On this day in 1957, a few months before the hit on Albert Anastasia, the mob World would say their last goodbyes to Papa Johnny who died at the age of 75. Torrio actually died in a barbers chair but not in the same bloody fashion as Anastasia, instead it was a heart attack that finished off The Fox.
Johnny Torrio did survive an assassination attempt though back in 1925, after a retaliation attempt by the North Side Gang for the hit on Dean O’Banion. The hitmen were Hymie Weiss, Bugs Moran and Vincent Drucci.
Torrio was struck in the jaw, lungs, groin, legs, and abdomen. Weiss attempted to deliver a final shot into Torrio’s head, but had run out of ammunition. Instead, Weiss kicked Torrio repeatedly in the stomach and Moran hit Torrio with a billy club.
He was smart, talented and respected amongst other major crime bosses in the US and built the foundation for the Chicago Outfit with Al Capone as his protege.