The years were 1944 - 1951.

• 1945: World War II (WWII): President Roosevelt dies suddenly; Axis powers surrender
• 1946: First meeting of the United Nations
• 1947: The Polaroid instant camera appears
• 1948: Marshall Plan to help rebuild Europe is approved
• 1950: Soviets claim to have a nuclear bomb; Cold War standoff
• 1951: U.S. shopping malls debut

Meanwhile . . .

He is among the nation’s most respected and best-known lawmen. Yet, he neither looked the part nor spoke it. Rather than rugged or brash, this man was boyishly handsome with a pleasant smile. He was soft-spoken, smart and methodical. He was also straighter than the straightest of arrows. Untouchable, the press called him. You couldn’t bribe him, you couldn’t scare him and you certainly couldn’t kill him. Men had tried. He let his actions do his talking for him.

One such incident occurred in 1936 in Newburgh Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. A passel of local constables stood bewildered outside a notorious, mob-run casino called The Harvard Club. They were armed with a search warrant, looking for several wanted fugitives believed hiding inside. But a steely voice from behind a barred door had called out and warned the police to keep their distance. “Stay where you are. We’ve got machine guns and we’ll mow down anybody who walks through that door.”

A hurried call went out to Cleveland’s safety director pleading for advice. The director responded in person, rushing to the scene with 40 men of his own. He marched before them, through the ranks of the hapless locals, and tramped directly to the saloon’s front door. He banged on it loudly. A face came to the peephole. “Whaddya want?”

The director answered calmly. “I’m Eliot Ness. And I’m coming in.” Resistance melted away, the doors opened and the raid went off without incident.

So, who was this Eliot Ness? Just the former U.S. Justice Department agent who worked from 1929 to 1932 to help crush the gangland empire of Chicago’s “Scarface” Al Capone, America’s most infamous racketeer. Afterward, he became Cleveland’s public safety director (1935 to 1942), during which time he rooted out corruption and inefficiency in the police department, smashed gambling and extortion rings, tamed violent youth gangs, upgraded fire protection and traffic safety, and instituted other reforms. But he also developed a drinking habit while enjoying an active social life among Cleveland's high society.

He became national director of the government's Social Protection program. In that capacity, Ness forged alliances with police agencies and community leaders near military bases in an effort to stamp out prostitution and curb venereal disease.

And he was the same Eliot Ness who served as chairman of the board of directors of Diebold Safe & Lock Co. from June 5, 1944, to April 2, 1951. As the story goes, Ness was friends with the family of Ralph Rex, the former Diebold board director who died in 1943. The Rex family owned a controlling 38 percent share of Diebold stock. Ness’ candidacy for the board was backed by the Rexes, ostensibly so he could represent that family’s interests. Still, Ness held a business degree and wanted to do well in a new field.

Some of those who worked with Ness described him as a gentleman, but somewhat removed from serious executive decision-making. Others disagreed, praising Ness for his able business savvy. When the Rexes eventually sold their stock, Ness’ days at Diebold ended.

Nonetheless, Ness left his mark on the company. Public accounts of his achievements credit him with the elimination of administrative waste and the institution of a program to promote young talent with modern ideas. He also oversaw the expansion of the company’s manufacturing and marketing into other fields, such as microfilming. And he is also mentioned as a key figure in bringing about the merger of Diebold with its major competitor, York Safe & Lock Company of York, Pa., in January 1946.

A series of bad business deals followed his departure from Diebold. Ness died depressed, disillusioned and near penniless in Pennsylvania in 1957. He succumbed to a heart attack at age 54, just prior to the publishing of a book on his law enforcement exploits. Two television series, made-for-TV movies and a blockbuster motion picture followed, all based loosely on his crime-fighting career.

Eliot Ness’ memory lives on today, remembered still as one of America’s most brave, principled and effective lawmen.