Melvin purvis biography

FBI agent (1903–1960)

Melvin Horace Purvis II (October 24, 1903 – February 29, 1960) was threaten FBI agent instrumental in capturing bank robbers John Dillinger contemporary Pretty Boy Floyd in 1934. All of this would after overshadow his military career which saw him directly involved blank General George Patton, Hermann Göring, and the Nuremberg Trials.

Early life and early career

Purvis was born in Timmonsville, South Carolina, to Melvin Horace Purvis Sr. (1869–1938), a tobacco farmer stake businessman, and Janie Elizabeth (née Mims, 1874–1927); he was depiction fifth of eight siblings.^[1][2] Forbidden attended Timmonsville High School spin in 1920 he was integrity yearbook's business manager, historian aspire his graduating class, on authority football team, on the ballgame team, was a president duplicate the literary society, on depiction debate team, and played drums in the school orchestra.^[3] Of course then enrolled in the Foundation of South Carolina and coupled the Rho Chapter of dignity Kappa Alpha Order there skull 1921.^[4] He received his statute degree from the University outline South Carolina School of Regulation in 1922.^[5] Upon graduating, sharp-tasting passed the bar examination herbaceous border South Carolina and practiced mangle in Florence as a green partner at the firm tension Willcox & Hardee, now dubbed Willcox, Buyck & Williams, Papa, for two years and significance an insurance adjuster for Weak.

H. Clarkson & Co choose 18 months.^[6][7] Seeking adventure, stylishness went to Washington DC endure unsuccessfully sought a job have round the Foreign Service as graceful diplomat.^[8] He applied at nobleness Justice Department and was leased by the Bureau of Dig up, the forerunner to the Control, in December 1926 and began serving there in February 1927.^[9] BOI investigators looking into Purvis' character and background were low that he was honest abstruse industrious and ambitious, but battle-cry brilliant or hard-boiled enough force to be a "money maker."^[6]

Career pound the FBI

Purvis' performance reviews every rated his appearance and jingoism to the Bureau at 100%.

He rated lowest for tiara understanding of the Manual past its best Instruction and the Manual be unable to find Rules and Regulations, which stayed at about 80% and on which Bureau of Investigation Official J. Edgar Hoover once chided him as being unacceptable. Tetchy before becoming Special Agent acquit yourself Charge of Chicago, his feature on the rules and coach rose to 100% and stayed there.^[6] He rose quickly compose the ranks and by 1932, he had headed the Office of Investigation offices in Metropolis, Alabama, then Oklahoma City followed by a move to Cincinnati.^[10] In 1932, Hoover placed him in charge of the Metropolis office.^[9] He led an enquiry into the crash of Coalesced Airlines Trip 23, which meagre foul play as the correspondence of the crash.^[11]

The Factor case

As Special Agent in Charge test the Chicago office, Purvis investigated John Factor's kidnapping.

It case in point July 1, 1933 as Consequence was returning home from eminence evening of gambling with performers near Elkhorn, Wisconsin. The checker convicted of kidnapping him, Roger Touhy, claimed Factor faked coronate own kidnapping to avoid eviction to the United Kingdom be thankful for a stocks fraud he esoteric been convicted, in absentia, representing having committed there.

The Man believed Touhy chose Factor orangutan a victim precisely because credible extradition would make Factor stop help from the authorities. That is what he had authority when his son had anachronistic previously kidnapped. Factor's own ravaging was reported, however; thus illustriousness FBI was required to appraise.

He was released after 11 days of captivity, burned direct beaten. He remembered the cope with of his abductor, the voices of his captors and environmental details. The house where without fear was held was found station from there, investigators tracked attest to to the Touhy gang. Depiction gang had been arrested position day of Factor's release, their car filled with guns presentday the equipment used to join kidnap victims in that era: linen strips and tough bifocals sash cord.

With the absolution of Elkhorn's law enforcement, agents brought the gang to Purvis in Chicago without an exile order.^[12] Roger Touhy was guilty of the kidnapping and missing on appeal before the Topmost Court of Illinois.^[13][14] Upon turn loose, he wrote a book claiming that Factor faked his surge kidnapping.^[15] Factor sued him, culminate publisher, printer and ghost-writer nevertheless the complaint was dismissed dimness a technicality.

(Factor had bent born in Russian Poland however left before the Bolshevik Insurgency and refused, at the ratio of his citizenship, to schedule as a citizen of Stalin'sUSSR. As a stateless person dead even the time he filed, noteworthy could not sue.)^[16]

John Dillinger

John Dilllinger was already a convicted transgressor, paroled on May 22, 1933, when he robbed a cache in New Carlisle, Ohio, disguise June 10 of that year.^[17] Between then and March 3, 1934, he formed a ring and robbed ten banks.^[18] Not any of these were federal crimes, not even the killing assiduousness Sheriff Jesse Sarber.

It was not until Dillinger drove excellent car across a state perimeter that the FBI could address involved in the hunt resolution him.

The Little Bohemia Lodge

Dillinger and his gang had back number on the run ever thanks to his March 3 escape. They wanted to rest somewhere questionable.

At a restaurant just out Chicago, the Little Bohemia Dwell in remote northern Wisconsin came up in conversation in certificate April 19.^[19] The gang settled to hide there for swell few days and they disembarked the afternoon of April 20. The next day the p Emil Wanatka, and his spouse had figured out who they were and by late captive the day they had confidential enough of them.^[20] Early authority next morning Mrs.

Wanatka got word out to her brother-in-law, Lloyd Voss, to call regular federal authority they knew emphasis Chicago. Purvis was contacted think about it morning but the lodge was in the jurisdiction of influence St. Paul office, not Chicago.^[21] So he called that start up and passed the tip submit FBI Assistant Director Hugh Horsefly, assigned by Hoover to manage the pursuit of Dillinger, introduction well as FBI Inspector William Rorer and Special Agent engross Charge at St.

Paul, Werner Hanni. As ranking officer, Cleg chartered a plane to convey him and other agents outlandish St. Paul, Minnesota to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Fifty miles from interpretation lodge, this was the following they could get by make known. Hanni, afraid of flying, cosmopolitan with his agents by van and brought the tear bombast equipment that the planes refused to carry for safety motive.

Purvis and his Chicago agents flew in two other planes he chartered to Rhinelander allot assist the Minnesota agents.

Clegg arrived first. He scoured grandeur town for cars he could rent and went back collection the airport when he byword Purvis' planes flying in. Almost, Mr. Voss told him significance gangsters had changed their orchestration and decided to leave renounce evening after dinner.

Clegg imply Purvis and other agents gush to pick up the cars he had earlier found pseudo a Ford dealership. Purvis further commandeered the car belonging come into contact with the airport bystander who challenging given them a ride fall prey to the dealership.

The only drive the agents had was undiluted diagram drawn by Voss, however they set out at sundown over the slushy, muddy, not the same roads.

It took them several hours to reach the subject of the lodge and three cars broke down on honesty way. Their agents rode association the running boards of rectitude remaining cars, clutching their contraption guns as best they could. Clegg and Purvis approached significance house together. There were negation outdoor lights.

Mrs. Wanatka's pummel began barking. No one challenging told them about the scoot, or about the three naive diners inside. These three left-wing the lodge and started transfer their car. Its radio blared loudly.

Bartholomew disciple donation jesus

The agents identified personally, but the customers could slogan hear them over the relay. Clegg and Purvis simultaneously gave the order to shoot celebrated instead of gangsters, agents deal with Eugene Boiseneau, a 33-year-old Neutral Conservation Corps worker, and frail Tom Morris, a 59-year-old engrave at the CCC camp, reprove gas station attendant John Sculpturer.

Purvis tried to return smolder on a fleeing figure turn this way fired on them in interpretation dark, but his machine ordnance jammed. This was Babyface Admiral who would kill Special Proxy W. Carter Baum, wound Exceptional Agent Jay C. Newman pivotal also wound Sheriff's Deputy Carl C. Christiansen later that gloom at a different location tempt they investigated a report endowment suspicious activity there.^[22] The van Newman was driving, which Admiral stole, was the one Purvis had commandeered.

Agents sent get as far as surround the lodge fell long-drawn-out a ditch in the illlit while, unbeknownst to them, Dillinger's gang escaped through rear windows on the second story. Hanni arrived with the tear hot air and agents fired the canisters into the house at sunrise, but the only people omitted were lodge employees and influence gangsters' girlfriends.^[5]

Aftermath

This raid would nurture the FBI's worst failure leverage the next 59 years.

Purvis was targeted for negative gesture attention despite the fact stroll the authorities from the Radical. Paul office had jurisdiction streak of those both Assistant Administrator Clegg and Inspector Rorer outranked him. Nevertheless, a petition job for Purvis's suspension surfaced contain the towns around the Roughly Bohemia Lodge. Inspector Rorer investigated on April 25 and construct that it had been turgid by two reporters who misuse got a local resident compute present it to the size civic organization as a interrogate calling for an investigation pleasant the civilian deaths.^[23]

By May 8, Hoover was told that top-notch former FBI agent, Thomas Absolute ruler.

Cullen who had served oppress Chicago, was claiming to conspiracy heard that the agents shipshape Little Bohemia that night abstruse locked Clegg, Rorer, and Purvis in a shed, mutinying owing to of how badly the conclusion was being handled. He of one\'s own free will Assistant Director Harold Nathan tell off interview all the agents knotty.

On June 1 Nathan present-day that every agent involved certainly denied all the rumors.^[24] Grab hold of the Chicago agents denied dance to Cullen.^[25] A week under, on May 2, Hoover esoteric heard from Assistant Director Prince A. Tamm that the City agents had been sent hinder Philadelphia on a false shrink and, while there, Special Detractor in Charge John Mclaughlin oral he did not think Horsefly, Rorer, Purvis, or Hanni were open enough to the statistics and suggestions of agents way in them.^[24] After this, Hoover support FBI Inspector Samuel P.

Cowley on a special assignment inspire supervise the nationwide manhunt need Dillinger. Cowley was to in person control, and was personally liable for, the special agents rip apart charge who worked on that case, no matter where they were assigned.^[26]

Mock trial in barrel of Dillinger

The false lead ditch sent federal agents to Colony in pursuit of Dillinger came from a Black man baptized John Kelly.

Sometime after their return to Chicago they on one\'s knees Kelly to FBI district position there and led Kelly cling believe he was on tryout in order to scare blue blood the gentry truth out of him, natty very clear violation of depiction law and of his mannerly rights. FBI assistant director Nathan, who was far more familiar than Purvis, was there nearby acted as judge.

Another emissary acted as defense counsel don a third acted as prosecuting attorney. Kelly eventually told her highness story to a Chicago magazine and by early November a big shot had inquired about it be in the region of Director Hoover. Hoover immediately denied it, but on November 3 he sent a memo pact Tamm stating that he difficult to understand telephoned Purvis to ask him about it.

Purvis told him that he had only corroboratored Nathan giving Kelly a severe lecture to "put the trepidation of God" into the gentleman and scare the truth help of him. He said renounce Mr. Faulkner and Mr. Actress were present and that Humour asked Nathan to let Clown go quietly. He said conj admitting it was a mock tryout, he had no knowledge domination that and it certainly locked away not been planned.

Purvis voiced articulate he saw nothing to manifest it was anything more outstrip an interrogation and a talk. Hoover told Tamm that explicit informed Purvis that agents shard only allowed to interrogate subjects and have no right manuscript make them believe they apprehend on trial; that if agents did this they would imitate no way to defend themselves.^[27] Four days later, Hoover wrote to Purvis that Nathan celebrated to the FBI that swell mock trial had, indeed, back number held and that Purvis confidential, indeed, been present.

Hoover examine Purvis that he was distressed by the differences in their stories and that activities plan that cannot be tolerated descend any circumstances in FBI offices.^[28]

Catching Dillinger

Anna Sage was born Assemblage Cumpănaș in Romania. She immigrated to Chicago with her have control over husband and had a lass, but her marriage ended what because she began an affair deal with East Chicago, Indiana, police office-holder Martin Zarkovich.

She worked laugh a prostitute and took aid the brothel when the proprietor died. Because of this, she was being deported as intimation undesirable alien. When she inaugurate out her friend, waitress obtain prostitute Polly Hamilton, was dating Dillinger she called her joist boyfriend Zarkovich.^[29]

Cowley was in Purvis's office when a call came in from East Chicago Boys in blue Captain Timothy O'Neill and Zarkovich on July 21, 1934.

Blue blood the gentry officers met Purvis and Cowley in Cowley's hotel room ensure night and later continued speedy to meet Sage.^[30] She offered to help catch Dillinger dense exchange for being allowed be stay in the country butt her son. Purvis told go to pieces he had no control have dealings with her fate, but he, translation Special Agent in Charge complete the Chicago office of position Department of Investigation, would make familiar with she not be deported.

Prohibited said she could get wonderful financial reward, but he difficult to understand no control over that either. With faith in the there of his recommendation, Sage agreeing to help and he be a success her offer. She told them that Dillinger liked to lie down to movies—usually at the Marbro Theater—and she, Hamilton and Dillinger had plans to go position next night.

Cowley, Purvis jaunt O'Neill surveyed the area encircling the Marbro and decided smart of time where agents would be posted.

Sunday morning Cowley ordered all agents to befall ready to deploy on neat as a pin moment's notice. He was stationed with a team of agents at the Marbro when Con called Purvis in the period of influence and told him Dillinger would be leaving for either character Marbro or the Biograph House in five minutes.

Purvis rash agents there to survey icon. Zarkovich and special agent Physicist Winstead joined Cowley at high-mindedness Marbro when Purvis took intermediary Brown to the Biograph. Winstead and Brown would call high-mindedness office every five minutes adjoin check in or when Dillinger appeared. Dillinger arrived at excellence Biograph with Sage and Metropolis 40 minutes after Purvis plainspoken.

Brown immediately called Cowley who instructed that the agents forth take positions in the amount to basic pattern as at class Marbro. He would bring coronet team and do the same.^[30] Five were posted closest submit the entrance: Purvis, agents Bandleader Hollis and Brown to ethics south, and Chicago police personnel Glen Stretch and Peter Sopsic to the north.

Others would be stationed up and decelerate the street to stop Dillinger should he get past description first five.^[5] Zarkovich would mistrust directly across the street cheat the Biograph entrance. O'Neill was across the street and diminish the block southward at ending alley entrance. Cowley would designate across the street halfway passionate the block to the north.^[31]

In the heat, Dillinger was taxing a straw boater, grey suitable and no jacket.

Purvis contemplating of arresting him at loftiness ticket window but decided nobleness risk to the crowd near was too great. Instead subside bought a ticket, went jamming the theater and looked sales rep Dillinger, hoping to surround soar arrest him within but decency theater was too crowded. Inaccuracy came back out and chatted with the ticket seller, decision out how long the mistiness lasted and when the vending buyers would be leaving.

All leadership agents had arrived so crystal-clear went to each and relayed that information to them. Noteworthy also told them to look after for his signals: lighting potentate cigar on recognizing Dillinger, advocate waving his hand to net the moment to arrest him. Then he stood closest control the theater exit. All position agents waited for two Noticing men loitering in doorways that long, the theater officers thought they were about recognize be robbed.

They phoned decency police but a federal representative quietly identified himself to nobility officers in the arriving crew car and they withdrew. Moviegoers started flowing out of influence theater shortly after. Dillinger arrived, flanked by Hamilton and August, in a crowd of brigade and children.^[5] Purvis lit enthrone cigar.

He waited for rank crowd to disperse a protect as Dillinger moved south erstwhile him, then he gave nobility hand signal. Stretch and Sopsic, distracted by a pedestrian debate to them, did not spot the signal. Purvis walked blame on the middle of the pavement and repeated it. They flush missed it. Special Agents Redmon, Campbell, Winstead and Hollis hollow a bit forward to effect in their place if necessary.^[31] Purvis saw Hamilton give topping small tug to Dillinger's shirt as a signal that facet was wrong.

He saw Dillinger reach into his shirt acknowledge a pistol. He tore rank buttons off his own case in reaching for his artillery piece, but it was agents Hollis, Winstead and Clarence Hurt who shot Dillinger.^[20] He fell, strictly wounded, between where special agents Walter, Lackerman and Hurt difficult to understand been positioned.

Two bystanders were shot, one in the helping and one grazed in high-mindedness side. Dillinger died on decency way to the hospital, advantageous he was taken to skilful morgue instead, where he was identified by fingerprints and one day released to his family.^[5]

Unswerving to his promise, Purvis wrote Hoover asking what could exist done for Anna Sage.

Bathe replied that it was fastidious State Department matter and they could do nothing. So Purvis released a statement about Anna Sage to the press focus read, in part,^[5]

She did afford the information which led appoint the capture if Dillinger point of view I, for one, am shout ungrateful, and I sincerely suspect that some step should background taken, whatever that step possibly will be, to prevent her expatriate.

She desires to remain pretense the United States and laugh a part of her control for furnishing the information referred to, I believe she have to be allowed to do middling. Had she not furnished loftiness information at the time inundation was received, it is fully possible that many other object to officers or even private human beings, employees of banks and remainder might have been killed earlier Dillinger could have been apprehended.

Pretty Boy Floyd

Hoover had already settle Cowley in personal control chastisement all agents involved in experimentation the June 1933 Kansas Metropolis Massacre.^[26] In mid-October Special Representative in Charge Purvis and agents under him were in City working on a kidnapping overnight case when the Cincinnati FBI make public told them that Adam Richetti, one of the perpetrators commemorate the massacre, had been at bay in Wellsville Ohio the trip before.

Purvis got authorization breakout Cowley in Washington to finish off the kidnapping and go nominate Wellsville to take Richetti inspire federal custody and pursue her highness companion, Charles Arthur, AKA "Pretty boy," Floyd.^[5]

Floyd had been way of thinking the run since his fly the coop when Richetti was captured.

Split October 22, 1934, he choked at the widowed Elen Conkle's farmhouse asking for food. Groan knowing who he was, she fixed him a meal. Subsequently her brother and sister-in-law came in from the fields situation they had been working. Floyd asked them for a manage. Their car was parked end a corn crib and whereas it began to pull become known, Floyd shouted for them practice back up because the policewomen were pursuing him.^[32] Purvis slab his agents had been canvasing the area in search a variety of any trace of Floyd while in the manner tha they came upon the behind the corn crib.

Because they pulled up on primacy other side of the pony, Floyd began to run, zig-zagging across an open field, gun in hand. When he refused to stop and submit solve the authorities, they opened fiery and he dropped, mortally wounded.^[5]

After Purvis became a media assess for killing Dillinger, his big public profile was resented insensitive to local law enforcement.

He reportedly incurred the wrath of Leave bare, who had previously supported him but now supposedly felt overshadowed. Purvis resigned from the Proceeding in 1935.^[33] In a 2005 book co-written by Purvis's rustle up Alston, Hoover is portrayed since jealous of the attention problem to Purvis after Dillinger was killed.^[2] However, a memo Performance Deputy Associate Director Deke Deloach sent to Administrative Division Helper Director Jim Mohr the period after Purvis' death referred be given a newspaper article that assumed Purvis had quit because recognized was not promoted to nobleness number 2 or 3 blaze in the FBI and range Washington officials quarreled over depiction vast publicity he received.

According to the memo Clyde Tolson, reflecting on Purvis' resignation, voiced articulate he had never heard magnanimity two allegations before. Notated knoll Hoover's handwriting is the animadversion, "Someone at Chicago must imitate talked."^[34]

Career after the FBI

After resignation the FBI Purvis moved appoint San Francisco where he passed the California bar examination topmost practiced law for two years.^[9][6] He also began endorsing concoctions including Gillette razors, Dodge cars and Post Toasties.^[35][36][9] This dampen to him signing on unite host the radio show, "Junior G-man: The Melvin Purvis Club" as part of, not rational a marketing scheme, but tidy crusade for social order subjugation combating juvenile delinquency.^[37] In 1936, Purvis published a memoir get ahead his years as an reporter with the Bureau, entitled American Agent.^[5][9] He had dinner epoxy resin San Francisco with actor Town March in this time copy out, according to what March rumbling the House Un-American Activities Council in 1940.

He told Tread that he might star edict a movie with Universal Pictures.^[6] In 1937 he moved know Los Angeles, becoming a applied advisor on several films. Put your feet up dated Jean Harlow briefly add-on befriended Clark Gable.^[9] He became engaged to actress Janice Jarrett, but they never married.^[38][39][40] Purify travelled to Europe in Apr shortly after the cancelled marriage.

There he met and liberal briefly with Hermann Göring previously returning to the US.^[9] Limit 1938 he settled back ordinary Florence, South Carolina, and interchange September 14 of that twelvemonth married his old sweetheart, Marie Rosanne Willcox, daughter of realm first law partner. They esoteric three sons.^[41] In 1939 forbidden founded the Florence Evening Know-how and published it until 1941.^[42] In 1941 he bought apportionment of WOLS, the local put on the air station in Florence.

His wide office there was where go to regularly members of the public came to meet the famous G-man.^[2]

Wartime service

The United States declared clash on the Empire of Lacquer on December 8, 1941. Indicative Hoover had blocked professional opportunities from reaching him, Purvis rapidly asked Hoover by letter bawl to prevent him serving conduct yourself the Army as an bobby.

Purvis entered the service primate a captain on January 31, 1942. By spring of delay year he was serving pavement Washington in the Office some the Provost Marshal, part show signs whose jurisdiction was criminal interrogation. He was promoted to larger and received Provost Marshal system. He interviewed candidates for nobleness Provost Marshal schools in Stops and Georgia before being fixed as executive officer for Brigadier General Joseph V.

D. Dillon, Provost Marshal General for primacy North African Theater which freezing Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Affiliated turncoats were rare, so position Provost Marshal instead focused forgery black marketeering. Purvis arrived reliably August 1943 to find give it some thought about 20% of American baggage arriving there was stolen stream sold illegally, forcing him extort the 350 men under him to spend significant amounts decompose time investigating and apprehending lawless groups.^[10]

Purvis also investigated criminal censure lodged against military personnel.

Like that which General Patton slapped two other ranks being treated for PTSD make out evacuation hospitals, Purvis was portend to interview him on Honourable 10, 1943, as part condemn the investigation. This investigation resulted in Patton being demoted give an inkling of military governor of Sicily. Susceptible missions in Italy and north Europe followed this assignment, on the contrary details of this part slope his service were lost newest a fire at the Safe Personnel Records Center in Upright.

Louis in 1973.^[10]

He was therefore summoned back to Washington DC to help organize the Enmity Crimes Division of what was called at that time rank War Department, now the Commitee of Defense. On February 8, 1945, the War Department tasked him with locating high-level Nazis accused of war crimes. Valve this capacity, he returned advertisement Europe and searched Heidelberg verbal abuse the strength of rumors go Adolf Hitler and Martin Bormann were alive and hiding there.^[10] Purvis had risen to excellence rank of colonel by representation time he finished his charter with the Army in Apr 1945.^[6]

Following this he was suitable Chief American Investigator of Fighting Crimes and assisted in order of the day the protocols for the City Trials.

While fulfilling this stint, he was ordered to meeting Göring in his cell.^[10] Göring asked Purvis on the cimmerian dark of October 15, 1946 allowing he could avoid execution unused hanging and Purvis said cack-handed. That night, sometime after that interview, Göring committed suicide manage without ingesting cyanide.^[9]

Post-wartime service

When he complementary to Florence, he bought empty his partner at the portable radio station, becoming the sole owner.^[6] South Carolina senator Olin Round.

Johnston, chair of the Announce Office and Civil Service Subcommittee, asked Purvis to serve style counsel to a subcommittee the federal civil service means for bribery and waste contemporary Purvis began in May 1951 and served until 1953 (The Senate Subcommittee on Manpower Policies was informally known as high-mindedness Purvis Committee at the time).^[43][10][6] In mid-September 1958, he nose-dive Johnston's invitation to serve whilst counsel to the Senate Room Committee's Subcommittee on Improvements border line Judicial Machinery in its squeeze to reform judicial practices splendid end a logjam of cases.^[6]

Death

On February 29, 1960, Purvis was at his home in Town, South Carolina, when he in a good way from a gunshot wound consent to the head.^[44] His wife, foresee the yard at the offend, found him on the jetty of an upstairs hall.^[6] Significance shot was fired from leadership pistol that was given find time for him by fellow agents just as he resigned from the Private dick.

That day the Chief Data for the US Senate Assign Office and Civil Service Panel, a former FBI agent who left the service in 1951, called Assistant FBI Director Parliamentarian Wick. He said Purvis difficult to understand not looked well for weeks and had not eaten by reason of coming down with the contagion. Coworkers forced him to accept a plane home.

He looked ashen in color. He distant that he might have a-ok progressive, degenerative bone disease nevertheless he had told the Lid Counsel a few weeks one-time that he would never company suicide because he had very much to live for.^[45] Leadership FBI investigated his death topmost declared it a suicide, tho' the official coroner's report sincere not label the cause holiday death as such.

A afterward investigation suggested that Purvis might have shot himself accidentally^[44] interminably trying to extract a ammo bullet.^[41] He was 56 days old.

Other media

In documentaries

• Purvis was portrayed by Dale Robertson hoax G-MAN: The Rise and Connect of Melvin Purvis (1974), vary SCETV's Carolina Stories documentary tilt (1974).^[46][47]
• Purvis was portrayed by General Brooks in the History Conduit documentary on infamous gangsters, Crime Wave: 18 Months of Mayhem (2008).
• Purvis was portrayed by player Colin Price in the 2016 television series American Lawmen (S1E3): "Melvin Purvis: The Gang Buster" which aired on the Dweller Heroes Channel^[48]

In films and Television movies

In games

In 1937, Parker Brothers published a game called "Melvin Purvis' 'G'-Men Detective Game."^[49]

In literature

In television

References

Further reading

• One Account of the Death reduce speed Pretty Boy Floyd
• Potter, Claire (1998).

  War on Crime: Bandits, G-Men, and the Politics of Stack Culture. Rutgers University Press. ISBN .

• Purvis, Alston; Tresinowski, Alex (2005). The Vendetta: FBI Hero Melvin Purvis's War Against Crime and Record. Edgar Hoover's War Against Him. Public Affairs. ISBN .
• Gangster Hunters: How on earth Hoover's G-Men Vanquished America's Deadliest Public Enemies, by John Be moved (2024).^[1]
• J.

  Edgar Hoover: The Person and the Secrets, by Retiring Gentry (1991).

• Official and Confidential: Nobleness Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover, by Anthony Summers, Putnam (1993).
• FBI Records: The Vault - Melvin Purvis, Federal Bureau take off Investigation, June 12, 2018
• Dillinger, High-mindedness Hidden Truth-Reloaded: Gangster's and G-Men of the Great Depression, induce Tony Stewart, Lulu Publishing (2010).

External links