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In August of 1939, Dolezal was found hanging in his cell. The family, dismayed to hear
that their five-foot-eight relative was found hanging from a hook that was only five feet
seven inches from the floor, insisted on an autopsy. Dolezal's body showed that he had
suffered several fractured ribs during his stay in the county jail. The newspapers
hammered the sheriff, but no charges were ever brought against his people. Once the case
against him was thoroughly examined, Dolezal was not seriously considered a suspect in the
killing of Flo Polillo or any of the other murders in that series.
Eliot Ness seemed to be getting bored with his role of safety director. In many ways,
he had accomplished so much that there were few major challenges left in that job. He
began to socialize more and work fewer hours.
While Ness had many girlfriends, most of his attention was focused on an artist named
Evaline McAndrew who was more than decade younger than he was. Evaline was a tall,
slender, pretty woman with dark hair and a large friendly smile. The Stouffers and other
prominent businessmen that Ness had cultivated while investigating the labor racketeers
regularly included Ness and Evaline at their many lavish parties. This kind of nightlife
became increasingly important to the two of them.
In October of 1939, Ness took a little vacation time and married Evaline. Like Ness,
she was born and raised in Chicago. She was a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute and
also attended the University of Michigan. Ness claimed that he and his wife had known each
other for several years, the bride being a friend of Ness's family in Chicago, where three
of his sisters lived.
She fully intended to keep her job as a fashion artist at a major Cleveland department
store as well as be a homemaker for the safety director. "I'm lucky in my
profession," she told The Cleveland Press, "because it's the sort of work that
doesn't interfere with being a housewife too." She also designs furniture and
illustrates children's books. They had an apartment on the city's West Side and had some
vague plans for a honeymoon.
His life with Evaline started out more balanced than with Edna. Evaline worked hard
during the day and socialized with Eliot and his prominent friends into the night. Despite
his late nights, Ness was always early to the office after his early morning exercise.
Philip W. Porter in his book Cleveland: Confused City on a Seesaw sums up this period
in Ness's life: "Eliot was a gay, convivial soul, who liked nothing better than to
sit around till all hours, drinking with friends, or dancing. It seemed to unwind him to
visit night clubs and hotel dance spots. He was not a heavy drinker, but he could keep at
it for long periods without giving the appearance of being swacked. During his latter days
as director, after he had finished his cleanups of the crooked police and racketeering
unionists, he was seen more and more at public drinkeries, usually with newsmen. This made
him vulnerable to backbiting by his enemies. They spread the word that Ness was a lush; so
how could a man who was on the sauce all the time be so all-fired virtuous?"
Ness started 1940 with the January 1 publication of his program to revamp the fire
department. He had already requested WPA funds with which he planned to have every
firehouse in the city torn down and rebuilt. He also requested a special fund out of the
operating levy legislation to replace the most decrepit equipment. He announced the
opening that year of a fire training school to provide rookie firemen with training on the
most advanced techniques.
In the summer of that year, his good friend and assistant safety director Robert
Chamberlin was called to the Ohio National Guard. Tom Clothey, one of Ness' Cleveland
Untouchables, was Chamberlin's replacement. A few months later, Mayor Burton ran for and
won election to the U.S. Senate, replacing himself with his lackluster law director,
Edward J. Blythin.
These changes affected Ness and his interest in his job. Steven Nickel in his book
Torso describes the changes: "The final two years that Eliot Ness served as safety
director were relatively quiet and, for some, disappointing. Ness was by no means idle,
but it was obvious that he no longer possessed the zest and urgency with which he had
formerly approached his work It was also apparent that since marrying Evaline, Ness was
spending less time on the job; the couple had become part of Cleveland society, hobnobbing
with the wealthy, attending numerous social engagements, and entertaining frequently and
lavishly at their new Lakewood boat house."
While most of this socializing was invisible to the average Clevelander, an article
appeared in the Cleveland Press in May of 1940 from Julian Griffin a reporter worrying
about whatever became of Eliot Ness. Griffin claimed that he had not seen Ness in four
weeks and sarcastically recommended filing a missing-persons report.
1940 had its bright spots, however. The gangster indictments of 1939 were coming to
trial with some results. Big Angelo Leonardo got two years in the Ohio Penitentiary, while
Little Angelo Scirrca got five years. Moe Dalitz moved his operations to greener pastures
in Las Vegas.
His last major assault on crime was the Albert Ruddy case. Ruddy was the powerful and
corrupt head of the carpenters union. With critical information from a former associate of
Ruddy, Ness was able to tie Ruddy to the bombing of a laundry and the murder of a rival.
The bombing and murder evidence didn't convince the jury, but Ruddy was sentenced to four
years for extortion.
Clearly restless with his job as safety director, Ness started casting around for other
opportunities. In a masterstroke of poor judgement, he started to work part-time for the
Federal Social Protection Program which was established to fight venereal diseases.
Unfortunately, this ill-considered consulting job put him on road to Washington and other
cities with increasing frequency, jeopardizing his position as safety director and his
relationship with Evaline.
Foolish career moves dogged Eliot Ness throughout the rest of his tenure as safety
director. The Republicans begged him to run for mayor in the November 1941 election. But
Ness made no secret of the fact that he disliked politics and politicians so he declined.
At various times, Ness was offered good positions in business by the powerful businessmen
with whom he socialized, but these offers were also declined.
Considering Blythin, the unimpressive Republican candidate, the Democrats won easily
with Frank J. Lausche. Many wondered if Ness would be reappointed under this new
administration since key Lausche supporters were enemies of Ness. However, the unflagging
support for Democratic County Prosecutor Frank Cullitan that Ness demonstrated over the
years convinced Lausche to keep Ness on.
The Cleveland Press concurred with Lausche's decision. "Mayor Lausche
today reappointed Eliot Ness safety director. It is a safe guess that he will never
confront a decision more difficult politically, or one in which he will be subjected to
greater pressure from opposing sides. Director Ness was obviously the most valuable asset
of the Burton administration in its first two terms. His work in helping to convict eight
crooked union official and a like number of corrupt police officers deserves the highest
praise."
Several months later, at 4:45 in the morning of March 5, 1942, after a night of
drinking and dancing at a downtown hotel, Eliot was driving with Evaline and two friends.
He skidded on the ice into the path of an oncoming car. Ness described his reaction:
"My first thought was for my wife because I thought she was the most seriously
injured. After she regained consciousness, I got out of my car and went over to the other
driver and told him who I was." The driver was a 21-year-old machinist named Robert
Sims from East Cleveland.
Ness explained that he agreed with Sims to have him follow Ness to the hospital. When
he realized that Sims was not following him, Ness returned to the accident scene, but
another motorist had already taken Sims to the hospital.
"After I got home, I immediately called the hospital and talked to someone. I
wanted to make sure the injured man was all right. I said that I would have my insurance
adjusters on the job in the morning.
The accident did serious injury to Ness's reputation. The newspapers had characterized
it as a "hit-skip" accident and focused on the fact that Ness had been drinking.
It played into the hands of his powerful enemies, particularly the forces of organized
labor that enjoyed political support in the Democratic administration of Mayor Lausche.
Within a couple of months, Ness resigned as safety director and went to work full time for
the federal government.
Clayton Fritchey, his long time friend at the Cleveland Press wrote this as part of his
testimonial. "First of all, Cleveland is a different place than it was when Eliot
Ness became the safety director in 1935. Most people will agree that it is a much better
place now. For instance: policemen no longer have to tip their hats when they pass a
gangster on the street. Labor racketeers no longer parade down Euclid Avenue in limousines
bearing placards deriding the public and law enforcement in general. Motorist have been
taught and tamed into killing only about half as many people as they used to
slaughter."
Another newspaperman Philip W. Porter lauded Ness's achievements: " We may never
again achieve the heights of law enforcement and competence, which have been built up
during his six-year administration. It is so outstanding among American city experiences
as to be a little amazing…When he took office, the town was ridden with crooked
police and crooked labor bosses. A dozen such were sent to prison and scores of others
scared into resignation or inactivity. There were gambling hells in every block and lush
casinos in the suburbs. The little joints mostly folded and finally the big joints quit
when a couple of Ness' honest cops were put in the sheriff's office. The town reached such
a condition of comparative purity that about all the continual critics had to complain
about was occasional bingo, strip-teasers and some policy games."
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