August 10, 1907 - Alvin 'Creepy' Karpis
Among the last of the Depression-era public enemies, Karpis built a criminal career that spanned kidnapping, bank robbery, and mail theft at a scale that drew sustained federal attention and eventually made him J. Edgar Hoover's personal priority. He held the designation of "Public Enemy No. 1" longer than any other figure of that period, and his 1936 capture — claimed personally by Hoover — marked a symbolic close to the gangster era. He served over 25 years in Alcatraz, longer than any other inmate.
From Wikipedia
Alvin Francis Karpis (born Albin Francis Karpavičius; August 10, 1907 – August 26, 1979) was a Canadian–American criminal of Lithuanian descent known for being a leader of the Barker–Karpis Gang in the 1930s. Nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile and called "Ray" by his gang members, Karpis led the gang along with Fred Barker and Arthur "Doc" Barker. There were only four "public enemies" ever given the title of "Public Enemy #1" by the FBI and he was the only one to be taken alive. The other three, John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson, were all killed before they could be captured. He also spent the longest time as a federal prisoner at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, serving twenty-six years.
Further reading
- The Alvin Karpis Story
Karpis tells his own life story as one of Depression-era America's most notorious gangsters and the last Public Enemy No. 1 taken alive.
View on Amazon → - On the Rock
Karpis offers a firsthand account of his years inside Alcatraz, where he served time for kidnapping charges.
View on Amazon → - Hunt for the Last Public Enemy in Northeastern Ohio, The: Alvin "Creepy" Karpis and his Road to Alcatraz
This regional history traces Karpis's repeated use of northeastern Ohio as a hideout, culminating in the last great American train robbery of the Depression era.
View on Amazon →
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