GANGSTER WARFARE FROM THE SKIES – November 12th of 1926 saw the very first aerial bombing on United States soil. It was not a foreign power or terrorist group behind the attack, however.
The bombing was part of a gang war between two rival groups of bootleggers in Williamson County, located in southern Illinois. On one side was the Shelton Gang, led by Bernie, Carl and Earl Shelton. On the other was the Birger Gang, led by Charlie Birger.
The two gangs were fighting it out for control of the bootleg whiskey racket in the area. Being so far away from Chicago and vicinity, the Shelton-Birger War was not well known to the rest of the United States.
By some accounts, the falling out between the formerly allied gangs resulted over protection payments being made to them by suppliers of bootleg whiskey. When both gangs claimed some of the same bootleggers owed the protection money to them the rift occurred and the bullets flew.
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Over five years ago Balladeer’s Blog began a detailed look at the neglected folklore surrounding the Fool Killer figure. It’s been a while since I left off and I’m about to dive back in. There are so many new readers here that I’m posting a recap of the very first Fool Killer item from the 1850s. Next time I’ll resume where I left off – in 1913. 
Balladeer’s Blog kicks off a multi-part examination of the neglected 1800s folk figure called the Fool Killer. I will cover the various stories featuring the Fool Killer and the different ways the character was used by the authors. If I ever examine the related character called the Rascal Whaler it will be in a separate series of blog posts. 
However, since Evans was all about the written word, he used the Fool Killer as a much more active figure. Evans’ Fool Killer – claiming Jesse Holmes as his real name – roamed North Carolina and Virginia (which at the time still consisted of what would become West Virginia) looking for fools to kill with a club/ walking stick he always carried with him. The character would then send letters to Editor Evans explaining why he had chosen victims, defending his actions with puckish commentary. 
FRANCOIS VILLON PART SEVEN – We pick up this time in 1460, as Villon’s roaming career as a highwayman and armed burglar among the Coquillards was fast approaching its end, though the poet seems not to have realized it. None of his poetry from 1458 and 1459 has survived, unfortunately.
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