Born in New York City, Abe Bernstein and his brothers Joseph "Bill Bugs", Raymond, and Isadore Bernstein were children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. They moved as youths with their family to Detroit, which had a growing industrial economy based on automobile manufacturing.
During their teenage years, they joined a juvenile street gang that was the precursor to the adult Purple Gang. By the beginning of Prohibition, Bernstein and his brothers had emerged as leading members of the gang. As the Purple Gang members matured, they quickly gained a reputation along the Detroit waterfront as ruthless and violent hijackers. However, they normally attracted little attention from police during the Prohibition era, as their victims were usually either rumrunners or rival gangs such as the Little Jewish Navy.
Prohibition eraedit
Bernstein and the others soon formed an association with longtime mobsters Charles Leiter and Henry Shorr; by the early 1920s they were working exclusively as enforcers for the latter mobsters. Their open executions of targets on the street terrorized the city.
Bernstein and several other members were later arrested three days after the murder of Detroit policeman Vivian Welsh. The Chevrolet coupe used in his murder was traced to Bernstein's brother Raymond, but Abe was released due to lack of evidence. This decision may have resulted from press reports that alleged the deceased Welsh had been a "dirty cop," extorting money from independent bootleggers and speakeasy operators. Abe Bernstein and other gang members were under continual police surveillance. Several years later, Raymond Bernstein was convicted of first degree murder in a different case.
In March 1928, Bernstein was arrested and charged with conspiracy to extort money from the city's wholesale dry cleaners industry. Arrested and charged with Bernstein were Purple Gang members Raymond Bernstein, Irving Milberg, Eddie Fletcher, Joe Miller, Irving Shapiro, Abe Kaminsky, and brothers Abe and Simon Axler. Police were initially unable to locate Bernstein; he had been attending a mobster Atlantic City Conference with Meyer Lansky and Charles "Lucky" Luciano. After returning to Detroit several days later, Bernstein surrendered to authorities and posted a $500 bail bond. Beginning June 4, 1928, forty-two witnesses testified over a three-month period before Judge Charles Bowles. A jury acquitted all the defendants of all charges.
Involvement in the St. Valentine's Day Massacreedit
Bernstein, a chief supplier of Canadian whiskey to Chicago Outfit leader Al Capone, is also suspected to have been involved in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Bernstein supposedly set up North Side Gang leader George "Bugs" Moran for a murder attempt by Capone by selling him a recently hijacked liquor shipment and delivering it to a North Side warehouse. On February 14, 1929, seven North Side gunmen waiting for the liquor shipment were killed by Capone gunmen at that warehouse. The chief target, Bugs Moran, had never arrived.
Later yearsedit
During the mid-1920s, Bernstein began expanding his gang's activities to other major cities in the country. He became an associate of New York mobsters Joe Adonis and Meyer Lansky, and later became a partner in several syndicate gambling casinos in Miami, Florida. He started Club Manitou of Harbor Springs in 1929. After his brother Ray was imprisoned for his part in the Collingwood Manor Massacre, Bernstein devoted the rest of his life in an effort to get his brother released from prison.
Bernstein died March 7, 1968, in his hotel room of the Book-Cadillac.
In popular cultureedit
Bernstein was portrayed by Hal Alpert in the 2017 film Gangster Land.
Further readingedit
Burnstein, Scott M. Motor City Mafia: A Century of Organized Crime in Detroit. Arcadia Publishing, 2006. ISBN0-7385-4084-6
Kavieff, Paul. The Purple Gang: Organized Crime in Detroit 1910-1945. Barricade Books, 2000. ISBN1-56980-147-9
Almog, Oz, Kosher Nostra Jüdische Gangster in Amerika, 1890–1980 ; Jüdischen Museum der Stadt Wien ; 2003, Text Oz Almog, Erich Metz, ISBN3-901398-33-3
January 01, 1970
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This article is about the gangster For the New York State Senator see Abraham Bernstein politician This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Abe Bernstein c 1892 March 7 1968 was a Detroit based Jewish American organized crime figure and leader of the infamous Prohibition era Purple Gang Contents 1 Early life 2 Prohibition era 3 Involvement in the St Valentine s Day Massacre 4 Later years 5 In popular culture 6 Further readingEarly life editBorn in New York City Abe Bernstein and his brothers Joseph Bill Bugs Raymond and Isadore Bernstein were children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire They moved as youths with their family to Detroit which had a growing industrial economy based on automobile manufacturing During their teenage years they joined a juvenile street gang that was the precursor to the adult Purple Gang By the beginning of Prohibition Bernstein and his brothers had emerged as leading members of the gang As the Purple Gang members matured they quickly gained a reputation along the Detroit waterfront as ruthless and violent hijackers However they normally attracted little attention from police during the Prohibition era as their victims were usually either rumrunners or rival gangs such as the Little Jewish Navy Prohibition era editBernstein and the others soon formed an association with longtime mobsters Charles Leiter and Henry Shorr by the early 1920s they were working exclusively as enforcers for the latter mobsters Their open executions of targets on the street terrorized the city Bernstein and several other members were later arrested three days after the murder of Detroit policeman Vivian Welsh The Chevrolet coupe used in his murder was traced to Bernstein s brother Raymond but Abe was released due to lack of evidence This decision may have resulted from press reports that alleged the deceased Welsh had been a dirty cop extorting money from independent bootleggers and speakeasy operators Abe Bernstein and other gang members were under continual police surveillance Several years later Raymond Bernstein was convicted of first degree murder in a different case In March 1928 Bernstein was arrested and charged with conspiracy to extort money from the city s wholesale dry cleaners industry Arrested and charged with Bernstein were Purple Gang members Raymond Bernstein Irving Milberg Eddie Fletcher Joe Miller Irving Shapiro Abe Kaminsky and brothers Abe and Simon Axler Police were initially unable to locate Bernstein he had been attending a mobster Atlantic City Conference with Meyer Lansky and Charles Lucky Luciano After returning to Detroit several days later Bernstein surrendered to authorities and posted a 500 bail bond Beginning June 4 1928 forty two witnesses testified over a three month period before Judge Charles Bowles A jury acquitted all the defendants of all charges Involvement in the St Valentine s Day Massacre editBernstein a chief supplier of Canadian whiskey to Chicago Outfit leader Al Capone is also suspected to have been involved in the St Valentine s Day Massacre Bernstein supposedly set up North Side Gang leader George Bugs Moran for a murder attempt by Capone by selling him a recently hijacked liquor shipment and delivering it to a North Side warehouse On February 14 1929 seven North Side gunmen waiting for the liquor shipment were killed by Capone gunmen at that warehouse The chief target Bugs Moran had never arrived Later years editDuring the mid 1920s Bernstein began expanding his gang s activities to other major cities in the country He became an associate of New York mobsters Joe Adonis and Meyer Lansky and later became a partner in several syndicate gambling casinos in Miami Florida He started Club Manitou of Harbor Springs in 1929 After his brother Ray was imprisoned for his part in the Collingwood Manor Massacre Bernstein devoted the rest of his life in an effort to get his brother released from prison Bernstein died March 7 1968 in his hotel room of the Book Cadillac In popular culture editBernstein was portrayed by Hal Alpert in the 2017 film Gangster Land Further reading editBurnstein Scott M Motor City Mafia A Century of Organized Crime in Detroit Arcadia Publishing 2006 ISBN 0 7385 4084 6 Kavieff Paul The Purple Gang Organized Crime in Detroit 1910 1945 Barricade Books 2000 ISBN 1 56980 147 9 Almog Oz Kosher Nostra Judische Gangster in Amerika 1890 1980 Judischen Museum der Stadt Wien 2003 Text Oz Almog Erich Metz ISBN 3 901398 33 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abe Bernstein amp oldid 1167687316, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
