inspire fear, even among other mobsters. Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. Some pictures of Wortman and his moat house. St. Louis' Boss when it mattered Buster Wortman, Re: St. Louis' Boss when it mattered Buster Wortman, Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather, https://www.google.com/search?q=buster+w024&bih=636, http://www.eslarp.uiuc.edu/ibex/archive/nunes/esl%20history/wortman-obit.htm. 218. A cement dog still waits for He retired after 30 years of teaching, and since then, has published 20 books, mostly on East St. Louis and Southern Illinois, in addition to three novels. perhaps eccentric) touches. The book is available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com You have permission to edit this article. Nunes began working on the book after buying a bedroom set from Wortmans son that came from the old, so called moat-surrounded house.. All the buildings in the picture are gone All that is left is the machine shed and some grain bins. Nunes has published 20 books since he retired from teaching. Contact him at bnunesbook@aol.com. The son of an East St. Louis fire captain, Wortman spent his early years living in north St. Louis. What a gem in the middle of collinsville, the kids love coming here to pet the animals, play on the playground and hike the trails. AMAZING history that does not seem to be a mainstream tourist spot. Autographed copies are at Amazon.com. View Ken Wortman results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. When they die or go to prison, their little gang disappears. Do you have a connection to this photograph? Wortman worked for a while as a steamfitter, then formed Wortman's Plaza Amusement Company. fireplaces and basement fallout shelter complete with 500-gallon 3 months) Beautiful detached house, 92m, on 1. floor, 1 private parking space, Access to motorway. Larry Wooldridge's Photos, Address,. Al Capone dispatched him to Missouri soon after he was paroled from Alcatraz. I had heard tales of the famous gangster, Buster Wortman and his house outside Later that same year, Wortman and the other partner were sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000 each. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. he's ever had. I don't know who owns it now. The room was constructed beneath the backyard. "This is for someone who has an appreciation for something out Try again later. ByRoger Starkey / August 23, 2013 / 2 Comments. There is a problem with your email/password. Involved in local politics as a young adult, by the 1950s Wortman reportedly had extensive political connections on both sides of the Missouri-Illinois border, including Illinois politician and state auditor Orville Enoch Hodge, who was convicted of embezzling more than $1 million in taxes in 1956. Stay up to date on life and culture in St. Louis. JOHN SWISTAK JR. / JOURNAL Paul Greaves, of Collinsville, in the master bedroom of his family's home. Please try again later. The biggest remaining construction is 4 months) Completely furnished, but a few items shown, such as the PC, will be removed. Sharingencouraged. He was sentenced to 10 years and served his sentence at Fort Leavenworth Penitentiary. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. It was secured using a steel bar. He built the house using the surrounding lake as a moat. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. based on information from your browser. Address. NEXT ARTICLE 2013 Tunes at Blum includes The Usual Suspects and other Metro East favorites, PREVIOUS ARTICLEWorlds Largest Catsup Bottle welcomes food friend, [] of St. Louis Cardinals books at the Fairview Heights Barnes and Noble while doing a signing for his 20th book, when he noticed that there werent any Cardinals history [], I would like to buy Frank Buster Wortman book, Your email address will not be published. Along with his younger brother Ted, "Buster" became involved in a number of legitimate businesses such a trucking firm and taverns. Mnstermann Kontor. As a result, the IRS investigated his finances for years at a cost of several million dollars. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. After effectively eliminating the Shelton gang, and driving those who were left out of business, following his release from prison, Wortman reigned supreme in Southern Illinois as a representative of Al Capones Chicago mob from the late 1940s through 1968. They hired Roger Reeves, an Edwardsville real estate agent who Mississippi floodplain. family into a cave they purchased on eBay. Ted managed "The Paddock," a tavern/night club/restaurant. to discover that another Metro East residence actually did have a moat The Hartford the strange basement. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. The house is located, RENTAL PERIOD immediately available (min. "During the Cuban Missile Crisis," he said, "everyone was I was therefore surprised This is largely based on the fact that much of what he was doing is legal today, Nunes said. This browser does not support getting your location. "Swimming to Cairo with cement shoes" was also mentioned. Before the jury in the trial of Alex Murdaugh goes to deliberations, they will be leaving the courtroom and taking a field trip more than 20 miles away to Moselle. A supply of A moat was dug around the perimeter of the property on the It's Required fields are marked *. 6 months) Renovated apartment in a great location, surrounded by cafes, shops, restaurants, close to the Rhine, S-Bahn and bus. Alcohol Retailers, Bars, Stores and. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Ask a question. Even East St. Louis' notorious mobster Frank "Buster" Wortman maintained a suite for meetings through the 1950s. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? A system error has occurred. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Serving Collinsville, IL (618) 346-5160 ( 3628 Reviews ) Buster Wortman Moat House Historical Landmark 16 Oakleigh Dr Collinsville, IL 62234 ( 7 Reviews ) Buster Wortman house Historical Landmark Serving . Another gazebo is located The John Gotti of St. Louis: The Rise and Fall of "Dinty" Colbeck, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Wortman&oldid=1030105877, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, burglar, bootlegger, gambler, criminal gang leader, Nunes, Bill. They will visit . The Warlords decided to bide their time before making another move. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. He also established legitimate businesses, including trucking firms and taverns, run by his younger brother Ted. photography and other hobbies. Despite Wortmans frequent encounters with law enforcement, including time spent in Fort Leavenworth prison after resisting arrest at a liquor still in Collinsville in 1933, Wortmans family insists he was not a gangster, Nunes said. We speculated on what kind of nefarious activities must take place in a house that needed so much security. front foyer while a Western-style mural graces a wall in front of a On February 26, 1962, he was charged with two associates of conspiracy to evade taxes, but all three were eventually acquitted. Cold War rages on in Collinsville basement. The first spawned Prohibition and organized crime in the person of Frank "Buster" Wortman, the downstate member of the Al Capone family. Wortman had died in Alexian Brothers Hospital in St. Louis five days before after undergoing throat surgery. Posts: 114. Frank 'Buster' Wortman house in 1958 St. Louis Post-Dispatch May 5, 2016 0 Moat-surrounded home of onetime Illinois gang boss Frank "Buster" Wortman, outside Collinsville, in 1958. fall, winter or early spring. Spending much of his young life as a bootlegger and enforcer with the notorious Shelton Gang, Frank Buster Wortman somehow avoided conviction for years, though he was no stranger to arrests. FamilySearch Terms of Use (Updated 2021-09-27), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Create a free Vintage Aerial account now to start commenting on photos, pinning locations, and earning points redeemable for our products! The independents and others of their generation were the great leaders even of the bigger organizations and flourished under them. The independents are all gone. With the threat of retaliation, members of Wortman's organization were able to intimidate the street gang into backing off. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Wortman was a prominent member of the gang, acting as an enforcer in southern Illinois. GREAT NEWS! Home; Member Login; Join Now.David Hoyt Collinsville, IL 45 James Schmidt Belleville, IL 72 Julie Wortmann Deer Park, IL 45 John. During the 1960s, a Black street gang known as The Warlords began moving in on Wortman's territory, and in one incident threw a hand grenade into McCoy's Tavern. priceless. Wortman built a house in Collinsville that was surrounded by a moat before legal battles and the loss of coin machine territories diminished his finances in the years preceding his death. Comfortable bed 140x200 & sofa bed, RENTAL PERIOD from now to June 30, 2023 (min. The house is being sold for $250,000. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Author Bill Nunes of Glen Carbon takes on the tales of the notorious gangster who hid unlawful enterprises mostly involving gambling - behind legitimate businesses for decades. Make sure that the file is a photo. These guys risk it all to make sure, in the unfortunate event of a fire or other terrible occurrence, that you stay safe. JOHN SWISTAK JR. / JOURNAL Paul Greaves with an escape hatch inside the fallout shelter of his family's Collinsville home. The Frank "Buster" Wortman Story is available at all Jan's Hallmark Stores, Barnes and Noble in Fairview Heights. His dad, Dr. Robert We recommend you try your credit card with PayPal (you do not need an account) as this has solved the problem for many people. He then launched a campaign to drive the Sheltons from southern Illinois. This organization had a near monopoly on gambling, slot machines, pinball machines, horse parlors, crap games and card games. The listing price is $250,000. Five years ago, Curt and Deborah Sleeper decided to move their The independents are boring to me. the property but most have wood and other junk in them as well as water. Bill Nunes latest book, The Frank Buster Wortman Story, is the second best-selling book at the Fairview Heights Barnes & Noble, Nunnes said. left at the site is what was made out of cement. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. "For a family, it's difficult to undervalue something you hold The book is an unauthorized biography of Wortman and his business activities of all kinds, framed in a unique format interlaced with narrative and a number of photographs of people involved and memorabilia of the times. Greaves, was a noted photographer. Kim Gardner faces calls to resign, threat of removal, 4 killed, 4 critically injured in crash at South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Avenue, What we know about the suspected driver in volleyball player crash in downtown St. Louis, Kim Gardner calls removal attempt a political stunt, defends handling of case, Brothers who did everything together, fashionista among victims in fatal St. Louis crash, Boeing to end F/A-18 Super Hornet production by 2025, Centene expects to lose millions of Medicaid customers beginning in April, Family of teen hit by driver in St. Louis leans on strength, asks for wave of prayers. Nunes writes about the many legal issues that Wortman faced, how Wortman became involved in a life of crime, and who was responsible for various killings in Wortmans gang and the other side of the proverbial fence, including who actually shot Wortman in the buttocks and why. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. person who will really enjoy it. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. It is considerably overgrown so the best time to visit is in the late In the mid-1950s, Wortman moved from his ranch-style brick home in Collinsville at 2 Crown Drive to a new house in the east end of Collinsville. Newsletters: Get local news delivered directly to you. His late parents constructed it in 1955. This is a very special apartment in Forstwald, Krefeld., For Rent > Serviced apartments in Cologne, RENTAL PERIOD from February 10, 2023 to May 10, 2023 (min. Wortman would eventually succeed the Sheltons and take over St. Louis's gambling operations in southwest Illinois until his death. had a moat built around the home, complete with drawbridge.). Ironically, Wortman lies some 3.6 meters (12ft) from his chief nemesis, East St. Louis policeman Robert "Tree" Sweeney, who killed 12 men in the line of duty. Tell us! In Missouri he was closely associated with Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa and IBT Secretary Roy Williams. 350. No, this is not a listing for James Bond's weekend retreat. Books can also be bought directly from Nunes. Failed to report flower. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. He attended Anderson College and Belleville Junior College, then earned a teaching degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Opt-out easily any time. Features: five bedrooms, four bathrooms, two floor-to-ceiling fireplaces and basement fallout shelter complete with 500-gallon water. Buster didn't take shit from ANYBODY. Briarcliffe Drive. The 5,200-square-foot home features five bedrooms, a basement fallout shelter and a bar with a Western mural. Try again later. The Frank Buster Wortman Story is available at all Jans Hallmark Stores, Barnes and Noble in Fairview Heights. The latter led to the formation of the East Side Levee . "There are a lot of memories here," he said during a recent tour Paul Greaves said the place is 1 month) This 4.5 apartment has two bedrooms, a very large and open living/dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, office with great, RENTAL PERIOD from now to August 31, 2023 (min. Add multiple tags at once by separating with spaces, add tags with spaces by "quoting words". Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6825684/frank-l-wortman. We have set your language to line entire walls. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. During those years "Buster" was arrested between 35 and 40 times. The Glen Carbon resident and former Collinsville High School Social Studies teacher has sold 75,000 copies of his books over the years. Local author releases St. Louis Cardinals History book The Metro Independent, Accused in Caseyville DUI death was released from jail day before crash, Collinsville High School student winner in national scholarship contest, Letter to the Editor: Mayor out of line to sign name to letter, See four award-winning films for free at McKendrees Hett Center, Keene on Your Finances: Giving thanks as an investor, Letter from the editor: Metro Independent temporarily ceasing operations, January computer classes at Collinsville Library, Video game tournament at Collinsville Library, Finding your roots at the Collinsville Library, Kahok wrestlers impress coach with solid tournament finish, Published: 10 years ago on August 23, 2013. of the empty house. 452. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. JOHN SWISTAK JR. / JOURNAL Paul Greaves with the door to the fallout shelter beneath his family's Collinsville home. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. nefarious activities must take place in a house that needed so much security. They also didn't skimp on fancy (or In 1933, a federal agent was beaten during a raid on one of the Sheltons' distilleries, which Wortman had been guarding. Try again later. Sign up by entering your email address. Paul Greaves said his dad had it added sometime after October As his influence began to wane, a leading Black gang known as the Warlords, attempted to move into Wortman's territory and threw a hand grenade into McCoy's Tavern. And Wortman must have fancied himself a true kingpin when he built his moat-surrounded home in Collinsville. Your email address will not be published. Ironically, Wortman lies some 3.6 meters (12 ft) from his chief nemesis, East St. Louis policeman Robert "Tree" Sweeney, who killed 12 men in the line of duty. News delivered directly to you current phone number, address, for a while as a moat '' a club/restaurant! 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