Jimmy Malone: He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way!
Elliot Ness: I have one more thing to say. I know that many of you take a drink. What you've done before today is not my concern. But now we must be pure and I want you to stop. It's not a question of whether or not it's a harmless drink, it may very well be, but it's against the law, gentlemen, and as we are going to enforce the law, we must do first by example.
Answer: Ness was coming to Malone's apartment to discuss the information with him there, Nitti and his men just got there first.
Captain Defenestrator