SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON

This is the story of the ΣΑΕ legend, Paddy Murphy. This story begins with the five pointers gang. A gang larger than any other of its time was composed of over fifteen hundred gangsters. This extremely sophisticated organization was stationed in Chicago, Illinois and specialized in burglary, extortion, robbery, prostitution, and murder. Behind the scenes of these crimes was a man named Johnny Torrio. Torrio was the boss of the Five Pointers for many years and during his time he trusted one man and one man only. His name was Al Capone. Capone did everything that was ever asked of him and Torrio trusted him with his life. After Torrio’s tragic death, Capone became the new leader of the Five Pointers. As Capone took the gang to the next level, he found a bond with an Irish man named Paddy Murphy. This bond reminded him of the bond that he had with his boss, Torrio.  Paddy was in his early thirties, he was a ladies man, and he was much respected among the members of the gang. Paddy was also a college graduate and a successful business man. However, Paddy went down a couple wrong roads and he got into some trouble with the law that he had to run from. He found refuge through Capone. If anyone in the city needed something to be done and done right, they called on Paddy. Paddy quickly became Capone’s right hand man and their relationship became like father and son. They never left one’s side and together they were unstoppable. Capone’s office was located in a flower shop on Second and Main in the basement. Any planning or hiding was done here and no one except the head bosses knew where it was. In the center of the basement on the floor was a carved five pointed star that would secretly lift up. This was where Capone kept his money and any secret documents. In 1920, the Volstead Act was passed. This act outlawed the manufacturing and distribution of liquor. Capone and Paddy saw the possibilities with bootlegging liquor and combined it with their successful prostitution network. Over the years, this became a multi-million dollar production and the gang was thriving. As the gang grew larger, the activities became more hostile which lead to more attention. A man named Elliott Ness, who was known as Chicago’s biggest crime fighter, was working on leads that he had gathered from his years of tracing Capone. Ness was also a member of the “Untouchables” and through them he discovered Capone’s flower shop. After much planning, Ness and his team plotted to break into the flower shop while Capone was known to be gone for the night. When the night came, Ness and his men broke into the back entrance of the shop and found their way into the basement. While gathering evidence and taking pictures, one of the men discovered the star on the floor. He found it suspicious and began inspecting it. Ness gave him a hand and it finally lifted up. Stacks of money, drugs, and paperwork filled their eyes. At the same time, Capone and Paddy were on their way home from a long night. Capone told his driver to stop by Second and Main for some last minute business he wanted to take care of. As Capone pulled up the shop, Ness and his men pulled away from the back alley. Capone entered and soon noticed the back door busted in. He immediately called for Paddy. He knew that Ness had gotten what he wanted and something needed to be done. Capone and Paddy quickly fled and began making phone calls. Within minutes, they knew where Ness’s apartment was. They quickly drove there and climbed the fire escape of the office building directly across form Ness’s apartment. As they reached the top, Capone grabbed Paddy’s arm and stressed to him how important this task was. He explained that if Paddy didn’t do what was asked of him, they would lose everything that they had worked for. Paddy knew what he had to do for his boss. Paddy kneeled down and reached for his binoculars in his left coat pocket and began scanning the windows of the building. After just a couple of minutes, Paddy spotted Ness in his apartment looking through his evidence and told Capone he had him in sight. In the background, Paddy heard Capone loading the gun slowly. As he loaded each bullet, Capone mumbled everything he had worked for and his hate for Ness. He explained to Paddy how sick he was of Ness chasing him, and he laughed at the thought of Ness getting a bullet in his head. As Paddy squinted his eyes into his binoculars he noticed a badge on Ness’s dress shirt. His heart began beating faster as he further noticed that it was an ΣΑΕ badge, pointing from his left shoulder to his right hip. Capone handed Paddy the gun and told him to finish him. A moment of silence passed and Capone repeated himself. Paddy quietly told Capone “no”. Very confused, Capone looked at Paddy and told him that he had no choice. Paddy then told Capone that he couldn’t kill Ness because he was his brother. He handed the gun to Capone and then glanced back towards the apartment building. Capone, very upset, pointed the gun to the back of Paddy’s head and told him that it was either Ness or him. As a tear rolled down Paddy’s face, he replied “then kill me”. Paddy lowered his head and Capone closed his eyes. Capone shot Paddy right between is sixth and seventh vertebrae. The gun shot was loud and heard by Ness through his window. Ness looked out his window to the top of the office building, grabbed his gun and ran out of his apartment. He climbed the fire escape and saw that Capone had already fled. He slowly approached the body on the roof with his gun pointed. He soon noticed the man was helpless and he kneeled down beside him. Paddy was still alive but barely. His breathing was very shallow and he was trying to talk. Ness then leaned in to hear better and he heard Paddy whisper the words “Phi Alpha”. Ness grabbed Paddy’s right hand and gave him the ΣΑΕ grip. As Paddy gasped his last breaths, Ness told him that he promised to avenge his death and take Capone down. Paddy’s eyelids grew closer and closer and his body began to shake. Ness continued to squeeze Paddy’s hand in the form of the ΣΑΕ grip. Ness then whispered in Greek, the meaning of ΣΑΕ, into Paddy’s ear. His body then stopped shaking and Paddy Murphy died. History shows the Elliott Ness and the Untouchables later found Capone and turned him in to the police. Brothers all over the country from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity gathered where Ness gave Paddy a very honorable burial ceremony. Today, Paddy’s life is remembered with a party thrown every year by every ΣΑΕ chapter in the entire world.  And that is the legend of the infamous gangster and brother, Paddy Murphy.