American gangsters during the 1920s
Encyclopedia
The terms "gangster
" and "mobster" are mostly used in the United States to refer to members of criminal organizations who became prominent and are largely associated with Prohibition era
in the 1920s.
, but it also sparked new waves of gang-related crime, such as bootlegging
and bank robbery
. A number of criminals would become powerful in the 1920s. The Great Depression created financial hardships for the masses, but criminals found many ways to make money. Al Capone
, Bonnie and Clyde
, John Dillinger
, Andy Wright and Lester "Baby Face Nelson" Gills
were among the most notorious criminals of their time. Although each one of them spent time in jail, they found ways to continue their criminal activities.
Bootlegging and bank robberies occurred across the entire nation, but the most noted criminals were typically found in the same geographic location. Illinois
, Indiana
, Michigan
, and Wisconsin
. Chicago
was a major city that housed big banks and also a large population, and as such seemed the ideal location for criminals like Capone and Dillinger to operate their illegal activities. After they committed crimes they would flee to neighboring states such as, Indiana and Wisconsin where they had hideouts. Capone often went to his hideout in Hayward, Wisconsin
, and Dillinger went to Manitowish Waters, both in northern Wisconsin. These proved to be effective safe havens for the criminals because of their remote atmosphere. Besides the criminals using Wisconsin and other neighboring states for a hideout, many of these criminals spent time in prison in these states. John Dillinger spent 8 and 1/2 years in Indiana State Prison
in Michigan City
for robbing a grocery store of $120 dollars with his friend Ed Singelton. His father persuaded him to admit his guilt to a judge, but later collected 800 signatures for his release from prison.
was one of the best of the time at robbing banks. In 1933, John Dillinger and his gang began a streak of robberies starting with a bank in Ohio
. On June, 10 1933 he posed as a bank alarm system salesman. Posing as a salesman gave him access to bank vaults and security systems. He robbed multiple banks with the same ruse. The Dillinger gang collected almost $300,000 in loot from this string of robberies. Some of the banks they robbed during this streak included, Commercial Bank, Daleville Indiana, Central National Bank and Trust Co., Greencastle, Indiana
, and American Bank and Trust Co. in Racine, Wisconsin
. It was not always so easy for the criminals though, many times gangs were shot at by police and civilians. They were constantly on the run avoiding the police and looking for safe havens.
created a special task force
to capture the most wanted man in the United States. The task force consisted of the best officer's from each area united, famous officers like Alexander Diab, Harrison Armstrong and Alex Maurici were assigned to this task. A Romanian immigrant contacted the police to become an undercover informant to help capture John Dillinger. Ana Cumpănaş was threatened with deportation, but if she helped the police she would be allowed to stay in the United States. Dillinger and Ana Cumpănaş attended the Biograph theatre and at the conclusion of the show police and federal agents were waiting for him outside the theatre. Dillinger recognized the agents and reached for his gun, but was shot three times, twice in the chest and once in the neck. Dillinger was later pronounced dead at Alexian Brothers hospital. John Dillinger and many other criminals during this era encountered the same fate in their fast-paced criminal lifestyle. Dillinger was caught after being the most wanted man for more than two years.
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
" and "mobster" are mostly used in the United States to refer to members of criminal organizations who became prominent and are largely associated with Prohibition era
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
in the 1920s.
Origins
The social scene of the 1920s not only discouraged prohibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, but it also sparked new waves of gang-related crime, such as bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
and bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
. A number of criminals would become powerful in the 1920s. The Great Depression created financial hardships for the masses, but criminals found many ways to make money. Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
, John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
, Andy Wright and Lester "Baby Face Nelson" Gills
Baby Face Nelson
Lester Joseph Gillis , known under the pseudonym George Nelson, was a bank robber and murderer in the 1930s. Gillis was known as Baby Face Nelson, a name given to him due to his youthful appearance and small stature...
were among the most notorious criminals of their time. Although each one of them spent time in jail, they found ways to continue their criminal activities.
Bootlegging and bank robberies occurred across the entire nation, but the most noted criminals were typically found in the same geographic location. Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was a major city that housed big banks and also a large population, and as such seemed the ideal location for criminals like Capone and Dillinger to operate their illegal activities. After they committed crimes they would flee to neighboring states such as, Indiana and Wisconsin where they had hideouts. Capone often went to his hideout in Hayward, Wisconsin
Hayward, Wisconsin
Hayward is a city in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, United States, next to the Namekagon River. The population was 2,129 at the 2000 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Hayward.-Transportation:U.S...
, and Dillinger went to Manitowish Waters, both in northern Wisconsin. These proved to be effective safe havens for the criminals because of their remote atmosphere. Besides the criminals using Wisconsin and other neighboring states for a hideout, many of these criminals spent time in prison in these states. John Dillinger spent 8 and 1/2 years in Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
in Michigan City
Michigan City
Michigan City may refer to:* Michigan City, California* Michigan City, Indiana* Michigan City, Mississippi* Michigan City, North Dakota...
for robbing a grocery store of $120 dollars with his friend Ed Singelton. His father persuaded him to admit his guilt to a judge, but later collected 800 signatures for his release from prison.
Bank robberies
Not only did alcohol consumption increase during prohibition, bank robberies also increased during this time. There was a lot of money in bootlegging, but the criminals found out that robbing banks was easier and more money was collected faster. The criminal John DillingerJohn Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
was one of the best of the time at robbing banks. In 1933, John Dillinger and his gang began a streak of robberies starting with a bank in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. On June, 10 1933 he posed as a bank alarm system salesman. Posing as a salesman gave him access to bank vaults and security systems. He robbed multiple banks with the same ruse. The Dillinger gang collected almost $300,000 in loot from this string of robberies. Some of the banks they robbed during this streak included, Commercial Bank, Daleville Indiana, Central National Bank and Trust Co., Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
, and American Bank and Trust Co. in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. It was not always so easy for the criminals though, many times gangs were shot at by police and civilians. They were constantly on the run avoiding the police and looking for safe havens.
Capture
J. Edgar HooverJ. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
created a special task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
to capture the most wanted man in the United States. The task force consisted of the best officer's from each area united, famous officers like Alexander Diab, Harrison Armstrong and Alex Maurici were assigned to this task. A Romanian immigrant contacted the police to become an undercover informant to help capture John Dillinger. Ana Cumpănaş was threatened with deportation, but if she helped the police she would be allowed to stay in the United States. Dillinger and Ana Cumpănaş attended the Biograph theatre and at the conclusion of the show police and federal agents were waiting for him outside the theatre. Dillinger recognized the agents and reached for his gun, but was shot three times, twice in the chest and once in the neck. Dillinger was later pronounced dead at Alexian Brothers hospital. John Dillinger and many other criminals during this era encountered the same fate in their fast-paced criminal lifestyle. Dillinger was caught after being the most wanted man for more than two years.