Hidden Secrets: Gangsters of the 1920s and 1930s
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Hidden Secrets: Gangsters of the 1920s and 1930s

2012, Crime  -   39 Comments
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Ratings: 7.60/10 from 148 users.

Pretty Boy Floyd. Born in 1904, Charles Arthur Floyd, an American robber, was raised in his father's dust fields. He was just 21 when he robbed a bank for the first time.

The reason he chose this life was his bitterness and frustration of living a low class life. After a meeting with local gangsters in Kansas City, he was given the nickname of "Pretty Boy", which he hated to be called.

He had a positive reputation in public, and was known as the "Robin Hood of the Cookson Hills", despite being hunted down by the cops for several robberies. He was finally gunned down in a corn field by local officers and FBI agents.

Machine Gun Kelly. A famous bootlegger, Machine Gun Kelly, was born in 1897. He was known to be a harmless gangster until he married Kathryn Thorne. She encouraged him to rob banks and commit crimes and later on, Kathryn convinced him to kidnap a millionaire oilman, Charles F. Urschel. This turned out to be his last criminal activity because he was caught and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1933. He died behind the bars 21 years later.

Legs Diamond and Dutch Schultz. Raised in tough streets of Philadelphia, Legs Diamond was born in 1896. Shortly after his teenage years, he served in the U.S. Army during the First World War. By 1927, he was known as a powerful figure in the underworld along with Dutch Schultz. In 1929, Legs and Schultz conflict was too much for either of them to bear and in no time Legs was shot down. Dutch Schultz was suspected of ordering the murder of Legs for which few years later he himself was brutally gunned down in New Jersey.

John Dillinger. He spent most of his adult life in prison for robbing 4 police stations and 2 dozen of banks. Just 11 days after the East Chicago bank robbery, he was captured and sent to Crown Point Jail. The jail was acknowledged to be escape-proof, but a month later he escaped. He was killed by FBI agents outside a theatre.

Bonnie and Clyde. The most wanted crime figures of 1930s, Bonnie and Clyde, were recognized as 'public enemies'. These American robbers had killed several civilians along with a number of police officers. After the killing of police officers, the police were left with no other choice than fighting them with stronger firepower. They were attacked by five policemen and were slain as the bullets went through their bodies.

Al Capone. The first mobster to be featured on the cover of Times Magazine was a Chicago gangster, Al Capone. Nicknamed Scar Face for his scars on his left cheek, he was known for his brilliant mind that distinguished him as a force to be reckoned with in the criminal underworld.

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Benny worm
Benny worm
1 year ago

“This is the bees knees” Joe Mama

Joe Mama
Joe Mama
2 years ago

This is the bees knees.

Steven payton
Steven payton
2 years ago

Die the way you live all of a sudden.
That's the way to do it

Spirit Wisdom
Spirit Wisdom
2 years ago

Nice info.

Lily Evans
Lily Evans
2 years ago

Al Capone was honestly the Original mob/crime boss of this decade.

T_Ecstasy
T_Ecstasy
3 years ago

al capone was the OG of this whole thing

Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande
3 years ago

gangsters are pretty kewl :)) ngl

Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
4 years ago

I liked that era. The gangsters

In those days were no joke

Even the bootlegging days

Gus Bus
Gus Bus
4 years ago

i heard bonnie parker was kind of a pussy

Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
4 years ago

The good old days. I liked those

Days

trashkidtryhardmanboyit
trashkidtryhardmanboyit
4 years ago

no citations, just like every other url areas, not even an access date.

JcI
JcI
5 years ago

Bonnie Parker- never killed anyone!!!!!

Will_Mayo
Will_Mayo
5 years ago

I'm doing an academic fair project

TY_RAXAH
TY_RAXAH
5 years ago

I bet most of the people are here because they are doing a project for school

EligerDaTiger
EligerDaTiger
5 years ago

Anyone else come here for a research paper but stayed for the comments?

Me
Me
6 years ago

Honestly @crazydewey, are you perfect or are you mad because you won't be in history.. they may have done but they also done good to.. your seeing the bad see the good to .. stop try to erase history because if that the case what about the people that died for this country or the soldier that have killed innocent because they had no choice . So let history be

Desmond
Desmond
6 years ago

I mean, a lot of people find history interesting and im just here to do a project, so I don't think we should be burrying it, because if people find out we were hiding it it'd be a bigger deal than it would if it was just out there. Thats my idea of it all. Later

Trevor Blair
Trevor Blair
6 years ago

This is crazy

doug
doug
6 years ago

@crazydewey, so what should society see as a criminal, under your opinion what is the "model" criminal? sure aint these jokes nowadays, at least the criminals back then had class and honor to they`re own.

Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
7 years ago

I have read alot of these books of these gansters life's plus most of. Them

Had poor life's living in. The. Cold dust days the banks were robbin the poor

Popo Swat
Popo Swat
7 years ago

Some of these Gangsters were just Victims of circumstance. "Pretty boy" for instance, was a simple farm boy, grew up knowing hard back breaking work, saw his family and neighbors alike, busting their ass just trying to stay afloat, make ends meat, just to be ran over and dismissed by the banks..Floyd simply chose not to take it. I believe Floyd to be a good man, never murdered anyone. Did the things he did, out of resistance..not bitterness. He just wasn't gonna take it. I applaud, admire, and respect him for the road he chose. Dont even get me started on Dillinger! Lol. He was a good man, and he didn't kill that cop.. Pierpont did. Witnesses identified Pierpont as the shooter. But some how Dillinger got the charge, which he was never convincted of I mind you. Dillinger was a role a modle, he committed crimes but he never shot anyone. The life story of John H. Dillinger is incredible, outstanding, an very impressive. I suggest reading his wiki bio as well as wiki bios of others from the Dillinger gang. Their story is like something Hollywood wish they had thought of. Anyhow, Dillinger like Floyd just chose not to take it lying down. The world could use more people like the two.

i
i
7 years ago

dosent work

Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
7 years ago

I Remember those days. When I was a kid I use to read about them, plus many of the gangster's lived on the Lower Eastside, there were lots of them back there then even those who were part of Murder Inc, I kinda miss those Days, they were interresting

LISTEN TO ME
LISTEN TO ME
7 years ago

You cant just bury history and forget about it because they robbed and killed many people, its apart of history and today will be in 50 years. forget isis because they killed the innocent, its history and if you cant take it you lose

idc
idc
7 years ago

no one cares kys

Cb
Cb
7 years ago

It's very interesting history I love to read and watch movies about the old days and the movies about the famous gansters are great if u have never seen the old movie the lady in red u need to find it and watch it a great show of how it use to be I think they should remake a lot of the old movies I can think of all kinds that should be redone boxcar Bertha, mamas boys, the lady in red there's two movies with that name I'm talking about the one that tells about john dillingers gf Polly Hamilton and her life as a prostitute and meeting Dillinger . Of mice and men so many good old movies need redone

Robert Harrison
Robert Harrison
8 years ago

Back in the 1930's I saw many gangster films played by great actors like Edward G Robinson,George Raft, Paul Munie, Mickie Rooney and Allan Ladd. We did not see these actors as persons who were glorifying the criminals, for they were no different to playing the rolls of the bad guys of Dodge City and Tomb Stone. All who played the part of the bad guy's were reenacting a part of American history. I admit that much was far fetched but it did give us a view of what the American mobster was like.
Some of my friends who are of the same age as myself have no idea regarding the history of the Wild West neither the crimes committed by gangsters in London, Birmingham and Ireland. It is just a matter of sifting out what actually happened and what the directors of films thought the public might like to see.
Yes many were killers of their like as well as the the innocent bystander, but like those of Roman times all had their bad guy,s. History; we learn from it.

Eric Lawson
Eric Lawson
9 years ago

Great Documentary. Thanks to the producers Peace!!

Fabien L'Amour
Fabien L'Amour
9 years ago

Very superficial look at the life of several notorious american criminals. Each segment is only a few minutes long, so no depth there. If you read the short intro text for the doc here on TDF, you already covered 50% of what is being said in the documentary. No real hidden secrets there either.

crazydewey
crazydewey
9 years ago

Why does society glorify these criminals that killed and robbed innocent people. We should bury these people and make it a crime to publicize these animals who were an abomination to our society.