Archive

Murder Inc.

“Spring Scene”

August 5, 2024
1941, Murder Inc., PM


“Let’s Go Home”; Charlie Spivak and his Orch.; S. Williams; Holland; Burke; Okeh (6366); Publication date: August 5, 1941


PM, August 5, 1941, pp.18-20

The Rise and Fall of Lepke Buchalter
Climax of O’Dwyer War on Murder, Inc.; One of City’s Biggest Racketeers on Trial
PM, August 5, 1941, p.18


PM, August 5, 1941, p.20 (PM Photo by Weegee)

Spring Scene And here’s what happened to Sidney (Shimmy) Shales last April. Shimmy was on the lam from a federal indictment linking him to 14 Lepke-ites. Early in the evening he was sauntering up Fifth Avenue when a bullet plowed into his thigh. The marksman then bent over him, jammed his gun against Shimmy’s temple and fired four more shots. None of the hundred who crowded around the corpse would say he had seen the killer. And Shimmy couldn’t.


“To Your Heart’s Content (Acercate Mas)”; Charlie Spivak and his Orch.; Farres; Okeh (6366); Publication date: August 5, 1941

“…dominated by the underworld…”

May 28, 2022
1940, Murder Inc.


“Dusk”; Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra; Duke Ellington; O. Hardwicke; B. Webster; J. Hodges; B. Bigard; H. Carney; C. Williams; R. Stewart; W. Jones; L. Brown; J. Nanton; J. Tizol; F. Guy; J. Blanton; S. Greer; Victor (20-1534-A); Publication date: May 28, 1940


“Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga”; Dick Stabile and his Orchestra; Shirley Gay; Newman; Monaco; Vocalion (5593); Publication date: May 28, 1940


“A Portrait of Bert Williams”; Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra; O. Hardwick; H. Carney; J. Hodges; A. Bigard; B. Webster; R. Stewart; C. Williams; W. Jones; J. Nanton; J. Tizol; L. Brown; Duke Ellington; J. Blanton; F. Guy; S. Greer; RCA Victor (26644-A); Publication date: May 28, 1940


The New York Times, May 28, 1940

TWO LEPKE AIDES FACE COURT TODAY

Strauss and Capone Accused With Racketeer and 3 Others of First-Degree Murder

The New York Times, May 28, 1940

[By the end of May 1940 the “Brooklyn murder syndicate” (Murder, Inc.), was dying, due in part to a few murders with “corroboration,” … and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra were creating great music…]


“Bojangles”; Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra; O. Hardwick; H. Carney; J. Hodges; A. Bigard; B. Webster; R. Stewart; C. Williams; W. Jones; J. Nanton; J. Tizol; L. Brown; Duke Ellington; J. Blanton; F. Guy; S. Greer; RCA Victor (26644-B); Publication date: May 28, 1940