The year was 1929. The town was Chicago. The date was Feb. 14, St. Valentine's Day.

Two men, including one 32-year old who owned farmland near Harmon, were supposed to attend a meeting at a North Clark Street garage to consider purchasing liquor supposedly stolen from Al Capone's gang.

They missed their appointment, but six other members of the Northside Gang and one want-a-be were present. The seven were lined up and shot dead by men, two men dressed as policemen and two or three others dressed in plain clothes.

George "Bugs" Moran, leader of the Northside Gang, and one of the two who missed their appointment with death, would later say, "Only Capone kills like that."

But both gangs, Capone's and Moran's were known to terrorize Chicago during the "Roaring Twenties."

The other individual to miss death that day was Leo Mongoven of rural Harmon, described as Moran's machine gunner and a "Dangerous Public Enemy."

It was not the only attempt to eliminate Mongoven, but he was a survivor, living out the remainder of his life in rural Lee County.

Ira G. "Clark" Kelly, of Dixon, a retired reporter, will follow the life and times of Leo Mongoven in a special presentation on Feb. 14, at 1 p.m., at the Long Branch Saloon, 55 East Ave. in Amboy.