I think the Shelton brothers met Charlie Berger and Art Newman in East St Louis (the devil's den if stories are true). The two older Sheltons left Wayne County and were taxi drivers in St Louis; they both had served time in prison at this point. When Prohibition came the Sheltons ran their own operation and Charlie had his own too.....at some point they did join forces in Southern Illinois. Charlie spent some of his youth in Harrisburg and returned there to start his business....later he moved over to Williamson County, because the Saline County sheriff could not be "bought". There is a book "Butcher's Dozen" which has a chapter on the Shelton Gang. I think you can get this book from the libraries in Southern Illinois. Carl Shelton's father was a minister.... Carl even taught Sunday school. ladybug wrote: > Were Shelton & Berger gangs the same? ladybug