Several of these themes are present in Thrasher's remarkable study of 1,313 Chicago gangs.

Two days after Merlo's death, the Chicago gangs broke into open warfare.

The Chicago gang split into two teams for a baseball game.

One officer was accused of being a member of a Chicago gang.

She is the leader of a seedy Chicago gang.

They try to make headline arrests; they think every car going by is some big Chicago gang.

Chicago black gangs have established branches and, after heavily armed visitations in their Cadillacs, leave casualties.

New indictments this month have crippled a remaining Chicago gang.

"By the time the big Chicago gangs sprang up, the Hollywood tradition was already set."

They are not branches of Chicago gangs set up by "outside agitators" from the big city.