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Title
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Thunder over Kansas City: Murder and an Election
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Description
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Second of a four-part series of magazine articles on the microfilm roll with photos, illustrations, and information on the Pendergast machine of Kansas City. Description of criminal and legal figures associated here with the 1933 Union Station Massacre and 1934 election day murders, including Adam Richetti, Frank Nash, Sheriff Thomas Bash, John Lazia, Charles Gargotta, Detective Leonard Claiborne, and Kansas City Star reporter Justin Bowersock, et al.
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Date
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1938-09-24
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Thunder over Kansas City: A Machine and a Massacre
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Description
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First of a four-part series of magazine articles on the microfilm roll with photos, illustrations, and information on the Pendergast machine of Kansas City. Description of criminal figures associated here with the Union Station Massacre, with photos of Richard Galatas, Pretty Boy Floyd, Verne Miller, and federal prosecutor Maurice Milligan.
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Date
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1938-09-17
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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Issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes an article, continued on page 8, with a photo and description of Kansas City FBI agent Lieutenant William Gordon, "commended by J. Edgar Hoover," in an article about the crime-fighting operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and its relation to Kansas City crime. Sheriff Bash, Chief Coffey, Director Reppert, Chief of Detectives Thomas Higgins, and Lieutenant George Rayen are also discussed. Other featured articles include: “Journey to the K.C. Market” (pp. 2 & 6), about visiting the City Market, where the vendors are described as local farmers or Greek importers and noting the bad car and trolley traffic; “Nicking Street Car Riders’ Nickels” (p. 3), photo and biographical article about Brigadier-General E. M. Stayton, "Kansas City street railway commissioner," resident of Independence, and former teacher in Independence starting in 1907. Description of his "farcical" role in actual city government and high salary coming from the Pendergast machine; “Sock! Splat!” (p. 3), about boxing competitions at International Arena, at 15th & Troost, attended by “the henchmen of Boss Cash Welch”; “The King’s Men” (p. 4), arguing that there is no hope for clean government from local and state leadership, but expressing hope for better leadership from Senators Bennett Clark and Harry Truman and encouraging readers “to work, day and night, … to vote against the existing regime”; and “May We Present Thomas Leslie Johnson” (p. 5), photo and biographical article about Thomas Leslie Johnson, or Thomas Johnson, "insurance executive, churchman, Y. M. C. A. leader and all around efficient citizen of this community," growing up in Kansas City; also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on sports, fashion, finance, cooking, music, letters to the editor, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-02-08
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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The Shame of Kansas City: Crime and Machine Rule
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Description
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Magazine article on the microfilm roll with photos and information on the Pendergast machine. Comparison of Boss Tom Pendergast to Benito Mussolini (the fascist dictator of Italy) and photos and descriptions of many crime-related people and places: (1) three "wide-open honky-tonks," (2) the Union Station Massacre and bombed stores, (3) Otto Higgins, (4) W. W. Graves, Jr., (5) Charles Gargotta, and (6) James Pendergast, etc.
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Date
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1938-10
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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Issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes an article, continued on page 8, about J. C. Nichols and his city planning projects in Kansas City with the Country Club residential district and Country Club Plaza shopping center, etc., including a photo of Nichols. Other featured articles include: “To Better Serve His Clients” (p. 2), about Michael Konomos retiring as assistant county prosecutor after "'los[ing] the records' in one of the most infamous murder cases in court history here last March" involving a murder by John Mangiaricina, "alleged killer, ward politician in well with an organization power"; “Bye Bye Adam (p. 2), photo and article about Adam Richetti, "associate of Charles (Pretty Boy) Floyd, in the circuit court … being tried on a charge of murder in connection with the Union Station massacre"; and “May We Present Jimmy Maroon” (p. 5), profile of Jimmy Maroon, or James Maroon, "hoodlum, city employee, and man-about-Twelth-Street," starting out as a criminal in Kansas City in 1927 as a car thief and kidnapper and arrested as part of a criminal gang in Kansas City in 1935; also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on fashion, finance, cooking, music, art, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-06-21
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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Issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes an article, continued on page 8, about the Bond Advisory Committee of the Ten-Year Plan, made up of prominent Kansas Citians including R. Crosby Kemper and J. E. Woodmansee, and chaired by Conrad H. Mann. Other featured articles include: “The Sport of Kings” (p. 2), about the Riverside horse racing track and the machine-controlled gambling that takes place there; “Will They Be Able to Silence Mr. Bash?” (p. 3), a photo and article about Thomas Bash, "shooting sheriff" of Jackson County testifying in trial about the shooting regarding Charles Gargotta, including speculations about his reasons for testifying against the Pendergast machine despite its offers made to him to keep quiet; also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on fashion, finance, cooking, music, art, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-06-28
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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Issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes an article, continued on page 8, about the apartments on the Country Club Plaza and Armour Boulevard managed by the Assured Rental Company (led by George Goldman and Herman Shapiro), in the city's "South Side," voting against the Pendergast ticket City Council nominees. Apartment buildings involved including "the White Hall apartments, 323 Brush Creek boulevard; the Alcazar, 101 West [39th Street]," and "the Armour Plaza apartments, 1216 East Armour boulevard, and the Ricardo, 811 East Armour boulevard." Other featured articles include: “Ah! Union!” (p. 3), about the 1936 election for Missouri state senator, with Bennett Clark winning over Pendergast candidate Charles Howell despite being "robbed of 20,000 votes in Kansas City"; and “May We Present Bryson Ayres” (p. 5), a photo and profile of Bryson Ayres, an Independence florist and anti-Pendergast activist born in Missouri and growing up in the Pacific Northwest before coming to Kansas City; also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on fashion, finance, cooking, music, art, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-06-07
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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Issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes an article, continued on page 8, discussing aspects of democracy and good government, and suggesting problems and solutions for clean elections. Other featured articles include: "Health and Politics" (pp. 2 & 3), a report on the recommendations of the 'Health and Hospital Survey' of 1930 for Kansas City, with various information about health care deficiencies and statistics, including "a wing for Negroes" left uncompleted "at the tuberculosis hospital at Leeds" and a death rate of Kansas City being higher (12.25) than New York City (10.23); "FERA's Education for All Ages"(p. 2) about an adult education program with subjects including bookkeeping and public speaking, and with young mothers and students still learning English among its students; "Glenn Did Not Choose to Run" (p. 2), about Glenn Cunningham, a University of Kansas track star and Olympic athlete, meeting a group of men leaving Union Station for Civilian Conservation Corps jobs; "Piecemeal Changes" (p. 3), about state management of federal relief funds and a potential consolidation of social welfare and penal boards; "Within the Beautiful State House" (pp. 3 & 4), about the new speaker of the state house and committee nominations and Governor Guy Park’s and Pendergast’s influence in the decision, including a portrait sketch of Governor Parks; "To You Who Would Make Changes" (p. 4), encouraging readers to work against the Pendergast machine rather than just complain about it; “20,000 Men and Women” (p. 4), discussing the large youth vote “not bound to either of the old political parties”; and "May We Present Edwin Terry Brigham" (p. 5), a photograph and biographical article about the superintendent of the Helping Hand Institute; also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on sports, fashion, finance, cooking, music, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-01-18
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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Future: The Newsweekly for Today
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Description
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First issue of the anti-corruption, Kansas City-based newspaper, Future: The Newsweekly for Today. The front page includes a statement on the newspaper's objective, maintaining that the newspaper is not against any certain political party or vice, but that it is simply for "good government." Featured articles include: “Council Passes Cab Ordinance” (pp. 2 & 4) discussing councilman Frank H. Backstrom’s reaction to the ordinance and detailing other ordinances appropriating bond funds.; "Adult Education--A Fine Work" (pp. 2 & 6) concerning "the program of adult education going forward under the FERA, with the hearty co-operation of the city's Board of Education" and supervised by Roy Gallemore. It describes courses offered at Lincoln High School and its "sixty-three colored teachers employed, a goodly number as compared with the hundred and sixteen white teachers."; “Trivia” (pp. 2 & 6) and "Borderline Businesses Pay Most Sugar" (pp. 3 & 8) on the bombing of the Harlem Nightclub as an example of the vulnerability of semi-legitimate ("borderline") nightclubs and other businesses in Kansas City to its strong-arm tactics of organized crime through the police department. A photo of the Harlem Nightclub bombing is included.; "What, Precisely, Is a Machine?" (pp. 3 & 5) on the definition of political machines and the Pendergast machine in Kansas City fitting this definition through unofficial financing, voting fraud, etc.; "A New Administration for the County" (pp. 3-5) detailing the new administrative officials, new budget laws, and efforts to reduce the city deficit. A picture of J. W. Hostetter, Eugene I. Purcell, and Battle McCardle is included.; “NYM” (p. 4) on the National Youth Movement began in Kansas City in May 1932 with a portrait of Joseph C. Fennelly.; "May We Present Mrs. Charles N. Seidlitz" (p. 5) on Alice Richards Seidlitz "one of the founders of the Junior League of Kansas City," wife of Charles Seidlitz ("president of the Seidlitz Paint and Varnish Company"), and daughter of George Richards ("son of the founder of Richards and Conover Hardware Company"). A photo of Alice is included.; "Be Proud, Citizens!" (pp. 5 & 8) on the ironic description of Kansas City by Judge Brown Harris "as 'probably the most law-abiding city in the United States.'" Irony due to the judge's association with the Pendergast machine and "federal indictments" in relation to the Union Station massacre of Eugene Reppert ("former director of police"), Thomas Higgins ("chief of detectives"), George Rayen ("of the police motor theft bureau"), Tom Bash (sheriff), etc.; Book review (p. 7) of "Heaven's My Destination" by Thornton Wilder (author of "Our Town" and "The Bridge of San Luis Rey"), describing a scene in the book with the main character (a devoutly religious man) unknowingly eating at one of Kansas City's "bawdy houses" and experiencing other misadventures.; Also included in the newspaper are advertisements for local businesses and articles on sports, fashion, finance, cooking, music, and national and international news.
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Date
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1935-01-11
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Object Type
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Newspaper
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Title
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SC205 Organized Crime Files - Series 5: Records and General Data
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Description
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This series contains miscellaneous police records, newspaper clippings, Kansas City Star staff correspondence, and information on various mafia members, including Charles Gargotta and several others listed in Series 2, all suspected of having ties to organized crime, mafia, and mob activity in Kansas City. Loose mug shots were removed and interfiled with Series1-3.
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Date
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1947/1959
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Object Type
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Archival Material
