Louis "Lepke" Buchalter

Louis "Lepke" Buchalter (12 February 1897 - 4 March 1944) was a major Jewish American mobster of the 1930s. He is the only major mob boss to ever have been executed by state or federal authorities for his crimes. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2193x2875, 445 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2193x2875, 445 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... This article describes some ethnic, historic, and cultural aspects of the Jewish identity; for a consideration of the Jewish religion, refer to the article Judaism. ...

Early career

Born in 1897 to Eastern European Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Buchalter took on the nickname "Lepke" at an early age. The name was an abridgement of the affectionate diminutive "Lepkeleh" ("Little Louis" in Yiddish) his mother had called him when he was a small boy. As a boy, Lepke began his liftime of crime by stealing from pushcarts and stores in his neighborhood. By 1919, at the age of only 22, he had already served two prison terms. Eastern Europe is, by convention, a region defined geographically as that part of Europe covering the eastern part of the continent. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... Categories: Manhattan neighborhoods | Stub ... The Borough of Manhattan, highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Upon his release, he teamed up with his childhood friend, Jacob Shapiro ("Gurrah"), gradually gaining control of the garment industry unions on the Lower East Side. He used the unions to threaten strikes and demand weekly payments from factory owners while simultaneously dipping into union bank accounts. His control of the unions later evolved into a general protection racket, extending into such areas as bakery trucking. The unions were an extremely profitable venture for him, and he kept an iron grip on them even after becoming a big-time player in the mob. Jacob Gurrah Shapiro (May 5?, 1899-June 9?, 1947) was a Jewish-American mobster and, with Louis Lepke Buchalter, controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York for more then two decades. ...

Establishes alliances

In the early 1930s, Luciano, Buchalter, and Johnny Torrio (the former Chicago boss and mentor of Al Capone) formed a loose alliance. To take care of any "problems" that arose, Luciano's associates Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky formed Murder, Inc. Originally a band of Brooklyn killers of mostly Jewish origin, they were highly effective and eventually used to fulfill most murder "contracts." Control of the group soon passed to Buchalter and Albert Anastasia, as Siegel and Lansky had larger concerns to deal with. Murder, Inc., the name given to it by the media in the 1940s, was credited with carrying out numerous contract killings throughout the country, including the slaying of Dutch Schultz. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Johnny The Fox Torrio (February 1882 - April 16, 1957) was an Italian-American mobster famous for building a criminal empire in Chicago during the 1920s that would later be inherited by his protege, Al Capone. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area    - City 606. ... Capone redirects here. ... Benjamin Bugsy Siegel (February 28, 1906 – June 20, 1947) was an American gangster, popularly thought to be the impetus behind large-scale development of Las Vegas. ... This article may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... Murder, Inc. ... Brooklyn (named for the Dutch city Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ... This article describes some ethnic, historic, and cultural aspects of the Jewish identity; for a consideration of the Jewish religion, refer to the article Judaism. ... Albert Anastasia (1902-1957) Albert Anastasia (February 26, 1902–October 25, 1957), also known as the Mad Hatter and Lord High Executioner, was a Mafia boss chiefly remembered for running the contract-killing syndicate known as Murder, Inc. ... The angry face of Dutch Schultz, 1935 Dutch Schultz (August 6, 1902–October 24, 1935) was a New York City-area gangster of the 1920s and 30s. ...

The bloodiest one of all

Buchalter was probably the bloodiest Jewish gangster of all time. He was adept at commanding others to murder for him, ordering assassinations on the phone from his grandmother's house without so much as batting an eye.^{[citation needed]} As many as a hundred corpses have been attributed to Buchalter himself; those under his control may have slain a thousand more nationwide. Some of the more notorious hitmen at Buchalter's disposal included Abe Reles, Seymour Magoon, Frank Abbandando, Harry Maione, Albert Tannenbaum, and the especially brutal Harry Strauss (known as "Pittsburgh Phil," despite his having no known connection to that city). Abe Kid Twist Reles (1907 – 12 November 1941) was a Jewish American mobster who was probably the most feared hitman in the stable of Murder, Inc. ... Seymour Blue Jaw Magoon Magoon was a hitman in New Yorks Murder Inc, which was brought down by the testimony of Abe Reles. ... Frank Abbandando (1910 – February 19, 1942) was a New York City gangster and Mafia hitman. ... Harry Happy Maione (1908 – February 19, 1942) was an Italian-American hitman for Murder, Inc. ... Albert Tannenbaum, nicknamed Allie or Tick-Tock, was a Jewish- American hitman for Murder, Inc. ... Harry Pittsburgh Phil Strauss (July 28, 1909 - June 12, 1941) was a contract killer for Murder, Inc. ...

The rubout of Dutch Schultz on 23 October 1935 was a major killing for the group, as was the murder of Louis Amberg the same day. Buchalter naturally attracted a lot of attention from the FBI during the early 1930s, but thanks to bribed federal judges and other friends in high places, Buchalter got off scot-free every time.^{[citation needed]} The angry face of Dutch Schultz, 1935 Dutch Schultz (August 6, 1902–October 24, 1935) was a New York City-area gangster of the 1920s and 30s. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Downfall

Buchalter's downfall began in the mid-1930s when he went on the run from both the FBI, who wanted to nail him on a narcotics charge, and from New York City special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, who wanted him put away for his Syndicate activities. He was tricked by a childhood friend into surrendering to the federal government in exchange for his not being turned over to Dewey. Lepke ended up being incarcerated at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas on a 14-year term for narcotics trafficking. The sentence was later extended to 30 years on account of Buchalter's involvement in union racketeering. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Nickname: Big Apple Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Thomas Dewey - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The United States Penitentiary (USP), Leavenworth is located in Kansas on 1,583 acres (6. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Even more serious legal problems and consequences loomed on the horizon for Lepke in 1940. That year, the state of New York indicted him for a murder committed over four years earlier, on 13 September 1936. On that early Sunday morning, a crew of Murder, Inc. killers, acting on Lepke's orders, had gunned down Brooklyn candy store owner Joseph Rosen. Rosen was a former garment industry trucker whom Lepke had forced out of business. He had aroused Lepke's ire by failing to heed Lepke's warnings to keep quiet and leave town. Rosen then signed his own death warrant when he began threatening to expose Lepke and his vast crime operations to special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey. Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Brooklyn (named for the Dutch city Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ...

Lepke's order for the Rosen hit had been overheard by Abe Reles, who turned informant for New York State in 1940 and fingered Buchalter for four murders. Brought back from from Leavenworth to Brooklyn to stand trial for the Rosen slaying, Buchalter's position was worsened by the testimony of another turncoat, Albert Tannenbaum. A mere four hours after they were handed the case, the jury arrived at a verdict at 2 a.m. on November 30, 1941, finding Buchalter guilty of murder in the first degree. The penalty at the time for such a crime in the state of New York was death by electrocution. Also convicted and sentenced to die for the same crime were two of Lepke's lieutentants who had participated in the planning and carrying out of the Rosen murder, Emanuel Weiss, and Louis Capone (no relation to Al). Abe Kid Twist Reles (1907 – 12 November 1941) was a Jewish American mobster who was probably the most feared hitman in the stable of Murder, Inc. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... For the city in the state of Washington, see Leavenworth, Washington. ... Brooklyn (named for the Dutch city Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ... Albert Tannenbaum, nicknamed Allie or Tick-Tock, was a Jewish- American hitman for Murder, Inc. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Electric chair at the Kentucky State Penitentiary The electric chair is an execution method in which the person being executed is strapped to a chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body. ... Emanuel Mendy Weiss was a hitman working for the criminal organisation Murder Inc during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Louis Capone (1896 - 4 March 1944) was an American organized crime figure. ... Capone redirects here. ...

Buchalter during his sentencing

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2817x2265, 524 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2817x2265, 524 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ...

Conviction

Buchalter's conviction took place in December 1941, and the New York State Court of Appeals, upon review of his case, upheld his conviction and death sentence in October 1942. At the time, Buchalter was serving out his racketeering sentence at Leavenworth, and New York state authorities demanded that he be turned over to them for execution. The gangster put up a valiant fight, calling in favors from friends in the Department of Justice and the courts, and managed to remain in Kansas and out of New York's hands until January 1944. This article is about the year. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Court of Appeals is the title of certain appellate courts in various jurisdictions. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C. Justice Department redirects here. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ...

Execution

Once the federal government finally turned Lepke over to the state of New York, his execution date was set for 2 March. However, New York state's highest court decided to give the case one final review, forcing Dewey (who was now the governor of New York state) to grant Buchalter, Weiss and Capone a 48-hour reprieve. March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ...

Time ran out for the trio on Saturday night, March 4, 1944. Starting at about 11:00 that night, Capone, followed by Weiss and then by Buchalter, died in the New York state electric chair at Sing Sing. Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, dead at age 47, was the most powerful organized crime figure ever to die by legal execution. Electric chair at the Kentucky State Penitentiary The electric chair is an execution method in which the person being executed is strapped to a chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body. ... Alternative meaning: Sing Sing (band) Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a prison in Ossining, New York. ... Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ...

In popular culture

The 1975 film Lepke, starring Tony Curtis, was based on his life story. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he would also be portrayed by David J. Stewart in the 1960 film Murder Inc., Gene Roth and Joseph Ruskin in The Untouchables as well as John Vivyan and Shepherd Sanders in The Lawless Years tv series. Other portayals include the 1981 film Gangster Wars by Ron Max. Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in The Persuaders! Tony Curtis (born June 3, 1925) is an American film actor. ... The Untouchables is the name of a television series that ran from 1959 to 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company. ... Cast Michael Nouri . ...

Robert Lowell's seminal poetry collection Life Studies (1959) contains the poem "Memories of West Street and Lepke" , supposedly recording the poet seeing Lepke while in prison. Robert Lowell (March 1, 1917–September 12, 1977), born Robert Traill Spence Lowell, Jr. ...

Further reading

• Messick, Hank. Lansky. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1973. ISBN 0-7091-3966-7
• Kavieff, Paul R. The Life and Times of Lepke Buchalter: America's Most Ruthless Labor Racketeer, Barricade Books, 2006. ISBN 1569802912

External links

• The Last Days of Lepke Buchalter by Allan May
• Louis Buchalter at Encyclopædia Britannica
• Spartacus Educational: Louis Lepke
• Louis Lepke at Virtualology.com
• Lepke, 2 Pals Die In Chair At Sing Sing
• Federal Bureau of Investigation - Freedom of Information Privacy Act - Reading Room: Louis "Lepke" Buchalter
• Louis "Lepke" Buchalter at FindAGrave.com
• Louis "Lepke" Buchalter from Ron Arons' lecture "The Jews of Sing Sing"
• Louis "Lepke" Buchalter surrenders to J. Edgar Hoover