Francis Cavanaugh

Infobox_Criminal
subject_name = Francis Alberto Cavnaugh


image_size =
image_caption = Frank Cavanaugh
date_of_birth = birth date |1906|11|09|
place_of_birth = Chicago, Illinois
date_of_death = death date and age|1940|7|23|1906|11|09|mf=y
charge = Murder
penalty = Imprisonment from 1929 to 1940
status = deceased| occupation = Gangster, Hitman
spouse = Christine Callaghan
children = Lucas Cavanaugh

Francis "Fast Frank" Cavanaugh (November 9,1906- July 23, 1940) in Chicago, IL. Irish Mafia hitman in the early prohibition days.

Early Years

Francis Alberto Cavanaugh was born to Joseph Killian Cavanaugh. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life] Frank grew up very poor and ended up having to take on a job at thirteen running messages and deliveries for mob boss George "Bugs" Moran. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life] Surprisingly, he finished high school at St.Thomas in Chicago and ended up in honour's classes. At the age of nineteen he was officially admitted into the North Side Gang by Moran. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life]

Early Orders

Frank was a hitman ordered by Moran at any moment. On January 5, 1925 he was ordered by Moran to kill Johnny Torrio. He almost got his chance but Torrio survived. [Terrence, Jacob M. Life at Wat: The Cavanaugh Family] On January 25, 1925 Johnny Torrio was to be murdered outside of his home by Moran and Earl "Hymie" Weiss but with lack of ammunition, the hit failed. [Terrence, Jacob M. Life at Wat: The Cavanaugh Family] However this near death sentence had forced Torrio to end his mafia career. By the time he turned 21 he had been in prison twice for illegal possession of alcohol. [Terrence, Jacob M. Life at Wat: The Cavanaugh Family]

Life

Frank eventually married at 22 to Christine Callaghan. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life] The two eventually had a child, Lucas Cavanaugh. Christine had enough of Frank's business and threatened to take the child and run away, Frank eventually killed her as she tried to flee with their child. He planted the gun on one of his nemesis Angelo Genna. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life] Frank took the child and raised him on his own with lover Marie Frances. [Cavanaugh, Francis A. A Day in my Life]

Battling the Gennas

Now that Torrio was gone, it was time to go after an old rival -- the Gennas. [ [http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com North Side Gang] ] Moran first went after Angelo in a dangerous car chase. After Angelo crashed into a building Moran, Weiss, and another member of the gang pulled up next to his car and blasted Angelo's corpse. [ [http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com North Side Gang] ]

Then, Samuzzo "Samoots" Amatuna, a Genna family backer, was gunned down by Vincent "The Schemer" Drucci. [ [http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com North Side Gang] ]

Finally, Tony Genna was shot to death. [Zorbaugh, Harvey Warren. The Gold Coast and the Slum] It was said Capone ordered his death. Or did Frank on a hit from Moran? Police ended up finding the gun and prints to Cavanaugh and Francis was sentenced to jail for life. [Zorbaugh, Harvey Warren. The Gold Coast and the Slum] Before Frank was put in prison he gave his child to Moran to raise into the business and surpass him. [Zorbaugh, Harvey Warren. The Gold Coast and the Slum]

Jail & Death

Cavanaugh spent almost 10 years in prison still performing hits inside the bighouse for Moran and company. [Enright, Laura L. Chicago's Most Wanted] On July 23, 1940 he was murdered in prison by Al Capone's hitman who had recently been in a war with Moran. Cavanaugh's throat was slit and had many stabs to the chest when found in his cell. His son was later given the news by police officials and Moran. [Enright, Laura L. Chicago's Most Wanted]

References

Web

[http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com North Side Gang]

Books

*Enright, Laura L. "Chicago's Most Wanted: The Top Ten Book of Murderous Mobsters, Midway Monsters, and Windy City Oddities". Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books Inc., 2005. ISBN 978-1-57488-785-3 (Enright, p. 114)
*Zorbaugh, Harvey Warren. "The Gold Coast and the Slum: Sociological Study of Chicago's Near North Side". Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1929. ISBN 978-0-226-98945-7 (Zorbaugh, p. 178)
*Terrence, Jacob M. "Life at Wat: The Cavanaugh Family" Chicago, Illinois: University Northern Illinois., 1987. ISBN 978-1-56793-739-4 (Terrence, p. 214)
*Cavanaugh, Francis A. "A Day in my Life" Chicago, Illinois: Joliet Correctional Center., 1928. ISBN 978-0-657-92836-7 (Cavanaugh, p. 257)