Robert Carey (gangster)
Encyclopedia
Robert Carey was a Midwestern armed robber and contract killer responsible for many crimes during the Prohibition
era. He is considered a suspect in the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre
of 1929.
Born and raised in St. Louis
, Carey joined the Egan's Rats
gang in his early twenties. By 1917, he had made fast friends with Fred “Killer” Burke
, who would turn out to be one of his closest criminal associates. After U.S. Army service during World War I
, Carey remained a low-level associate of the Egan Gang. At this time, Burke was away in prison and Bob Carey became associated with Cincinnati
hoodlum Raymond "Crane Neck" Nugent. Both men were suspected of robbing of a Cincinnati bank messenger in December 1921 and trying to fence the bonds through the Egan's Rats.
While known to have above-average intelligence, Bob Carey was also an alcoholic who got quite sloppy and violent when he drank. Nevertheless, it was Carey who was suspected of convincing Fred Burke to don a fake police uniform so they could rob a St. Louis distillery of $80,000 worth of whiskey on April 25, 1923.
With the imprisonment of the Egan upper-echelon in 1924, the Burke crew had relocated to Detroit, where they were arrested for the March 1924 robbery of the John Kay jewelry store. While Carey was suspected of taking part, only Isadore Londe was convicted, receiving a 10-20 year sentence.
Carey was suspected of participating in most of the major actions of Fred Burke's crew in the 1920s. Bob was specifically charged by Detroit Police
with murdering two freelance hoods, James Ellis and Leroy Snyder, on March 16, 1927 after he caught them cheating at poker. Along with Gus Winkler
, Fred Goetz
, Ray Nugent, and Charlie Fitzgerald, Carey took part in the American Express armored car robbery on April 16, 1928 in Toledo, Ohio
. The gangsters made off with $200,000 and killed Toledo police officer George Zientara.
While he was never publicly named as a suspect, Chicago Police
sought Bob Carey for participating in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre
of 1929. FBI informant Byron Bolton would later claim that Carey did indeed take part, along with Fred Burke, Gus Winkler, Fred Goetz, and others. With most of his closest associates locked up or dead by early 1932, Bob Carey left Chicago for the East Coast. He and his girlfriend ended up in Baltimore, where they began blackmailing well-to-do businessmen and politicians. The marks would bed Rose Sanborn and Bob would discreetly take pictures.
By summer, they had moved into a Manhattan
flat at 220 W. 104th Street. Carey, now using the alias of Sanborn, had begun a high-quality counterfeiting operation out of his place. Despite his newfound success, Carey was still isolated, wanted across the country, and drinking heavily. The NYPD concluded that around midnight on July 30, 1932, Bob Carey, no doubt in an alcoholic funk, went berserk and shot his girlfriend Rose to death, after which he turned the gun on himself.
In addition to being wanted for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Bob Carey was a suspect in the Lindbergh kidnapping
. Before leaving Chicago in January 1932, he had hinted darkly to associates that he was planning a crime that "would set the world on its ears". The FBI continued to investigate Carey in connection with the crime until the arrest of Bruno Hauptmann
.
Prohibition
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...
era. He is considered a suspect in the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre
St. Valentine's Day massacre
The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 mob associates as part of a prohibition era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the...
of 1929.
Born and raised in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Carey joined the Egan's Rats
Egan's Rats
Egan's Rats was an American organized crime group that exercised considerable power in St. Louis, Missouri from 1890 to 1924. Its 35 years of criminal activity included bootlegging, labor slugging, voter intimidation, armed robbery, and murder...
gang in his early twenties. By 1917, he had made fast friends with Fred “Killer” Burke
Fred “Killer” Burke
Fred "Killer" Burke was a Midwestern armed robber and contract killer responsible for many crimes during the Prohibition era. He is considered a prime suspect in the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929-Early life:...
, who would turn out to be one of his closest criminal associates. After U.S. Army service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Carey remained a low-level associate of the Egan Gang. At this time, Burke was away in prison and Bob Carey became associated with Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
hoodlum Raymond "Crane Neck" Nugent. Both men were suspected of robbing of a Cincinnati bank messenger in December 1921 and trying to fence the bonds through the Egan's Rats.
While known to have above-average intelligence, Bob Carey was also an alcoholic who got quite sloppy and violent when he drank. Nevertheless, it was Carey who was suspected of convincing Fred Burke to don a fake police uniform so they could rob a St. Louis distillery of $80,000 worth of whiskey on April 25, 1923.
With the imprisonment of the Egan upper-echelon in 1924, the Burke crew had relocated to Detroit, where they were arrested for the March 1924 robbery of the John Kay jewelry store. While Carey was suspected of taking part, only Isadore Londe was convicted, receiving a 10-20 year sentence.
Carey was suspected of participating in most of the major actions of Fred Burke's crew in the 1920s. Bob was specifically charged by Detroit Police
Detroit Police Department
The Detroit Police Department , established in 1865, is responsible for the city of Detroit, Michigan.-History:The Detroit Police Department was established in 1865 to serve the city's growing population and covers the city with 5 districts and two precincts. The Detroit Police Department was also...
with murdering two freelance hoods, James Ellis and Leroy Snyder, on March 16, 1927 after he caught them cheating at poker. Along with Gus Winkler
Gus Winkler
Gus Winkler was a St. Louis mobster who, with Fred “Killer” Burke, was head of a criminal gang specializing in armed robbery and murder for hire....
, Fred Goetz
Fred Goetz
Fred Samuel Goetz , also known as "Shotgun" George Ziegler, "George B. Seibert", George Zeigler" and was a Chicago Outfit mobster and a suspected participant in the Valentine's Day Massacre, in 1929 and Kansas City Massacre.Born in Chicago to Samuel T...
, Ray Nugent, and Charlie Fitzgerald, Carey took part in the American Express armored car robbery on April 16, 1928 in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The gangsters made off with $200,000 and killed Toledo police officer George Zientara.
While he was never publicly named as a suspect, Chicago Police
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
sought Bob Carey for participating in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre
St. Valentine's Day massacre
The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 mob associates as part of a prohibition era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the...
of 1929. FBI informant Byron Bolton would later claim that Carey did indeed take part, along with Fred Burke, Gus Winkler, Fred Goetz, and others. With most of his closest associates locked up or dead by early 1932, Bob Carey left Chicago for the East Coast. He and his girlfriend ended up in Baltimore, where they began blackmailing well-to-do businessmen and politicians. The marks would bed Rose Sanborn and Bob would discreetly take pictures.
By summer, they had moved into a Manhattan
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
flat at 220 W. 104th Street. Carey, now using the alias of Sanborn, had begun a high-quality counterfeiting operation out of his place. Despite his newfound success, Carey was still isolated, wanted across the country, and drinking heavily. The NYPD concluded that around midnight on July 30, 1932, Bob Carey, no doubt in an alcoholic funk, went berserk and shot his girlfriend Rose to death, after which he turned the gun on himself.
In addition to being wanted for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Bob Carey was a suspect in the Lindbergh kidnapping
Lindbergh kidnapping
The kidnapping of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., was the abduction of the son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The toddler, 18 months old at the time, was abducted from his family home in East Amwell, New Jersey, near the town of Hopewell, New Jersey, on the evening of...
. Before leaving Chicago in January 1932, he had hinted darkly to associates that he was planning a crime that "would set the world on its ears". The FBI continued to investigate Carey in connection with the crime until the arrest of Bruno Hauptmann
Bruno Hauptmann
Bruno Richard Hauptmann was a German ex-convict sentenced to death for the abduction and murder of the 20-month-old son of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The Lindbergh kidnapping became known as "The Crime of the Century".-Background:Hauptmann was born in Kamenz in the German Empire,...
.
Further reading
- Waugh, Daniel. Egan's Rats: The Untold Story of the Gang that ruled Prohibition-era St. Louis Nashville: Cumberland House, 2007.
- Helmer, William and Arthur J. Bilek. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre: The Untold Story Of The Bloodbath That Brought Down Al Capone Nashville: Cumberland House, 2004.