202 "How and why was Robert Franks, a fourteen-year-old heir": Higdon, 68.

203 "He caught them lightly and deftly": "Big Experience Either Way, Is Nathan's View," CDT, May 31, 1924.

203 "While it is a terrible ordeal both to my boy and": Higdon, 89.

204 Kitty Malm, the most famous gun girl: "Kitty Malm Starts Serving Life Term," CEA, May 29, 1924.

204 "You'll not find me making any trouble": "Kitty Admits She Expected 'Rope' Verdict," CDT, Feb. 28, 1924.

204 "Some other woman might get off": "Life Term for 'Tiger' Woman," Lincoln (NE) Sunday Star, Mar. 9, 1924.

204 "Goodbye, Kitty, and good luck": "Kitty Malm Sobs as She Starts to Begin Life Term," CEP, May 29, 1924.

205 Reporter Owen Scott, seeing Kitty carted: "A Woman Jury to Try Women Slayers Urged," Danville (VA) Bee, June 12, 1924.

205 She was intent on doing "a character a.n.a.lysis": "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

206 "In clear, precise language," Maurine wrote: CDT, May 31, 1924.

208 "The Franks murder mystery has been solved": Higdon, 112.

208 "Anyone who had ever spoken to either of them": NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

209 "He couldn't have done it": " 'd.i.c.k Innocent,' Loebs Protest; Plan Defense," CDT, June 1, 1924.

209 "This thing will be the making of me": Higdon, 127.

Chapter 17: Hatproof, s.e.xproof, and Damp.

As with Beulah Annan, Chicago's daily newspapers captured every detail and utterance at Belva Gaertner's trial. Unless otherwise indicated, material for this chapter comes from the following articles: "Belva Gaertner Goes to Trial on Murder Charge," CEP, June 3, 1924; "Mrs. Gaertner on Trial," CDN, June 3, 1924; "Mrs. Gaertner Has 'Cla.s.s' as She Faces Jury," CDT, June 4, 1924; "Complete Jury in Belva Case," CDJ, June 4, 1924; "Mrs. Gaertner's Powder Puff Is Seen Victory Aid," CEP, June 4, 1924; "Gaertner Trial Starts," CDN, June 4, 1924; CDJ, June 4, 1924; "Jury Holds Belva's Fate," CDN, June 5, 1924; "Gin Bottle and Slippers Shown at Belva's Trial," CEP, June 5, 1924; "State Launches Trial of Belva for Law Killing," CDT, June 5, 1924; "Gaertner Case Given to Jury; See Acquittal," CDJ, June 5, 1924; "Jury Finds Mrs. Gaertner Not Guilty," CDT, June 6, 1924; "Mrs. Gaertner Found Innocent of Slaying," CDN, June 6, 1924; "Belva 'Checks Out' of Jail," CDJ, June 6, 1924; "Mrs. Gaertner Given Freedom on Murder Charge," CEP, June 6, 1924; "Murderess Row Loses Cla.s.s as Belva Is Freed," CDT, June 7, 1924. Also see Pauly, 149-57.

210 He was considered the "ace": Higdon, 50.

213 Nash had made a name for himself: "Who's Who in New City Council," CDT, Apr. 2, 1913; "Thomas Nash, Long in City Politics, Dies," CDT, Apr. 12, 1955.

213 "The list of Tom Nash's clients reads": "Litsinger Reads Nash Record in Freeing Killers," CDT, Oct. 30, 1928.

213 He took seriously his client's preference: "Wants Jury of 'Worldly Men,' " Danville (VA) Bee, Mar. 28, 1924.

214 "She's wrong," one policeman told: Ibid.

214 There also was one more consideration: "Jury Finds Beulah Annan Is 'Not Guilty,' " CDT, May 25, 1924.

215 Though she joked about it in the Tribune: "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

215 "The essence of Christianity": Ibid.

218 A reporter from the Atlanta Const.i.tution: "Another Woman Acquitted of Murder by Chicago Jury," Atlanta Const.i.tution, June 6, 1924.

Chapter 18: A Grand and Gorgeous Show.

224 Said Loeb, "I know I should feel sorry": Higdon, 141.

224 The approach apparently worked: Higdon, 305.

224 The reporter, taking a shot at Leopold's atheism: "Leopold, Loeb Trial Set for Monday, Aug. 4," CDT, June 12, 1924.

225 "Why come to me?" he croaked: Higdon, 139.

225 "The judge entered; Superior Court, criminal branch": CDT, June 12, 1924.

226 "The case was really ridiculous": "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, June 16, 1927.

228 By the middle of 1924, after having interviewed: "Women Who've Won: Maurine Watkins," Syracuse (NY) Herald, June 26, 1928; NYW, June 16, 1927.

228 The American called the Tribune's broadcast: Higdon, 159-67.

229 She wrote that Pola Negri had: "Negri's Art Shines Through Sordid Plot," CDT, July 27, 1924; "Fine Storm Washes Away All Their Sins," CDT, July 30, 1924.

229 She reported on child star Jackie Coogan's: "Jackie Coogan Is Mayor for Ten Minutes," CDT, Aug. 7, 1924.

229 Covering a society yacht party: Author interview with former Milwaukee Journal editor in chief d.i.c.k Leonard, May 2, 2008.

Chapter 19: Entirely Too Vile.

230 "The finer the spirit of the young artist": Kinne, 266.

231 "n.o.body but a newspaper worker knows": "Feminine Punch Is Knockout," CHE, Sept. 18, 1927.

231 "Who knows you now? n.o.body": Watkins, 15.

231 The Victorian writer George Meredith wrote: Kaplan, 541.

232 Expanding on Meredith's writing, Baker added: Kinne, 93-94.

232 "Oh, I feel so sorry for her when I think": Watkins, 43.

233 Baker taught cla.s.sical Greek comedy: Kinne, 92.

233 In October, the New Yorker: "Chicago," New Yorker, Oct. 2, 1926.

234 She had put down on the page: "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

234 "It seems to me that the purpose and treatment": Ibid.

234 "You wrote something that might have an effect": Kinne, 267.

234 One prominent playgoer at its pre-Broadway: Pauly, x.

235 "I quite agree with Professor Archer": Chicago file, Katherine Cornell Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

235 "Liquor runs deep down the course": "Blind-Pigs in Clover," Vanity Fair, Apr., 1927.

235 The jury quickly attacked West's off-Broadway play: Mantle, 3-5.

236 When s.e.x went to trial, in February 1927: Watts, 90-92.

236 "Here, take these, too!": Watkins, 47-48.

236 The New York correspondent for: "Chicago's Lady Killers Theme of New Play," CDT, Dec. 31, 1926.

237 "My hat is off to the genius of ": "Hughes Lauds Play for Baring 'Ghastly Farce' of Courts," San Antonio Light, Mar. 13, 1927.

237 Two months after the play opened, humorist: "How a Murder Should Be Advertised," Western Weekly, Feb. 6, 1927.

238 The New York Times, in profiling: "The Author of 'Chicago,' " NYT, Jan. 2, 1927.

238 A New York World feature on Maurine: "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

239 Velma is described as being in her "late thirties": Watkins, 24.

239 Maurine even offered herself up: Watkins, 41.

239 The furthest she went in acknowledging: "Chicago," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

Chapter 20: The Most Monotonous City on Earth.

240 The train swung north into Chicago's sprawling: Pierce, 504.

240 The traveler coming into Chicago for the first time: Pierce, 430.

240 Once the train settled into LaSalle: "Girl Author Pays 'Chicago' Surprise Visit," CEP, Oct. 11, 1927.

240 Chicago's press agent planned: Ibid.

241 The best available seat at this late hour: Ibid.

242 Eddie Kitt, the manager, smiled at her approach: Ibid.

243 She'd been a reliable background player: Ibid.

243 New York was surprisingly tame: Lesy, 304.

243 At one point, Maurine took a trip to supposedly: Woollcott.

243 Haver would admit that herself, saying: "Roxie Kept Her Jumping," LAT, Feb. 26, 1928.

243 "Miss Watkins is uncannily keen": " 'Chicago' Is a Murder Dance in Jazz Time," CEP, Sept. 12, 1927.

244 The American observed that "Good-natured": "Women Can't 'Go Hang' in Chicago, It Seems," CEA, Sept. 12, 1927.

244 "Gee, this play's sure got our number": "Murder She Wrote," CDT, July 16, 1997.

244 "Roxie Hart's supposed to be Beulah Annan": Pauly, xxvi.

244 Chicago was indeed filled with awful: "Those Playwrights," NYT, May 26, 1929; also "Theater," Oakland (CA) Tribune, Nov. 10, 1926.

245 O'Brien, recognizing his own words: Pauly, xxvii.

245 The production recalled gayer journalistic: "This Thing and That Thing of the Theater," CDT, Oct. 16, 1927.

245 It had been incorrectly "whispered about": CEA, Sept. 12, 1927.

246 After Chicago opened, the magazine weighed in: "Young Lady," New Yorker, Jan. 29, 1927.

246 That other popular stage auth.o.r.ess: Chandler, 2.

246 Vanity Fair thrilled to this "seraphic": Vanity Fair, Apr., 1927; "Pistol Fire Lights Up 'Chicago'; or, Telling It to the Maurine," NYW, Jan. 16, 1927.

246-47 The New York Times's theater correspondent: NYT, Jan. 2, 1927.

247 Frances Browning was the sixteen-year-old: "Browning's Wife Tells Her Story," NYT, Jan. 26, 1927.

247 A swarming crowd gave him an ovation: "Legal Veil of Secrecy May Dim Dramatics out of Browning Case," NYW, Jan. 25, 1927.