Charles Solomon
Encyclopedia
Charles "King" Solomon was a Jewish-American mob boss who controlled Boston
's bootlegging, narcotics and illegal gambling during Prohibition.
as a boy settling with his family in Boston's West End. The son of a local theater owner, Solomon and his three brothers came from a middle class background and, during his teenage years, worked as a counterman in his uncle's restaurant. However, by his early 20s, he had had become involved in prostitution, fencing and bail bonding prior to Prohibition.
By the early 1920s, he controlled the majority of illegal gambling and narcotics such as cocaine and morphine before expanding into bootlegging with Dan Carroll during Prohibition owning many of the cities most prominent speakeasies including the Cocoanut Grove nightclub. He enjoyed extensive contacts throughout the underworld including the Bronfmans in Canada as well as associates in New York and Chicago.
Although never indicted on bootlegging charges (due to his political connections), he was tried on narcotics charges in 1922. Represented by editor and general councilor of the Boston American
Grenville MacFarlane, which had then been crusading against drug abuse, he was later acquitted of charges. He would however served thirteen months of a five year prison sentence at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for intimidating a witness into perjury
for his narcotics trial. During his imprisonment, a request for his transfer to a prison closer to Boston was made by Boston Congressmen George H. Tinkham
and James A. Gallivan
.
Attending the Atlantic City Conference
in 1927, Solomon was one of the several leaders in the "Big Seven
" who helped negotiate territorial disputes and establish policies which would influence the later National Crime Syndicate
in 1932. Solomon continued to control illegal gambling in New England until his death on January 24, 1933 when he was murdered in the men's room of Boston's Cotton Club
by rival gunmen (John Burke and James Coyne). His territories were eventually divided up among his lieutenants Joseph Linsey
, Hyman Abrams
and brothers Max and Louis Fox.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's bootlegging, narcotics and illegal gambling during Prohibition.
Biography
One of the earliest organized crime figures in New England's history, Solomon immigrated from the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
as a boy settling with his family in Boston's West End. The son of a local theater owner, Solomon and his three brothers came from a middle class background and, during his teenage years, worked as a counterman in his uncle's restaurant. However, by his early 20s, he had had become involved in prostitution, fencing and bail bonding prior to Prohibition.
By the early 1920s, he controlled the majority of illegal gambling and narcotics such as cocaine and morphine before expanding into bootlegging with Dan Carroll during Prohibition owning many of the cities most prominent speakeasies including the Cocoanut Grove nightclub. He enjoyed extensive contacts throughout the underworld including the Bronfmans in Canada as well as associates in New York and Chicago.
Although never indicted on bootlegging charges (due to his political connections), he was tried on narcotics charges in 1922. Represented by editor and general councilor of the Boston American
Boston American
The Boston American was a daily tabloid newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts from March 21, 1904 until September 30, 1961. The newspaper was part of William Randolph Hearst's chain, and thus was also known as Hearst's Boston American....
Grenville MacFarlane, which had then been crusading against drug abuse, he was later acquitted of charges. He would however served thirteen months of a five year prison sentence at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for intimidating a witness into perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
for his narcotics trial. During his imprisonment, a request for his transfer to a prison closer to Boston was made by Boston Congressmen George H. Tinkham
George H. Tinkham
George Holden Tinkham was a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Massachusetts....
and James A. Gallivan
James A. Gallivan
James Ambrose Gallivan was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. He was born in Boston on October 22, 1866. Gallivan attended the public schools, graduated from the Boston Latin School in 1884 and from Harvard University in 1888. He then engaged in newspaper work...
.
Attending the Atlantic City Conference
Atlantic City Conference
The Atlantic City Conference held in 1929 was a historic summit of leaders of organized crime in the United States. It is considered by most crime historians to be the earliest organized crime summit held in the US...
in 1927, Solomon was one of the several leaders in the "Big Seven
Seven Group
The Combined or Big Seven Group, was a criminal organization headed by organized crime figures on the east coast during Prohibition serving as the predecessor to the alleged National Crime Syndicate of the 1930s...
" who helped negotiate territorial disputes and establish policies which would influence the later National Crime Syndicate
National Crime Syndicate
The National Crime Syndicate was the name given by the press to a loosely-organized multi-ethnic organized crime syndicate. Its origins are uncertain....
in 1932. Solomon continued to control illegal gambling in New England until his death on January 24, 1933 when he was murdered in the men's room of Boston's Cotton Club
Cotton Club
The Cotton Club was a famous night club in Harlem, New York City that operated during Prohibition that included jazz music. While the club featured many of the greatest African American entertainers of the era, such as Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, Count Basie, Bessie Smith,...
by rival gunmen (John Burke and James Coyne). His territories were eventually divided up among his lieutenants Joseph Linsey
Joseph Linsey
Joseph Linsey was an organized crime figure in Boston's underworld during Prohibition, associated with Joseph Kennedy and Meyer Lansky, and later became a prominent businessman and philanthropist, specifically his contributions to Brandeis University.-Biography:Born in Russia, he immigrated to...
, Hyman Abrams
Hyman Abrams
Hyman Abrams was a Boston mobster and high ranking member under Charles "King" Solomon during Prohibition. He and other members of Solomon's organization took over Boston's criminal operations for themselves following Solomon's murder in 1933...
and brothers Max and Louis Fox.
Further reading
- Fried, Albert. The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980. ISBN 0-23109683-6
- Messick, Hank. Lansky. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1973. ISBN 0-7091-3966-7
- Pietrusza, David. Rothstein: The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2003. ISBN 0-7867-1250-3
- Reppetto, Thomas A. American Mafia: A History of Its Rise to Power. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2004. ISBN 0-8050-7798-7