Len Small
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Lennington Small (June 16, 1862 – May 17, 1936) was a Republican governor of Illinois, serving from 1921 to 1929. He also served as a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 and was Illinois state treasurer, 1905-07 and 1917-19.
Small was born in Kankakee County, Illinois.
Lennington Small was indicted, while governor, for embezzling $600,000 and running a money-laundering scheme when he was state treasurer. He was acquitted, but four jurors later got state jobs, raising suspicions of jury tampering.
As governor he pardoned 20 members of the Communist Labor Party convicted under the Illinois Sedition act. He also pardoned or paroled over 1000 convicted felons including Harry Guzik of Posen who was convicted of kidnapping young girls and forcing them into lives of prostitution (a practice commonly called white slavery).
In 1923 bootlegger Edward "Spike" O'Donnell of the Southside Chicago O'Donnells was released from prison by Small. O'Donnell returned to Chicago as the leader of one of the most powerful bootlegging gangs in the city.
He died May 17, 1936. He is buried at Mound Grove Cemetery, Kankakee.
References
Capone by John Kobler, Da Capo Press of Perseus Books Group, NY, NY, pg 79
This article incorporates facts obtained from: Lawrence Kestenbaum, The Political Graveyard
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