Prohibition--Michigan--Detroit

Subject Focus: The Purple Gang

Public Relations Team — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:11:58 -0400

In the Winter 2012 semester, the Reuther Library worked with students in the Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration program at the Wayne State School of Library and Information Science to produce a series of student-written, guest blog posts.

Camille Chidsey is a Library and Information Science graduate student at Wayne State University. Her concentrations are in Archival Administration and Digital Content Management.

"'These boys are not like other children of their age, they’re tainted off color.' 'Yes,' replied the other shopkeeper. 'They’re rotten, purple like the color of bad meat, they’re a Purple Gang.'" read more »

Subject Focus: The Windsor-Detroit Funnel: Prohibition in Detroit

teller — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 10:32:35 -0500

December 5th is Repeal Day, celebrating the end of Prohibition in the United States in 1933.

The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1919, prohibiting the sale, consumption, and manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. The National Prohibition Act (also known as the Volstead Act), defined what constituted an illegal alcoholic beverage read more »

(11648) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:22:29 -0400

Collingwood Massacre Trial, Purple Gang member (L to R): Keywell, Milberg, Bernstein and their attorney's.

October 2, 1931. Detroit, MI.

(11649) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1930s

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:39:48 -0400

Purple Gang member leaving the courthouse during the Collingwood Massacre trial.

1930s. Detroit, MI.

(11650) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:46:50 -0400

Collingwood Massacre Trial, L to R: Purple Gangsters Irving Millberg, Raymond Burnstein, Harry Keywell, and Attorney Edward Kennedy.

September 28, 1931. Detroit, MI.

(12497) Purple Gang, Arrests, Axler, 1927

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:48:41 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam "Simon" Axler.

April 13, 1927. Detroit, MI.

(12504) Purple Gang, Members, Axler

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:57:12 -0400

Purple Gang member Sam "Simon" Axler.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(13031) Purple Gang, Arrests, Sylvan Bernstein, 1935

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:02:14 -0400

Mug shot and information sheet for the arrest of Purple Gang member Sylvan Bernstein.

March 6, 1935. Detroit, Michigan.

(4030) Purple Gang, Arrests, Feldman, 1939

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:43:46 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Irving Feldman.

July 10, 1939. Detroit, MI.

(4036) Purple Gang, Arrests, Drapkin 1950

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:54:26 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Sam Drapkin.

February 21, 1950. Detroit, MI.

(4043) Purple Gang, Arrests, Jacobs 1954

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:19:10 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Louis Jacobs aka "Harry Stiner."

November 18, 1954. Detroit, MI.

(4044) Purple Gang, Arrests, Levine

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:39:55 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Harry Levine.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4308) Purple Gang, Purple Gang Trial, Axler with Lawyer, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:53:46 -0400

Purple Gang member Abe Axler, left, with his lawyer at the Purple Gang Trial.

Circa 1931. Detroit, MI.

(4314) Purple Gang, Arrests, Millman, 1958

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:55:53 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam Millman.

May 18, 1958. Detroit, MI.

(4321) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:01:06 -0400

Recognized as the brains of the Purple Gang, Abe Burnstein washes his hands after being fingerprinted at the Detroit Police Department.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4322) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:04:16 -0400

Purple Gang leader Abe Burnstein at the Detroit Police Department.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4555) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:06:22 -0400

Purple Gang leader Abe Burnstein with his lawyer, Louis J. Weitzman at the county jail.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4570) Purple Gang, Arrests, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein 1940s

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:21:37 -0400

Purple Gang member Joe Burnstein aka "Little Joey" with his lawyer, left.

1940s. Detroit, MI.

(4585) Purple Gang, Arrests, Raymond Burnstein, 1926

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:45:03 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Raymond Burnstein.

October 10, 1926. Detroit, MI.

(4601) Purple Gang, Arrests, Axler

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:53:52 -0400

Mug shot of Purple Gang member Abe Axler.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4613) Purple Gang, Arrests, Budd

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:56:01 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Jack Budd.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4619) Purple Gang, Trials, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:59:23 -0400

Purple Gang leader Joe Burnstein, alias "Little Joey" and his attorney Edward Kennedy Jr., left.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4626) Purple Gang, Arrests, Fingerprints, Joe Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:15:06 -0400

Purple Gang leader Joe Burnstein being fingerprinted at the Detroit Police Department.

August 12, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4629) Purple Gang, Arrests, Abramowitz, 1928

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:22:30 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam Abramowitz.

March 1, 1928. Detroit, MI.

(4651) Purple Gang, Arrests, Altman, 1935

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:26:04 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Hymie Altman,with information taken from back of photograph:

"Hymie Altman aliases: "Harry Altman", "The Indian", "Two Gun Harry", and "Jew Altman""

March 8, 1935. Detroit, MI.

(4657) Purple Gang, Trials, Auerbach

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:09:12 -0400

Purple Gang member Charles Auerbach alias "The Professor."

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4576) Purple Gang, Arrests, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:42:54 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Joe Burnstein.

August 12, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4587) Purple Gang, Arrests, Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:47:50 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein.

December 17, 1943. Detroit, MI.

(4600) Purple Gang, Arrests, Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:51:57 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein, with accompanying info on back of photograph:

"Issy Burnstein 4/26/1927 Build-Slim; Complex-Fair; Hair-Black; Eyes-Hazel; Age-21; Weight-130lbs.; Height-5’4 1/2"

April 26, 1927. Detroit, MI.

(4656) Purple Gang, Arrests, Altman, 1950

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:28:26 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Hymie Altman, with information taken from back of photograph:

Hymie Altman aliases: "Harry Altman", "The Indian", "Two Gun Harry", and "Jew Altman"

April 25, 1950. Detroit, MI.

(27837) Prohibition, Smuggling, Confiscations, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Alcohol is unloaded from an airplane seized during a Prohibition raid.

(27856) Prohibition, Blind Pigs, College of the City of Detroit, 1932

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:24 -0500

Members of the "Clean-up squad" relax after a raid on the "Oasis" at the College of the City of Detroit.

Left to right: Leo Sonner, Charles Russell, Sgt. George P. Frank, and Louis Paquette

(27822) Prohibition, Smuggling, Lake St. Clair, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:19 -0500

A beer-laden truck breaks through the ice of Lake St. Clair en-route to Detroit from Ontario.

NOTE: The young man to the right of the truck was identified as Arthur Bogusz by a family member.

(27823) Prohibition, Smuggling, Automobiles, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:20 -0500

A police officer shows off a cache of alcohol found hidden in a car during a prohibition raid.

(27824) Prohibition, Confiscation, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:20 -0500

A man uses a firemen's axe to destroy alcohol confiscated during prohibitions raids throughout Detroit.

(27825) Prohibition, Raids, Confiscation, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:20 -0500

Streams of alcohol pour off of the upper level of a speakeasy in Detroit during a Prohibition raid.

(27826) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit River, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:20 -0500

A Detroit News photographer diagrams the process of landing alcohol from Canada in Detroit at the foot of Riopelle Street during Prohibition.

(27827) Prohibition, Smuggling, Automobiles, Lake St. Clair, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:20 -0500

Rum-runners drive alcohol exported from Canada over the frozen Detroit River.

(27828) Prohibition, Smuggling, Automobiles, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A man peeks out of a secret compartment in a truck that was used to smuggle alcohol throughout Detroit.

(27829) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit River, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A police officer inspects a cable that funneled alcohol underneath the Detroit River from Canada.

(27830) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit River, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A man models a makeshift scuba suit as he sits on a boat in a boathouse. The boathouse housed a cable that funneled alcohol underneath the Detroit River from Canada.

(27831) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit River, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A photograph of a spotlight tower, located at the foot of Dubois Street, used to locate smugglers bringing alcohol across the Detroit River from Canada.

(27832) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A tunnel used to transport alcohol between buildings is discovered during a Prohibition raid in Detroit.

(27833) Prohibition, Smuggling, Detroit River, Detroit, 1929

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:21 -0500

A rum-runner lies in wait on a dock in Sandwich, Ontario for the signal that it is clear to bring alcohol across the Detroit River to a landing plot on 17th Street. Diagram courtesy of a Detroit News Photographer.

(27834) Prohibition, Raids, Speakeasies, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Officers raid a supposed speakeasy in search of alcohol.

(27835) Prohibition, Enforcement, Raids, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Officers pose with a cache of alcohol captured during a raid. In the background is a large pile of suitcases, presumably used to transport the contraband throughout Detroit.

(27836) Prohibition, Enforcement, Raids, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Officers admire a cache of alcohol captured during a raid. At right are a pile of suitcases, presumably used to transport the contraband throughout Detroit.

(27838) Prohibtion, Agents, Detroit, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Prohibition agents, in uniform and plainclothes, pose for a photograph.

(27839) Prohibition, Stills, Raids, 1920s

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

A bootlegger's still is discovered in a cellar during a raid by Prohibition agents.

(27840) Prohibition, Detroit, 1919

eclemens — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:08:22 -0500

Men line up outside of a liquor store to purchase alcohol in the days prior to the start of Prohibition.

Sign reads: "The Last Call - The time is getting shorter and so is our stock. Buy now or you'll be without it. Bye Bye. We carry the most complete (?) high grade liquors in the city."