I know he was a bootlegger,pimp,murderer and all,but he is famous,and on a brighter side,he helped alot of people out.

There may be a lot of history there, however he was condemned to die by hanging. The gallows where he was hung is still standing in Benton. Generally statues are erected for heroes not criminals.

MARK wrote:

I know he was a bootlegger,pimp,murderer and all,but he is famous,and on a brighter side,he helped alot of people out.

He helped the poor out,and that is where the problem is.

My Grandmother would tell the story of him throwing change over the fence at Horace Mann school to the kids. This was during extremely difficult times and she said the kids would really scramble to get what they could.

My Great-Grandfather (her father) would tell the story of him being in a barber shop getting a haircut. He said Charlie Birger came in and the fellow in the barber chair next to him was getting a shave with a straight razor. Charlie took the razor from the barber and instructed the barber to get a bucket. My Great-Grandfather said absolutley no one moved, they thought they were going to witness a decapitation. Charlie left, apparently only wanting to scare the man.

My grandfather told Charlie Birger was like a Robin Hood figure. I don't think gangters should be memorialized with a statue.

Charlie is a hero to Harrisburg. His time was a time of pride and culture he in the burg.

Absolutely not. Charlie was a Roaring Twenties thug who played the "Robin Hood" role by committing crimes on those who earned an honest living. This isn't 12th Century Sherwood Forest.

My grandmother (RIP: 2001) lived across Poplar street from the tennis courts next to where Pozazics Veterinary Service is now. Charlie lived just down the block around Capital Street. He was "buddy buddy" with the folks around that neighborhood, as most gansters are (even to this day), but was just another thug to anyone else.

I have no sympathy for any ganster thug in any time period. They hung his ass for a reason.

Ironically, one of the childhood neighborhood thugs in my neighborhood turned out to be a cop as an adult. But I think his attitude got him into trouble in the Force, and may have been dimissed.

Yes.