Public enemy (term)
Encyclopedia
Public enemy is a term
which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though in fact the term had been used for centuries to describe pirates and similar outlaws.
The modern use of term was first popularized in April 1930 by Frank J. Loesch
, then chairman of the Chicago Crime Commission, in an attempt to publicly denounce Al Capone
and other Organized crime gangsters.
It was later appropriated by J. Edgar Hoover
and the FBI
who used it to describe various notorious fugitives that they were pursuing throughout the 1930s, as portrayed in the 2009 film Public Enemies. Among the criminals whom the FBI called "public enemies" were John Dillinger
, Baby Face Nelson
, Bonnie and Clyde
, Ma Barker
, and Alvin Karpis
.
The term was used so extensively during the 1930s that some writers call that period of the FBI's early history the "Public Enemy Era". Use of the term eventually evolved into the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
As stated previously, Frank J. Loesch first used the term "Public Enemy" in the title of a list he wrote of Chicago's most prominent and influential gangsters.
All of those listed were reputed to be gangsters or racketeers and most were rum-running bootleggers. Although all were known to be consistent law breakers (most prominently in regard to the widely broken Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
(law banning alcohol)) none of those named were fugitives or were actively wanted by the law. The list's purpose was clearly to both shame those named and spur the authorities to prosecute them.
In 1933, Loesch recounted the origin and purpose of the list:
However unlike Loesch's use of the term, the FBI's "Public Enemies" were wanted criminals and fugitives who were already charged with crimes.
The FBI's website describes the bureau's use of the term: "[The] FBI and the United States Department of Justice
made use of the term, "public enemy," in the 1930s, an era in which the term was synonymous with "fugitive" or "notorious gangster." It was used in speeches, books, press releases, and internal memoranda.
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though in fact the term had been used for centuries to describe pirates and similar outlaws.
The modern use of term was first popularized in April 1930 by Frank J. Loesch
Frank J. Loesch
Frank Joseph Loesch was a prominent Chicago attorney, reformer and a founder of the Chicago Crime Commission which attempted to combat the widespread corruption and organized crime related violence during Prohibition....
, then chairman of the Chicago Crime Commission, in an attempt to publicly denounce Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
and other Organized crime gangsters.
It was later appropriated by J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
and the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
who used it to describe various notorious fugitives that they were pursuing throughout the 1930s, as portrayed in the 2009 film Public Enemies. Among the criminals whom the FBI called "public enemies" were John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
, Baby Face Nelson
Baby Face Nelson
Lester Joseph Gillis , known under the pseudonym George Nelson, was a bank robber and murderer in the 1930s. Gillis was known as Baby Face Nelson, a name given to him due to his youthful appearance and small stature...
, Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
, Ma Barker
Ma Barker
Kate "Ma" Barker was the mother of several criminals who ran the Barker gang from the "public enemy era", when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the U.S. Midwest gripped the American people and press...
, and Alvin Karpis
Alvin Karpis
Alvin Francis Karpis , nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile, was an American criminal known for his alliance with the Barker gang in the 1930s. He was the last "public enemy" to be taken.-Early life:Karpis was born to Lithuanian immigrants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and was raised in Topeka,...
.
The term was used so extensively during the 1930s that some writers call that period of the FBI's early history the "Public Enemy Era". Use of the term eventually evolved into the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
As stated previously, Frank J. Loesch first used the term "Public Enemy" in the title of a list he wrote of Chicago's most prominent and influential gangsters.
All of those listed were reputed to be gangsters or racketeers and most were rum-running bootleggers. Although all were known to be consistent law breakers (most prominently in regard to the widely broken Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
(law banning alcohol)) none of those named were fugitives or were actively wanted by the law. The list's purpose was clearly to both shame those named and spur the authorities to prosecute them.
In 1933, Loesch recounted the origin and purpose of the list:
- "I had the operating director of the Chicago Crime CommissionChicago Crime CommissionThe Chicago Crime Commission is an independent, non-partisan civic watchdog organization of business leaders dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of organized criminal activity, especially organized crime, street gangs and the tools of their trade: drugs, guns, public corruption,...
bring before me a list of the outstanding hoodlums, known murderers, murderers which you and I know but can’t prove, and there were about one-hundred of them, and out of this list I selected twenty-eight men. I put Al Capone at the head and his brother next, and ran down the twenty-eight, every man being really an outlawOutlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
. I called them Public Enemies, and so designated them in my letter, sent to the Chief of Police, the Sheriff every law enforcing officer. The purpose is to keep the publicity light shining on Chicago's most prominent, well known and notorious gangsters to the end that they may be under constant observation by the law enforcing authorities and law abiding citizens."
However unlike Loesch's use of the term, the FBI's "Public Enemies" were wanted criminals and fugitives who were already charged with crimes.
The FBI's website describes the bureau's use of the term: "[The] FBI and the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
made use of the term, "public enemy," in the 1930s, an era in which the term was synonymous with "fugitive" or "notorious gangster." It was used in speeches, books, press releases, and internal memoranda.