"Public Enemies America's Criminal Past 1919 - 1940"
by William Helmer with Rick Mattix
P. 24
Shelton BrothersBootlegging partners of Charlie Birger in early 1920s who later became his chief rivals. On November 12, 1928, hired an Iowa cropduster to drop homemade dynamite bombs on Charlie Birger's heavily fortified "Shady Rest" headquarters near Harrisburg, Illinois, in what probably qualifies as the first aerial bombing in the U.S. However, the only bomb to explode was far off its target. The Birger and Shelton gangs also employed machine guns and specially made armored cars in their numerous battles in southern Illinois until 1927, when Birger had Carl, Earl and Bernie Shelton framed for mail robbery and sentenced to 25 years in Leavenworth. Sheltons were later freed when a Birger gang member confessed to perjury. The Sheltons moved back to East St. Louis, Illinois, and operated rackets there until the late 1940s, when their former henchman, Frank "Buster" Wortman, took control, allegedly with the backing of the Chicago Syndicate. Carl Shelton was murdered on his farm near Fairfield, Illinois, October 23, 1947. Bernie Shelton was killed outside his tavern near Peoria, July 26, 1948. Roy Shelton was shot to death on his farm in Wayne County, June 7, 1950. Earl Shelton survived a murder attempt and fled the state.
NOTE FROM WEBMASTER:
A note under a photo of Charlie Birger and his gang tells of the falling out of Carl Shelton and Charlie over a woman. It goes on to say that Charlie was finally convicted of a murder and hung in 1928. He went to the gallows cracking jokes the whole time. He was the last man to be publicly hung in Illinois.
These men are a part of my family, although distant (3rd cousin, 3 times removed), they are still family. This is the part where "If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, make it dance!" as quoted from George Bernard Shaw, so I mention these men here.