ELIOT NESS: Clayton Vecellio of Lewis Run wrote to see if we would write something to recognize the birthday of one of his heroes.

See, Eliot Ness was born on this day in 1903 in Chicago, Ill. Ness became well-known after his investigative work with the U.S. Treasury that led to tax evasion charges being brought against Al Capone, putting the famous and elusive gangster behind bars.

Ness’s career eventually brought him to Coudersport, right here in Pennsylvania, where he lived until he died at age 54.

Clayton shared several news items with us that he’d collected over the years, including articles on a book penned by Potter County Commissioner Paul Heimel. Paul wrote a biography about the famous lawman called “Eliot Ness: The Real Story.”

According to one article, it was Paul’s book that helped inspire A & E to create a documentary about Eliot’s life.

That wasn’t the only event inspired by Paul’s book.

A November 1997 newsletter for employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and Department of Treasury described how Eliot’s ashes were dispersed at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland:

“The remains of the most famous ATF agent, Eliot Ness, best known for his “Untouchables” day tracking gangster Al Capone, were laid to rest in Cleveland, Ohio, in an elaborate yet somber memorial ceremony on September 10, over 40 years after his death.”

According to the newsletter, Ness died of heart attack on May 16, 1957, in Coudersport.

The 1997 ceremony was organized by Rebecca McFarland, a Cleveland librarian, who was often asked where Eliot was buried.

In fact, it wasn’t until she read “Eliot Ness: The Real Story” that she learned surviving family members had possession of Eliot’s ashes, the newsletter stated.

Clayton had an article from Dec. 17, 1996, edition of The Era, in which the late Era reporter George Petrisek wrote about Paul’s process in writing the biography.