| Chandler likely got his idea for this plot twist from a real life incident
involving Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. Siegel--like Moyer/Steelgrave--was
an Eastern mobster who came to California, tried to clean up his image,
and made friends with Hollywood actors and producers. In August 1940
Siegel was arrested in Los Angeles for the murder of Harry Greenberg, a
small-time gangster who had threatened to inform on his bosses. Siegel
received special treatment in the County Jail, being allowed free run of
the jail floor, unlimited use of a telephone, and the delivery of meals
from outside restaurants. He was also given passes to leave the jail
some twenty times, supposedly to visit his dentist or meet with his attorney.
Mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
In the fall, reporters for the Los Angeles Examiner got wind of
Siegel's absences and began tailing him when he left the jail. One
morning, dressed in an expensive suit and silk tie and accompanied by a
deputy sheriff, Siegel visited his dentist then stopped off at Lindy's
Restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard, where he met British actress Wendy Barrie
for lunch. The Examiner photographer snapped shots of Siegel and
the deputy leaving Lindy's, and the story was run on the front page of
the next day's paper. The expose sparked a grand jury investigation
that culminated in the firing of Dr. Benjamin Blank, the County Jail doctor
who wrote Siegel's passes. It was later revealed that Blank had received
some $30,000 in checks from Siegel, though the doctor claimed Siegel was
merely repaying a loan and not bribing him for special treatment. |
