Pages
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Title
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Missouri: Murder on Truman Road
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Description
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Photos and biographical article about Charles Binaggio, Jackson County political boss, killed in his "First District Democratic Club on Truman Road in Kansas City" in 1950 along with Charles Gargotta, "a gunman who was his chief 'enforcer.'" Description of Binaggio's career and rise to power after coming to Kansas City from Chicago, being tutored by Tom Pendergast in the 1930s before succeeding him over Tom's nephew, James Pendergast.
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Date
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1950-04-17
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Another Shocker for Kansas City
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Description
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Many photos of court appearances and buildings of organized crime members involved with the murdered men, Binaggio and Gargotta.
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Date
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1950-05-15
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Will They Be Able to Silence Mr. Bash?
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Description
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Photo and biographical article about Thomas Bash, "shooting sheriff" of Jackson County testifying in trial about the shooting regarding Charles Gargotta. Speculations about his reasons for testifying against the Pendergast machine despite its offers made to him to keep quiet.
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Date
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1935-06-28
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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He Beats the Rap but You Take It
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Description
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Photo and article about the murder trail of Charles Gargotta, "rat-faced Pendergast political lieutenant and gangster" reportedly interrupted by Sheriff Thomas Bash in "a killing party on Armour boulevard and Forest avenue" on August 12, 1933. Details about the case and information about other Kansas Citians involved, including the following: "Ferris Anthon, a rival Fifteenth street bootlegger" allegedly killed in the shooting by Gargotta; Sammy Scola and Gus Fasone, "friends of Gargotta and fellow workers in the North Side Democratic club" killed by Bash; John Lazia, "North Side gangster king" and owner of the Gargotta Buick; and presiding judge Merrill Ots, et al.
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Date
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1935-05-17
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
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Title
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Charles Gargotta Being Escorted by Officers
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Description
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Mobster Charles Gargotta (center) being escorted to his arraignment to face charges of murdering bootlegger Ferris Anthon and the attempted murder of Sheriff Thomas Bash on August 12, 1933. He is being escorted by Chief Deputy William Schickhardt (left) and Deputy Al Finkelstine.
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Date
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1933-08-16
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Object Type
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Negative
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Title
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3203-3211 Southwest Boulevard - Last Chance Tavern (Saloon)
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Description
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View looking east of the buildings that once stood at 3203-3211 Southwest Boulevard. The Last Chance Tavern (or Saloon) at 3205 Southwest Boulevard, Goulding's, and the Last Chance Cafe are in view. Cars parked on the street can be seen.
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Date
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1950-04
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Object Type
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Photograph
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Title
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SC205 Organized Crime Files Finding Aid
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Description
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This collection contains files relating to organized crime in Kansas City from the 1930s to the 1970s. Contents include records from the Kansas City Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, reporter’s notes, newspaper clippings, and photographs of local mafia members.
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Date
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1934~/1972~
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Object Type
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Finding Aid
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Title
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Charles Gargotta
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Description
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Newspaper clippings from the Kansas City Star and Times on Charles Gargotta, the organized crime leader in Kansas City shot to death in 1950, with photos.
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Object Type
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Archival Material
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Title
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SC205 Organized Crime Files - Series 3: Hoods Who Spotlight on Organized Crime in the Kansas City Area
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Description
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Booklet intended to inform the public of the dangers of organized crime in Kansas City. The book contains: a summary of successful prosecution of syndicate members or associates from January 1, 1961 to present (April 1970); the Kefauver Senate Committee underworld charts for Kansas City organized crime activities, Exhibits 1 and 1A; a list of members and associates of the syndicate; the danger signs for the community; and a list of syndicate business connections.
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Date
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1970-04
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Object Type
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Archival Material
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Title
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SC205 Organized Crime Files - Series 1: Mugshots
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Description
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This series contains miscellaneous Kansas City Police Department mug shots from various dates showing individuals suspected of having ties to organized crime, mafia, and mob activity in Kansas City. Some include a physical description and record of previous arrests on the back side of the photograph. Please note that the individuals in these mug shots do not have a corresponding police file in this collection. Mug shots of those listed in Series 2 and 3 were kept with their corresponding file. This series is arranged alphabetically by surname.
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Date
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1934~/1972~
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Object Type
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Archival Material
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Title
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SC205 Organized Crime Files - Series 4: Unione Sicilione
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Description
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This series contains photographs, miscellaneous documents,and newspaper clippings pertaining to the Sicilian-American criminal brotherhood known as the Unione Sicilione, or Unione Siciliana, and individuals suspected of having ties to organized crime, mafia, and mob activity in Kansas City.
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Date
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1950/1961
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Object Type
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Archival Material
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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
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Title
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The Binaggio and Gargotta Murders
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Description
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A collection of 111 pages of photocopied newspaper articles from the Kansas City Star and Kansas City Times detailing the murders of Charles Binaggio and Charles Gargotta and the subsequent investigation of those killings. The victims were associated with the First District Democratic Club, located on Kansas City's north side, and both had ties to organized crime. The clippings cover a four-month period in 1950, from April until August. Each article is annotated with its source and date of publication. Charles Binaggio was a Democratic faction leader and Charles Gargotta was a north side underworld character. Both were shot on April 6, 1950, in the club rooms of the First District Democratic Club at 716-718 Truman Road. According to the newspaper clipping on page 37 of the compilation, both Binaggio and Gargotta are buried in Mount St. Mary's Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Date
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1950-04-06/1950-08-06
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Object Type
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Newspaper Article
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Title
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Crime's Grip on Politics: Reported from Kansas City
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Description
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Crime and gambling--and their ties with politics in President Truman's home county--are starting to come into the open. [G]ambling a 34.5-million-dollar deal in Kansas City.
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Date
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1950-05-12
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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 the escape from federal police in Kansas City of Sam Randazzo, "a St. Louis gangster" being released from Leavenworth, with the help of police officials Otto Higgins and Jeff Rayen. Other featured articles include: “Patriots Go to Riverside” (p. 2), about the gambling on horse racing in Riverside, Missouri, "(owned by Pendergast associates)" and its effects on gambling salons or saloons in Kansas City such as "the Bowery and the King Kong"; “The Eagle Hovers” (p. 2), about the meeting of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (led by Conrad Mann) in honor of Thomas J. Pendergast to initiate 1,000 new members affiliated with the local Democratic Party including Charles Carrollo ("companion of John Lazia when the North End Democratic leader was machine-gunned to death"), Dominick Binaggio ("political gambling king here"), et al.; “New Pussys” (p. 3), about the "Pusateris" operating gambling machines, prostitutes, bootleg liquors, and "juicy steak dinners" "about a block east of police headquarters" during the Prohibition era, moving in 1935 to a new building near 79th and Holmes Streets "outside the city limits" and projected to be "one of the swankiest night clubs and casinos in the Middle West"; “Pathetic Case of Leonard Claiborne” (p. 3), photo and article about Leonard Claiborne, "for fifteen years a city detective" for the Kansas City Police Department and sentenced to "a four-year term for a lie he told to save the neck of Charles Gargotta, North Side gangster" under John Lazia in 1933; and “May We Present Mrs. George H. Hoxie” (p. 5), photo and profile of Ida S. Hoxie, who worked with the Consumers’ League to ensure that local dairies were hygienic and was also active with the Red Cross and League of Women Voters; 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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1935-05-24
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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, describing the inequality of property tax assessments throughout Jackson County and other costs of homeownership. Other featured articles include: “He Beats the Rap but You Take It” (p. 3), photo and article about the murder trial of Charles Gargotta, "rat-faced Pendergast political lieutenant and gangster" reportedly interrupted by Sheriff Thomas Bash in "a killing party on Armour boulevard and Forest avenue" on August 12, 1933, including details about the case and information about other Kansas Citians involved, including the following: "Ferris Anthon, a rival Fifteenth street bootlegger" allegedly killed in the shooting by Gargotta; Sammy Scola and Gus Fasone, "friends of Gargotta and fellow workers in the North Side Democratic club" killed by Bash; John Lazia, "North Side gangster king" and owner of the Gargotta Buick; and presiding judge Merrill Otis, et al; “His Country Needs Him” (p. 4), article about Matthew Murray, "director of public works and a city hall protegee of Henry McElroy," recommended "to direct the expenditure of Missouri's share of the president's $4,880,000, 000 work relief fund" by "Senators Truman (Pendergast) and Clark of St. Louis"; and “May We Present George O. Pratt” (p. 5), photo and article about Pratt, local lawyer and associate director of the Regional Labor Relations Board; 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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1935-05-17
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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 effusive spending of city funds on the Kansas City Zoo, comparing the luxurious living conditions of a tiger there to many thousands of Kansas Citians with very poor housing and utilities, etc., including illustrative photos. Other featured articles include: “Arson Aylor” (p. 2), about the conviction of Ben Aylor, former owner of the burned-down Rochambeau Hotel in Kansas City, for arson in its destruction by fire in 1932; “Luscious Prize—‘Compromise’” (p. 2), about the meeting of R. Emmet O'Malley, "Missouri insurance commissioner," with Tom Pendergast in New York regarding placement of "millions of dollars of Missouri insurance buyers' funds into the hands of politicians--Pendergast politicians, of course"; and “Dikes, They Said” (p. 2), about a project to sandbag the banks of the Kaw River, alleged by engineers to be ineffective against funding and simply away to funnel money to machine-allied companies; 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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1935-06-14
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Object Type
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Newspaper
Pages
