The Untouchables (law enforcement)
Encyclopedia
The Untouchables was a group of 13 U.S.
federal law-enforcement agents, led by Eliot Ness
, who, from 1929 to 1931, worked to end Al Capone
's illegal activities by aggressively enforcing Prohibition
and tax laws against Capone and his organization. In their conduct, they became legendary for being fearless and incorruptible, earning the nickname "Untouchables."
, Herbert Hoover
, charged his Secretary of the Treasury
, Andrew Mellon, with bringing down Al Capone
. The federal government approached the problem by attacking Capone's organization on two fronts. The first front was mounted by criminal investigators of the Treasury's Bureau of Internal Revenue, who would examine the financial records of Capone and his subordinates to see if they could be prosecuted for tax evasion
. This unit of IRS agents was headed by Frank J. Wilson
under the close supervision of Elmer Irey.
The second front would consist of a special unit of the Bureau of Prohibition
, then a branch of the Department of Justice
, who would attack Capone's beer and liquor empire by raiding speakeasies, stills, and, particularly, breweries. The unit's main purpose was twofold: to make it apparent that law enforcement was indeed still active against Capone, whose opulent lifestyle was turning many people against him as the Great Depression progressed, and to deprive Capone of his sources of the income he needed to pay the corrupting graft that was his greatest protection against prosecution. Ness was chosen to head this elite squad.
Raids against stills and breweries began immediately, and within six months, Ness claimed to have seized breweries worth over one million dollars. An extensive wire-tapping operation was the main source of information for the raids.
An attempt by Capone to bribe Ness's agents was seized on by Ness for publicity, leading to the media nickname "The Untouchables."
With the conclusion of the Capone case, "The Untouchables" were disbanded and Ness, in recognition of his work, was promoted to Chief Investigator of the Prohibition Bureau for Chicago.
The initial nine were:
Followed by:
Also deserving of mention is:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal law-enforcement agents, led by Eliot Ness
Eliot Ness
Eliot Ness was an American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to enforce Prohibition in Chicago, Illinois, and the leader of a legendary team of law enforcement agents nicknamed The Untouchables.- Early life :...
, who, from 1929 to 1931, worked to end 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...
's illegal activities by aggressively enforcing Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
and tax laws against Capone and his organization. In their conduct, they became legendary for being fearless and incorruptible, earning the nickname "Untouchables."
The mission of the Untouchables
Upon taking office in 1929, the 31st President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
, charged his Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
, Andrew Mellon, with bringing down 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...
. The federal government approached the problem by attacking Capone's organization on two fronts. The first front was mounted by criminal investigators of the Treasury's Bureau of Internal Revenue, who would examine the financial records of Capone and his subordinates to see if they could be prosecuted for tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
. This unit of IRS agents was headed by Frank J. Wilson
Frank J. Wilson
Frank J. Wilson was the Chief of the United States Secret Service and a former agent of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue, later known as the Internal Revenue Service, most notably in the 1931 prosecution of Chicago mobster Al Capone and federal representative in the Lindbergh...
under the close supervision of Elmer Irey.
The second front would consist of a special unit of the Bureau of Prohibition
Bureau of Prohibition
The Bureau of Prohibition was the federal law enforcement agency formed to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919, commonly known as the Volstead Act, which backed up the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution regarding the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, and transportation...
, then a branch of the 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...
, who would attack Capone's beer and liquor empire by raiding speakeasies, stills, and, particularly, breweries. The unit's main purpose was twofold: to make it apparent that law enforcement was indeed still active against Capone, whose opulent lifestyle was turning many people against him as the Great Depression progressed, and to deprive Capone of his sources of the income he needed to pay the corrupting graft that was his greatest protection against prosecution. Ness was chosen to head this elite squad.
Raids against stills and breweries began immediately, and within six months, Ness claimed to have seized breweries worth over one million dollars. An extensive wire-tapping operation was the main source of information for the raids.
An attempt by Capone to bribe Ness's agents was seized on by Ness for publicity, leading to the media nickname "The Untouchables."
With the conclusion of the Capone case, "The Untouchables" were disbanded and Ness, in recognition of his work, was promoted to Chief Investigator of the Prohibition Bureau for Chicago.
Members
Because corruption was endemic among law-enforcement agents, Ness combed records of all Prohibition Agents to create a reliable team, initially of 50, later reduced to 15, and finally to just 11 men.The initial nine were:
- Lyle Chapman, former Colgate University football player, tactician, and investigator
- Bernard V. Cloonan, a muscular, Irish agent, known for his strength
- Martin J. Lahart, another muscular, Irish boxer and sports enthusiast
- Thomas Friel, former Pennsylvania state trooper
- William GardnerBill Gardner (Untouchables)William Jennings Gardner was one of Eliot Ness's "Untouchables," a group of 11 hand-picked United States federal law-enforcement agents who, from 1929 to 1931, sought to put an end to Al Capone's illegal empire. Ness chose Gardner for his team because he was an expert at undercover work.-Early...
, Chippewa, former athlete, former soldier, lawyer, oldest member at age 50 - Michael King, deceptively ordinary looking analyst and tactician
- Joseph Leeson, expert driver with speciality of tailing
- Paul W. Robsky, short and unobtrusive wire-tapping expert
- Samuel M. Seager, former Sing SingSing SingSing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in the town of Ossining, New York...
death rowDeath rowDeath row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
Corrections Officer
Followed by:
- Jim Seeley, former private investigatorPrivate investigatorA private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
. - Albert H. Wolff, transferred to Chicago from the Kentucky hills shortly after the St. Valentine's Day massacreSt. Valentine's Day massacreThe Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 mob associates as part of a prohibition era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the...
.
Also deserving of mention is:
- Frank Basile, a former convict whom Ness reformed, killed in action. Ness' friend, sometime assistant, and driver, was often present at the brewery raids, even though he was not an agent.
External links
- Crime Library about Untouchables
- Dusty Roads of an FBI era, about Eliot Ness And The FBI
- TIME, about The Untouchables
- Free Information Society, Biography of Elliot Ness
- (Fun) Trivia on The Real Untouchables
- another Biography of Elliot Ness
- Eliot Ness and The Untouchables background, on Storeplay
- http://books.google.pt/books?id=K8uZGWxFtC0C&pg=PA285&lpg=PA285&dq=%22frank+basile%22+%22eliot+ness%22&source=bl&ots=plQc-FEU55&sig=NB0iD74CYY-jl34f6uY-gpaA0BE&hl=pt-PT&ei=k29HTozRLNGz8QOqjPGnBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCIQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=%22frank%20basile%22%20%22eliot%20ness%22&f=falseWar, Politics and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film, by Marc Dipaolo, in Google Books]