The 24th Ward’s first black alderman, who liked being known as the “Big Cat” and the “Duke of Dixieland,” won a second term in 1963. But just two days later, on Feb. 28, 1963, police found Ald. Ben Lewis handcuffed to a chair at ward headquarters, with three bullet holes in his head. Even for a city known for mob-style killings, Lewis’ murder was big news. One by one, lie detector tests were administered to potential suspects: the janitor who found Lewis’ body; the janitor’s helper; customers with a beef about his business practices; rebel precinct captains; political rivals; fired patronage workers; disappointed job-seekers; policy-wheel operators; mobsters; the gangster’s wife he’d supposedly made a pass at; his girlfriends; his ex-wife; and his wife. His murder is still unsolved.
