Historic Newspapers: Public Enemies, Gangsters, & Organized Crime!

THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 12, 1949

* Frank Costello - Mafia gangster - mob boss
* "The Prime Minister of the Underworld"
* Charged for slot machines gambling racket

The front page has a two column heading: "Costello 'Slot Machine' Czar Of U. S., California Charges" (see images)
Complete with all 30 pages, light... Read full description  

LEOMINSTER DAILY ENTERPRISE, Massachusetts, August 7, 1947

* Aviator Howard Hughes
* Pan Am airlines
* Trials

This 14 page newspaper has a three column headline on the front page:

"Hughes Submits Questions"

with subheads and photo of Hughes. (see images)

Minor wear along the spine, otherwise in good condition.

wikipedia notes: Howard... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 10, 1947

* Jacob 'Gurrah' Shapiro
* New York mobster
* Murder Inc. co-founder

The top of the back page has one column headings: "GURRAH JAKE DIES IN PRISON HOSPITAL" "Shapiro, Associate of Lepke in Murder Ring, Succumbs at 50 to Heart Disease" with smaller subheads. First report coverage on the... Read full description  

EVENING CHRONICLE, Allentown, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1947

* Charles Lucky Luciano
* Salvatore Lucania arrest
* Havana, Cuba

This 14 page newspaper has a one column headline on the front page: "'Lucky' Luciano Is Arrested By Police in Cuba"

Please see the photo for text here.

Other news, sports and advertisements of the day... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 27, 1947

* Grace Moore killed in airplane crash
* Opera singer & actress - Tennessee Nightingale
* Gangster Al 'Scarface' Capone death

The top of the front page has a two column  headline: "GRACE MOORE DIES IN BURNING PLANE; PRINCE ALSO KILLED" with subheads that include: "Crash In... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 25, 1947

* Al Capone death (day of)
* Chicago beer baron
* Gangster - mob boss

The back page has a very small and discrete one column heading: "Capone's Heart Said to Be Failing". See image for brief text. He would die on this day.

Other news, sports and advertisements of the day throughout. Complete in... Read full description  

THE STARS AND STRIPES, Mediterranean Edition, March 7, 1945 

* Cologne, Germany captured 
* Yanks 

The front page has a banner headline "Yanks Capture Cologne" with subheads. Page 5 includes an article "Al Capone's Brother Faces Murder Rap".

This famous military newspaper has... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 10, 1942

* Roger Touhy escapes prison
* Chicago mob boss & bootlegger
* Stateville haunted prison

This 30 page newspaper has one column headlines on the front page:  "TOUHY MOB HEADS BREAK FROM PRISON", "Former Enemies Take to Cover as 5 Desperate, Armed Men Flee Toward Chicago in Auto"... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 17, 1941 This 48 page newspaper has small and somewhat discrete one column headlines: "HELD ON LEPKE CHARGE", "Siegel Arrested in Los Angeles on New York Indictment"

This tells of the arrest of Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel for harboring gangster Louis (Lepke) Buchalter.

Other news, sports and advertisements of... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, November 18, 1939

* Al 'Scarface' Capone
* Chicago gangland gangster
* Release from prison

This 36 page newspaper has one column headlines on the back page (pg. 36) that include: "AL CAPONE STARTS BRAIN TREATMENT", "Ex-Gangster Is 'Chronically but Not Acutely Ill,' Says Baltimore... Read full description  

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, November 17, 1939

* Al 'Scarface" Capone freed from prison
* Chicago gangster becomes a free man
* Best publication to be had ? (very rare as such)

The front page has a one column heading: "CAPONE, BROKEN AND ILL; FREED; PUT IN HOSPITAL" with small photo of Capone. (see images) Great to have from the city... Read full description  

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, February 9, 1938

* Gangster Al 'Scarface' Capone
* Alcatraz federal prison "The Rock"
* Best title to be had ? - rare as such

The front page has a one column heading: "Prison Death fear Drives Capone Mad" with subheads. Related photo under: "FEAR" and brief text is on page 10.... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, section 2 only, May 23, 1937

* Alcatraz Island prison life described
* San Francisco Bay "The Rock"
* Al 'Scarface' Capone - Machine Gun Kelly

The front page of this section has a two column heading: "Alcatraz Said to Tame Hardest; Punishment Aims to 'Defeat Ego'" with subhead. (see)
Complete... Read full description  

THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 24, 1936

* Al 'Scarface' Capone
* Alcatraz Island prison

The back page has one column headlines: "CAPONE IS STABBED BY ALCATRAZ FELON" "Fellow Convict Plunges Scissors Into Ex-Gangster in Prison Barber Shop" "Latter Fells Assailant" "Attack Is Laid to Hatred of the Inmates... Read full description  

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, May 1, 1936

* Murder confession & jailed in Indiana 
* Pre Al Brady Gang shootout
* Bangor, Maine fame

The top of page 3 has a one column heading: "NEW 'DILLINGER' CONFESSES; SENT BACK TO INDIANA" with subhead. (see images) Two related photos are on the back page. This was about 1 1/2 years prior... Read full description  

THE KNICKERBOCKER PRESS, Albany, New York, April 18, 1936

* Charles "Lucky' Luciano arrested
* New York City gangster

This 16 page newspaper has one column headlines on page 3: "LUCIANO ON WAY EAST UNDER GUARD", "Detectives to Board Train at Albany; $350,000 Bail Proposed"

This tells of the arrest of Charles "Lucky"... Read full description  

RADIO GUIDE, Chicago, Illinois, April 11, 1936  The cover of this issue features an illustration of Ann Shelley of "One Man's Family". Inside the issue is: "Winchell's Forty-two Days at Flemington" which dealt with Bruno Hauptmann; "Ego's on Parade"; and more. This includes the radio schedule... Read full description  

THE BETHLEHEM GLOBE-TIMES, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1936 

* Bruno Hauptmann execution (1st report) 
* Charles Lindbergh Jr. baby kidnapping  

The front page has a two column headline: "HAUPTMANN DIES, AS WAS EXPECTED, SILENT, UNAFRAID" with subheads that include: "Walks Steadily To Chair After Again... Read full description  

MILTON EVENING STANDARD, Milton, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1936

* Bruno Hauptmann execution (1st report)
* Charles Lindbergh Jr. baby kidnapping

The banner headline announces: "HAUPTMANN IS EXECUTED FOR KIDNAP-MURDER" with subhead: "Goes to Electric Chair Without Any Statement" and more. There is a related ftpg. cartoon: "Closed At... Read full description  

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Springfield, Massachusetts, April 4, 1936 

* Bruno Hauptmann execution (1st report)
* Charles Lindbergh Jr. baby kidnapping

This issue has a large & bold banner headline announcing: "HAUPTMANN DIES IN THE CHAIR" with subheads including: "Lindbergh Baby Slayer Goes To Death In... Read full description  

THE DAILY MAIL - Extra, Hagerstown, Maryland, April 3, 1936 

* Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping
* Bruno Hauptmann execution
* Nice headline for display - "same day" report

A quite dramatic front page with the bold banner headline: "BRUNO DIES", and also: "Convicted Murderer Of Lindbergh Baby Goes To... Read full description  

RADIO GUIDE, Chicago, Illinois, March 21, 1936  The cover of this issue features an illustration of Louise Massey of "The Westerners". Inside the issue is: "What Winchell Knows About (Bruno) Hauptmann"; "It Will Still Go 'Round"; "Cradle Snatching" and more. This includes the radio schedule for the week. This also has... Read full description  

NEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 15, 1936 

* Jack 'Machine Gun' McGurn assassination
* St. Valentine's Day Massacre fame
* Al 'Scarface' Capone hit man

Near the bottom of the front page is a two column heading: " 'Machine Gun' McGurn Is Slain in Chicago; Linked to St. Valentine 'Massacre' of 1929".
McGurn... Read full description