Magdalen Christmas Eve Mass 1984
Busy time very frustrating watching my
husband and ciro gargano go over the
blue prints over and over again during
the 1984 elections for lake county Daniel
Furlan Bobby Thompson Ernest Fisher Ciro
was looking for another big score after
my husband had pretty much messed up
the last caper of taking a baseball bat and
hitting police chief Joe gluzik in his already
injured knee go figure right this wasn't your
usual place of employment no it was where
the boss gathered lose ends hiring thee
undesirable to commit crimes throughout
the neighborhood across the Midwest he
ran his business by blackmailing city officials
paying off code enforcement and a few firemen
in the area on the count of his business
partner was a firemen gene kalinowski who
sent in for a favor this allowed them to gain
access to the blueprints of the Karcher hotel
right away ciro gathered all the wannabes
looking to empress him going over the blueprints
he put together a Lufthansa type hiest to set
a blaze on the tailor shop underneath the hotel
after mass after hot chocolate watching Santa
Claus is coming to town after wrapping gifts
it was time husband drove the kids and i to
some friends on grand ave not far from the
hotel he explained this is his last job for ciro
and he will have to pay him good he ranted
about dynamite hand grenades gasoline on
dust pans to pour under the walls and doors
finally contained the blaze downstairs but
released massive smoke upward so they could
get out of there unharmed quite the mastermind
the fire went off like a hitch code enforcement
were paid off just like firemen gene kalinowski
said no one would question the motives not
during election time I shook horrified the sirens
awaken me still to this day the fbi said they
killed 8 people I feared for my safety these
were city officials helping to cover an arson
that killed 8 people injuring more Christmas
day why they believed the fire wouldn't spread
but no one predicted the amount of smoke that
would rush from a tailor shop full of garments
wool silk polyester cotton smoking for days
perhaps they thought the elderly persons would
sleep through this smoke filled incinerator my
husband was upset because it was Christmas
and ciro hadn't paid any of his workers this job
was to be the big payoff Ciros men loaded trucks
with garments stored in his shop 1810 Sheridan
road 1740 Sheridan road 1724 Sheridan road
I was in complete shock no arrest made just like
they said fool proof as long as city officials keep
the plan running smoothly after the fire my
husband picked the kids and I up and drove to
El rancho motel 4 other workers for Ciro each
man smelling of soot smoke covered their clothing
Cito finally paid the workers it wasn't long the fbi
questioned us but ciro gargano always said he
had special agent Alan King in his pocket there
was nothing to worry about and specifically I
didn't know nothing I kelp quiet and stayed alive
wearing wires pregnant buying weapons and
drugs for the fbi but every night smoke fills my
room unless I sedate myself once the smoke
fills the room I hear the screams from three
women a few grunts from men who were forced
to fall to the floor to try and get air some they
were in wheel chairs and on oxygen machines
maybe that's why they stayed in the building
they couldn't breathe I am taken to a hallway
through the hall a woman Magdelen she said
her name was Magdelen I thought she was
saying Mary magdelen she tries to get to a
window the drapes appears to catch fire from
the walls but it was hot smoke took her breath
away she tells me the twins although I don't
believe these old women were twins they just
shared the same names for years in therapy i
tried to understand what twins these elderly
persons perrished in ciro gargano fires of hell
covered up by the city officials in his pocket his
partner the fire chief his corrupt fbi agent special
agent Alan King my soul has been shattered
for years the night terrors the screams the
wails the smoke filled room completely
traumatizing these elderly people knew i knew
how they died to be honest i didn't know what
could happen to me i heard the plotting i saw
the blueprints i even wore wires pregnant
buying weapons and drugs from corrupt city
officials while working with special agent alan
King Special Agent Leroy Heimbach special
paula brand because the fbi informed me my
husband and Ciro Gargano burned a building
killing 8 persons now i feel blessed that i myself
have peace in knowing i couldn't control the
situation and that it wasn't my fault i suffered
in therapy blaming myself what did i know how
long to stay quiet today I know it's a good thing
i stayed silent because i watched the ultimate
mass murder be covered up I'm just one small
person no way they would have allowed me to
live in reality covering that murder truly saved
my life no way Ciro would allow me to live after
witnessing the plotting of mass murder my
prayers is with all the victims my prayers
is that Magdelen Helen and Helen can finally
rest in peace I feel truly blessed to help them
cross over finally thanks be to God
In loving Memory of Christmas day 1984
Copyright © Yolanda Nicholsen | Year Posted 2024
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