High Speed
Chase Ends In
Gunfight
October 26, 1963
Nolan Mack. 38, of 8123 State St., one of Chicago's most notorious dope peddlers, was shot and killed last night in a gunbattle with a federal narcotics agent on the Northwest at California avenue.
Mack was shot twice in the abdomen. Gayle Ruhl, 33. the agent, suffered eye and facial cuts when a bullet shattered glass in his auto. Police said Ruhl apparently was not struck by any bullets. He was reported in fair condition.
The gun duel came at the end of a 16-mile, cross-city chase at speeds up to 100 m. p. h. on the Dan Ryan and Northwest expressways. The chase began at 79th street.
Police said that Mack was being tailed by another narcotics agent, Wayne Valentine, as he drove east on 79th street. As they approached State street, Mack curbed Valentine's car, forcing him to smash into a lamp post.
Valentine radioed Ruhl and Ruhl took up the pursuit on the expressway. Meanwhile Valentine stopped Patrolman Joseph Martin and asked him to radio for police assistance in the chase.
Mack weaved in and out of traffic in his. 1963 auto with Ruhl close behind. Just west of the Loop on the expressway, Mack slammed on his brakes and stopped. Ruhl pulled his car in front of Mack's but before Ruhl could jump out, Mack smashed Ruhl's car from behind and sped northward. Ruhl took up the chase again.
At California avenue on the Northwest expressway Mack stopped again on the shoulder. Ruhl pulled in front of Mack's car. jumped from his car as Ruhl got out of his and showed his badge, announcing he was a narcotics agent. Mack ducked behind his car and fired three shots at Ruhl but Ruhl dropped beside his auto and re- turned the fire as traffic sped by on the expressway. Windows of both cars were shattered by the bullets and Ruhl felt glass splattering across his face as he fired his gun. The federal agent threw aside his empty gun and pulled out another. Blood blinded him and he was unable to see for several seconds. He cautiously made his way alongside his car and approached the rear of Mack's.
He saw Mack's foot sticking out from behind his car and as Ruhl approached the rear of Mack's car, Mack, laying out- stretched aimed his revolver at Ruhl. "Don't shoot," Ruhl warned Mack. Raise your hand a n y higher and I'll kill you." Mack continued to raise the revolver and Ruhl fired. Mack slumped back on the pavement as other agents and police pulled up. Mack was pronounced dead at Belmont hospital. Ruhl was rushed to the emergency ward of Belmont and then into X-ray as Sergeants Don Kelley and Detective John Cooney of north- west side homicide questioned him.
Doctors at first feared Ruhl had been shot in the eye but X-rays showed no bullets in his head or body. The narcotics bureau, however, ordered him removed to another hospital for further treatment.
Charles G. Ward, chief of the Chicago federal narcotics bureau, said pure heroin worth S2,000 was found in Mack's car. Ward described Ruhl and Valentine as among his best agents. They were about to arrest Mack when the chase started, he said. Two federal narcotics charges were pending against Mack His body was taken to the morgue.
Mack was shot twice in the abdomen. Gayle Ruhl, 33. the agent, suffered eye and facial cuts when a bullet shattered glass in his auto. Police said Ruhl apparently was not struck by any bullets. He was reported in fair condition.
The gun duel came at the end of a 16-mile, cross-city chase at speeds up to 100 m. p. h. on the Dan Ryan and Northwest expressways. The chase began at 79th street.
Police said that Mack was being tailed by another narcotics agent, Wayne Valentine, as he drove east on 79th street. As they approached State street, Mack curbed Valentine's car, forcing him to smash into a lamp post.
Valentine radioed Ruhl and Ruhl took up the pursuit on the expressway. Meanwhile Valentine stopped Patrolman Joseph Martin and asked him to radio for police assistance in the chase.
Mack weaved in and out of traffic in his. 1963 auto with Ruhl close behind. Just west of the Loop on the expressway, Mack slammed on his brakes and stopped. Ruhl pulled his car in front of Mack's but before Ruhl could jump out, Mack smashed Ruhl's car from behind and sped northward. Ruhl took up the chase again.
At California avenue on the Northwest expressway Mack stopped again on the shoulder. Ruhl pulled in front of Mack's car. jumped from his car as Ruhl got out of his and showed his badge, announcing he was a narcotics agent. Mack ducked behind his car and fired three shots at Ruhl but Ruhl dropped beside his auto and re- turned the fire as traffic sped by on the expressway. Windows of both cars were shattered by the bullets and Ruhl felt glass splattering across his face as he fired his gun. The federal agent threw aside his empty gun and pulled out another. Blood blinded him and he was unable to see for several seconds. He cautiously made his way alongside his car and approached the rear of Mack's.
He saw Mack's foot sticking out from behind his car and as Ruhl approached the rear of Mack's car, Mack, laying out- stretched aimed his revolver at Ruhl. "Don't shoot," Ruhl warned Mack. Raise your hand a n y higher and I'll kill you." Mack continued to raise the revolver and Ruhl fired. Mack slumped back on the pavement as other agents and police pulled up. Mack was pronounced dead at Belmont hospital. Ruhl was rushed to the emergency ward of Belmont and then into X-ray as Sergeants Don Kelley and Detective John Cooney of north- west side homicide questioned him.
Doctors at first feared Ruhl had been shot in the eye but X-rays showed no bullets in his head or body. The narcotics bureau, however, ordered him removed to another hospital for further treatment.
Charles G. Ward, chief of the Chicago federal narcotics bureau, said pure heroin worth S2,000 was found in Mack's car. Ward described Ruhl and Valentine as among his best agents. They were about to arrest Mack when the chase started, he said. Two federal narcotics charges were pending against Mack His body was taken to the morgue.
This is a picture of my grandfather's car after the chase. There was a bullet hole in the back window. |
This is a picture of Nolan Mack. It was taken on January 29, 1963. Nolan Mack said he would kill the next person who tried to arrest him. |
This is a picture of the car my grandfather was driving in the chase. If you look closely, you can see the cocaine all over the car. Nolan Mack tried to get rid of the evidence by throwing it all out. |