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The Christian Front arrests in 1940...
The Christian Front arrests in 1940...
Item # 724966
January 15, 1940
NEW YORK WORLD-TELEGRAM, Jan. 15, 1940
* Christian Front (United States) arrests
* Plot to overthrow the U.S. government
The front page has a one column heading: "17 Arrested As They Got Bombs Ready" with subhead. (see images) More on page 2 with banner heading, a few related photos and the names of the plotters.
Complete with 26 pages, Some spine wear, light toning at the margins, generally nice.
background: On January 14, 1940, the FBI conducted a series of coordinated raids across New York City, arresting 17 members of the Christian Front, a pro-fascist, antisemitic organization inspired by the radio broadcasts of Father Charles Coughlin. Led by John F. Cassidy, the group—dubbed the "Brooklyn Boys"—was charged with seditious conspiracy after agents discovered a cache of rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and 15 pipe bombs intended for a violent overthrow of the United States government. Their plot allegedly involved assassinating congressmen, bombing the Jewish Daily Forward offices, and seizing federal utilities to spark a counter-revolution against what they termed "Jewish Communism." Despite the gravity of the evidence, the subsequent trial in the summer of 1940 resulted in an embarrassing defeat for the Department of Justice; defense attorneys successfully argued the group's activities were merely "boisterous talk" and a reaction to perceived threats, leading to acquittals or mistrials for all defendants. The case remains a stark historical example of domestic extremism and the difficulties of prosecuting homegrown paramilitary groups in the pre-WWII era.
Category: The 20th Century
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