Gangsters, Outlaws and Mobsters: A Missouri History of Twentieth Century Crimes and Criminals

by David True

Overview

When people think of organized crime, the cities of Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York come to mind, but the state of Missouri has produced a long list of high profile criminals known across the nation. In fact, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde, Machine Gun Kelly, and Fred "Killer" Burke—all high on the FBI's most wanted list—had ties to the state.

In Gangsters, Outlaws and Mobsters – A Missouri History of Twentieth Century Crimes and Criminals, retired ATF agent and author David True details the true stories of the state's most notorious criminals.

Missouri native David True, who grew up in the shadow of the St. Louis underworld, has compiled an exhaustive list of Missouri's most notorious criminals based upon three decades of research and insider knowledge from investigating gangland crimes and criminals.

Read Gangsters, Outlaws and Mobsters and see the dark side of Missouri too disturbing to be discussed in travel guides!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781948901871
Publisher:	Acclaim Press
Publication date:	09/27/2021
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	1,013,326
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

Table of Contents

Dedication 6

Acknowledgments 7

Preface 8

Introduction 12

Chapter 1 Outlaw Males and Gangster Molls Behind Missouri Prison Walls 17

Chapter 2 The Fingerprint Identification System 50

Chapter 3 AKA Fred "Killer" Burke and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre 54

Chapter 4 The Gun of the Roaring Twenties 64

Chapter 5 "Pretty Boy" Floyd and the Union Station Massacre 70

Chapter 6 The Story of Bonnie and Clyde 83

Chapter 7 "Machine Gun" Kelly 93

Chapter 8 Missouri Mobster Influence in the Nevada Casino Industry 98

Chapter 9 Mobster Crime, Violence, and Justice, East Missouri Style 110

Chapter 10 Mobster Crime, Violence, and Justice, West Missouri Style 141

Chapter 11 The Kansas City Sting 155

Chapter 12 The Trench Coat Bank Robbers 202

Chapter 13 Crime, Violence, and Justice, Southwest Missouri Style 214

Chapter 14 Lundgren Cult Murder; Ryan Fitness Center Fatal Arson; RSBI Arson Kickback Fraud 257

Chapter 15 Tony Emery, Northwest Missouri Drugs-Murder Case 275

Bibliography 290

Appendix: Terms, Nicknames, and Phrases-Quotes, Descriptions, and Places 295

About the Author 316

Index 317

Editorial Reviews

"If you like factual crime history, particularly about Missouri crimes and criminals, you must read this book. In Gangsters, Outlaws and Mobsters, David True has done an excellent job of researching crime data in Missouri and turning it into a compelling read not just for 'crime buffs', but also the everyday reader. Dave True is a retired ATF agent, and intimate knowledge and a unique perspective that only comes from having been there. Don't miss reading this book!"
—Richard Cook, retired Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission President and retired ATF Special Agent in Charge

"Rarely does a history book read like a page-turning crime novel, but that's exactly what retired ATF Special Agent Dave True has accomplished with Gangsters, Outlaws, and Mobsters – A Missouri History of Twentieth Century Crimes and Criminals. Dave has compiled the most extensive collection of cases outlining the crimes of some of the country's most notorious criminals of the 20th century with a connection to the state of Missouri. Written with the same attention to detail that Dave was known for as a case agent, this book could easily serve as a college criminology textbook as well as a 'true-crime novel'. I look forward to reading his next book!"
—Mark S. James, former Director, Missouri Department of Public Safety; Chancellor, Metropolitan Community College of Kansas City; and retired ATF Special Agent in Charge

"David True has done a masterful job in telling 'just the facts' in many tales of legendary criminals in Missouri's history. These infamous events have been researched and the facts from police reports and interviews have shown that the glorious tales and folklore generated through the years were not far from the truth. Anyone who wants to relive this era of crime will find Gangsters, Outlaws, and Mobsters difficult to put down."
—Dale Schmidt, Executive Director, Missouri Peace Officers Association (MPOA) and retired Major, Missouri State Highway Patrol

From the Publisher