FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ACTS SUBJECT: PURPLE GANG FILE:62-HQ-29632 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION THE BEST COPY OBTAINABLE IS INCLUDED IN THE REPRODUCTION OF DOCUIVIENTS. DACFQ II92J 92"T TIDE TI-TAT 1 i_192_.I1_Jk! 1I192.,1_192_11J.uJ_1 1111-1; ARE BLURRED, LIGHT, OR OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO READ ARE THE RESULT OF THE CONDITION OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT. NO BETTER COPY CAN BE nwnn '92I92TT <17192 KLIKUU U LL11. Q J7 _'13: - F 92 92! }*-92,._ xi Jim/out . epbenber 21. 1933. I;L3;-*3 H 1 it , ._ "/I nmmnm ma ma.HATHAR. tatod Pr thno lumbar: :1» mu;of tha gpuupnmm 10 Gang of and bxqyc! V lutruii warn lrrutaci at the 3horahan"ii'v5%a1 ihii - main: and that Federal agent: were pm-cant and 111106 in this arrest, and he desired to'get,£u:-ther ..__._ htlil on the natur... He stated that the arreat.'= -era nude at 1:15 1.21. I advised that I ma quite: mrtnln that the Federal agents were not our men, mt suggested that he nako inquiry of the» 3;;-cotio -Ru:-can and the Prohibition Unit. _ w-pr-' 1- .._._ l..._92__ __.__4_-_ IIX7 wruay yearn, _ Diracton .1 _/ n pnh-- * 92_ v>.~9~%3;2-/__ { 5"-F 2? '-"1! - 92 . H I~ ~ _ ;'~ an / . A 92~~.__n"'I _-, ".'..-Vm-t. / _ L 9292F'V'I / 8 92!'|"'T.92L """'l--'-D IllE:< m.H"""4"92 -' 92 92_ " -.-0 w - r bu rs ..: .9-,3 } N 92. E;._ '.92' / *'- I pm 1C! _,,/ 1 1 _ _.,,, _ _, -,..J92-~_=z_~¢=.. G 7 . .._ -,,_»;* : =~' 77 .._._- __ [u1'_plpAG%aj1gstersMM0wed ., 1.. - Down 1n Gang Rlde 92 LAST "PUBLIC" APPEARANCE OF EDDIE FLETCHER AND ABE AXLER Arraigned nu public enemies," letclmr Ir-ft! and |'IuIl today 'l:are without clues lo flue lull:-r-I nml Axler urn shuwn in rnurl jlist n _92'r-nr ago. It wn-92 In lhis Inst public" appc-nr:m<'e lhr-92 g um: Il1n_92"9292-urn found slain early _92'mil492.I'da_v In llm rrnr llu~ nppr-llntlnn nl 'm92nn1l9a, Axlr as An 1 and of Axlcr'a cnr in |'92 lnnely Oakland Count_92? rnnd, Ilclcllvr an No 2 This ls a. '1ilIIl'§ gncmro! - _i,-.-____ LEE DETROIT TIJUJS November 2'? 1933 _ é2.- :2?6$'»Z 4- .-.-.-r-_;; '92.-».-_-., _-,.- ..,.-,- _ r. ._ .. <92 :,- .%E=-as A ." ~.~ ..:D 'F .. -.~':.»=.-- --1:-1}§.'.J"li592t>a.-kill" . .---1-..1.? 2~""-;,i>_. -T--n.i.o'-.;~..:' ~- 3.1"-j-~,_.92; A ~"~ -ayes---:. .*?=.l.'*-- 'l=~"f.~* L 7'?-i;:;;'?§4.§:l1.§E=§"" YI';f:-5355; ':- 3*; " .. l-:5 .- --s-on-Q - - - - - . t .v' . .:;-=1.-=" troit as °.-92he Gold as a .1...--1.-.. -1... {';._ ;:2'.,~'.~='l;'5. ._._,_:.:_92 "'11: ._w §'~;?-to .f__ - r i " i? -F11__ orderly person, dlschargrd . ;;~._*=_*,"-1; "$-;.5_.,_ 92j:_ -1--~_;_-_ 5;,-1 .;. ,_¢¢ 5,-gs-¢ r .- ;;,._ I superinienrient. __ H p *. .1;-;_=. .¢. it--= -1"=" -92-7*. "'g5;*5r-9!~i*;-" , " " -I-""' 5 §=.' 4 " -l -"Ti. -7-' *. -i--.=.;- .:~ e."- -r ;- -- ~....... -.- . -:_.-.v3,-_o_._- :1 -1 "1" .. 92' --".§==...i-< _;';r .;,,»g_-.._ -r$_.:-.;.'92*§~-- --. -~?l,.. 'E* -....- 1: .-3-__.._-_~. -L-'= - ' .....e,,-sr.~:i- .. 92- »_,§,».,-.._ -. =.<.=-.R;..&_ 92_:. -*4-e-15; . __ , .92.-_ _ ,- -..1;..,; _.-.._;.s.:,... - _ . Oct. 31. 1926. arrested in 4 »'" " "-xx,-:3'¢~..-,:-.'. ..-ts, - - ":-.- F-~5="&-*3-'--.. '_=<':._§..-."- __ .92 _ . rF.~;;..- - . ,'-.: _ -- '-- ,"r-".~- 1 :'--r.- .. § 92_'- - - . --»-_'a.-"§="-i"'.r.s.-'. .'.-E-*.':l-a-I.;":»T.r' -..;-" "".°. K » __-.1:-r... A.92l----,.=. ,- .._{»-~"!- -92-92-?- _;:4'.- '12.;-" trolt as "s.be.onl_cr;,lis a poll ;e R» --4.; '="".Y*._ 5'*'~;-' -';+.-3 1-"aw .i--if-i,-?= ~..- ~ HQ 92?-....==. :." ~>...:'~.r"-.~,-' ._,_ '-?92r.:f! -92=".-'~<* ;<-Q _ w1i.nl_-53, discharged by super?-I-I ', - .- " ' -H W"-1, , ; ..~.. ..,_--._. - A' .- 1 Jo . ~- " ' ".-a'-92;-...!.*=_'.-§_';. _-- :_".~ - ,92_r§_5;__: ,..5_._. ,,._,.:,_ _ ,;.._..;.._, _, . Mgrnh 29, 1921, arrested in H, 1 !- I- -fl? '.92:"92r.--~-- ha;='I**%='-111$.-. -' '92v"'9292~'{!§;,-;§- : . 1- .--1.. ~'*' " '-* -. troit as "Harry Iovinn robbery.. nil"J tiI ' GANGSTERS, SL rocarnzx, caucur in .-'=-->'.-=-;=c~;=.-~.~z=-.$,_u=.__>..',»:.1 - ' > ----'~ " ...o:.......;.w.92s>...-..----..< ~.>'.§s_~ re Axler' iieit! and FletchAIN gs-med, discharged by aupggp ~?r7.l 92'.0'»an o Gang gunmen. are being taken to police RECENT RAID ~ '-V - ' lntendent. ' f. 5 .5- ii.-,u-re;-; |u'_ql,1|:sO!92il1§ alter a er, public diminutiveenemy lug them. The gang pair, slain on a ride in a 'May 9, 1921, robbery armed. {.-C~pi. lone Oakland County road early yesterday. at this charged by superintendent. il Deiitiva Mike Flannegari time faced police together as they faced their Aug, I8, 1927, robbery arn'Q£T la accompany p murderers yesterday. This is a Times picture! discharged by superlntenden 92-.2 Jt. ..-.i o. /§YlNGS"LlE1i9292/E.LA'§TlilOF PURPLES lEAoER,Ll;§il?,;1-»=lli§""' awesome news that Abe and Eddie Fletcher "_were ¢ bumped oft" _eiec_trlIled les 0.! Detroit; underworld boy! want to see rue in action just small. black hours. '7' .- once. - - - - ~ FI.W1"- sme-lirst betore dawn yester- St. Louis gang seems to have "He boxed Don Burchard at Harry merged with the Detroiterr. mel- ls 1, rumor which was soon Harris Falrview Club. Mack and and Mllber;-' were aentencerigifll,??"'d' mo med vis the grapevine of the combination being strengthened by Federal Judge Charles C. Simob if is rlr Fairview avenues, and the mob saw the addition of s dozen or so oi M1 c world. The previous chief hlrn gel. decisively outpointecl in serve one year and .10 mob!-118 in" in the l-loodlums delicatessen accredited tough ones from Ner eight rounds. - York. * ". ' 1" K . Y the Federal Penitentiary at Leaven- vii luarters-~"they stuck up G01- It was from this ght, some say, north, Kan, and to pg rgrlci-lr,;,.,<&l§er or handbook and killed a guy"- l The new gang proceeded to worli l $5.o00 each. i " "."<.Q -'f1_'.§" 1. that the name "Purple" gang origi- from the viewpoint that there is 1 rnmedlately superseded. natei Fletcher roliowed the then coumowoon sm_ss.92crm_ '3-_" - gr and Fletcher, inseparable more protlt in levying tribute thany Z; .3; popular New York prize ring cus- in being paid for bodyguard; They served their sentences and? and partners, pint-sized toughitom of dressing the lighter and his In'l.92T Alxler and Fletcher occu- l did not get into serious trouble, and killers, were "biggies" of, seconds in colored jerseys. The pied a suite in the Miraoree Apart- with the law again until _S_epteni__-e hr if._..._. ational underworld: _ color of the jerseys. on thin occl- ments. 106 East Alexandria avenue. her. 1931. At that time the Purple Detroit they had earned thatslon. ivas a bright purple. 1 s reputations or Public Ene-, In this building they and their gangwas accused of perpetratingi-5?l_._. No. 1 and '2, respectively. MORE VICIOUS manna l gang reputedly wiped out Frank, the Colllngwood massacrl!.'f Joe lji were sawed-oil Napoleons of- Adler never was a pug. His nose Wright, Reuben Cohen and Joseph Nigger! Lebovlts, Herman l-iymleli lnfqmous Purple Gang and. had not been knocked asitew ls Bloom, three opposing gangsters, in; Paul and Izzy Sullrer, members of its rise te power in 1926 until J Fletcher's was and his sizable the rival "Navy" gang. had beenl dim with their shoes on, lead- ears had never been cauli what his become known as the} lctors in its criminal i"li!iOl"§'owerlzed, but nonetheless his was ptMlrallores the trio, reputedly massacre." In Chicago gang-disposing l story vicious enough to causethe more sinister lace of the two islets. 5 the Purples introduced ma- aert Asbury, historian of Amer- He had an acquiline nose, high chlne guns in Detroit gangster war- yimr. to call it the molt Q-F.cheek bones, deep shadows under fare. blamed. shotdown and the Purples -' 'wereg-. ntly organized gsng,,o1 killer-allhis small eyes, simlien cheeks, and FORGED DYEBS TRIBUTE , Axler and Fletcher were_ques_--,"- he United States. ~": 1. _'='-;a thin Light mouth which turned Axler and Fletcher, along with CH IN COlVDiOi92' r r . .,i up-at the corners. g ~-Fred ='Klller"- Burke, were arrested itioned and released. Ray Bern- as suspects in the massacre. Police 'stein, Harry Keyweli and Irving, qqrlire, gunmen. had much tn Rv renuie he was a more vicious Miiberg were prosecuted. found nine,-_-lioili were ngltivo !Q§_l_-5__ i __ .