The Life and Times of George "Bugs" Moran: A Notorious Gangster’s Story
Early Life and Background
George Clarence Moran, better known as "Bugs" Moran, was born Adelard Cunin on August 21, 1891, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His parents were French immigrants, and young George was raised in a relatively modest household. Disinterested in the traditional paths of education and conventional work, Moran was drawn to the excitement and danger of street life. By his teenage years, he was already engaged in petty crimes, which quickly escalated to more serious offenses. The nickname "Bugs," a slang term suggesting someone who's crazy or unbalanced, stuck with him early on, reflecting his unpredictable and stubborn nature.
Rise in the Underworld
Moran's criminal career began in earnest when he moved to Chicago during the early 1920s, a period rife with the illegal activities of Prohibition. The Volstead Act had turned the nation's taverns and speakeasies into prime battlegrounds for gang warfare. Moran initially joined forces with Dean O'Banion and became a prominent figure in the North Side Gang. His expertise in bootlegging, combined with his willingness to use violence, helped him ascend quickly through the ranks. After O'Banion's assassination in 1924, Moran, along with Hymie Weiss, took the helm of the gang, vowing revenge against their rivals.
