Boss Granata

Just before dawn, one morning a fortnight ago, all seemed quiet on the University of Illinois' midwestern front. But the rambling campus slept fitfully, for later in the day undergraduates were to elect sophomore, junior, senior class officers. Not for some time had the political position of the fraternity cabal been challenged. But this fall, one John Granata, brother of Pete Granata, Chicago precinct captain in Morris Eller's "bloody twentieth" ward, had rallied about him the "barbarians" (non-fraternity men) to form an independent party.

Wise in the ways of Chicago political expediency, Boss Granata had printed and circulated hand bills, calculated to spread ruin throughout the "old-line" camp, swing the mass of unaffiliated voters to his side. The remainder of the handbills were kept at independent headquarters, to be flourished as a fiery cross on election day.

Softly, stealthily four unknowns stole into independent headquarters, purloined the remaining propaganda. Next day Boss Granata caused four arrests, subsequently dropping charges when he failed to identify the thieves. His ticket was swamped, four to one. But he had the satisfaction of seeing all the elected candidates disqualified by the student administrative council "because of the recent disgraceful episodes occurring in connection with the class elections."