James Horace Alderman (in some sources Aldermon) (June 24, 1884 – August 17, 1929) was an American convicted murderer, bootlegger and gangster during the Prohibition era in the United States. He became known in the press by names like the "King of the Rum Runners"[1] and the "Gulf Stream Pirate."[2] While imprisoned awaiting execution he wrote an autobiography titled The Life Story of James Horace Alderman
Alderman was born in 1884 near Tampa, Florida. He spent several years in the Ten Thousand Islands area of southwest Florida as a farmer, fisherman, and field guide.[3] With his wife Pearl and three daughters, Bessie, Ruby, and Wilma, Alderman lived variously in Chokoloskee, Caxambas, Palmetto, and Tarracia Island before settling in Fort Myers around 1911. After World War I and the passing of the National Prohibition Act, Alderman began smuggling illegal immigrants and alcohol from Cuba and the Bahamas to Florida. In the 1920s, he set up a base of operations in Miami.[4]
On the afternoon of August 7, 1927, Alderman and his associate Robert Weech were intercepted by a Coast Guard cutter in the waters between Florida and Bimini. After a series of events, Alderman killed U.S. Coast Guardsman Sidney C. Sanderlin and Secret Service agent Robert K. Webster. The cutter's machinist, Victor A. Lamby, was seriously wounded and later died.[5]
Alderman was tried under Sections 272, 273, 275 of the US Criminal Code. In January, 1928, he was sentenced to death by U.S. District Judge Henry D. Clayton. PresidentHerbert Hoover declined clemency.[1] Alderman was hanged on August 17, 1929,[6][7] on newly erected gallows built by Chief Carpenter's Mate Olaf Tobiason in a metal hangar at Coast Guard Base Six near Fort Lauderdale, the site of Bahia Mar Marina today. Media witnesses were barred from watching the execution.[1] It was the only hanging ever carried out by the Coast Guard, the first hanging in Fort Lauderdale, and the only legal execution in Broward County. It is also the only known occasion where a man was hanged in a hangar.[4]
Alderman's execution had initially been scheduled to be carried out in the Broward County jail, but the County Commissioners declined, insisting that a federal hanging should occur on U.S. property (from 1924 all executions by the state of Florida were carried out by electric chair).[1]
^ abcd. Time. 1929. p. 15. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009.
^Buchanan, Patricia (1970). "Miami's Bootleg Boom". Tequesta: The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida. 30: 24–25.
^Kaserman, Sarah (2011). Florida Pirates: From the Southern Gulf Coast to the Keys and Beyond. Charleston, SC: History Press. pp. 99–100. ISBN978-1614231769.
^ abEstorino, María R. (2004). "Guide to the James Horace Alderman Collection". Prepared for the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections Division, Coral Gables, FL. Retrieved January 4, 2014. This article incorporates text from this source, which has been released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 and GNU Free Documentation license.
^Buchanan, Patricia (1970). "Miami's Bootleg Boom". Tequesta: The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida. 30: 25–26.
^"RUM PIRATE HANGED FOR DOUBLE KILLING". The New York Times. 18 August 1929.
Further reading
Caudle, Hal M. (1976). The Hanging at Bahia Mar. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Wake-Brook House. OCLC 003979526.
Crankshaw, Joe (February 9, 1998). "Finding God on Death Row an Old Story". Miami Herald.
Lehman, Frank (1979). Encounter with the Gulf Stream Pirate. OCLC 11105267.
Rowe, Sean (December 4, 1997). "The Gallows and the Deep". New Times Broward-Palm Beach.
External links
Library and archival resources by or about James Horace Alderman.
James Horace Alderman Collection, 1929, University of Miami Special Collections. This archival collection contains the typescript of Alderman's autobiography, The Life Story of James Horace Alderman, written during his imprisonment prior to execution.
United States v. James Horace Alderman. U.S. District Court for the Miami Division of the Southern District of Florida. (1907 - ?). Copies of Alderman's indictment and death warrant, digitized by the U.S. National Archives.
January 07, 2023
james, alderman, florida, judge, james, alderman, james, horace, alderman, some, sources, aldermon, june, 1884, august, 1929, american, convicted, murderer, bootlegger, gangster, during, prohibition, united, states, became, known, press, names, like, king, run. For the Florida judge see James E Alderman James Horace Alderman in some sources Aldermon June 24 1884 August 17 1929 was an American convicted murderer bootlegger and gangster during the Prohibition era in the United States He became known in the press by names like the King of the Rum Runners 1 and the Gulf Stream Pirate 2 While imprisoned awaiting execution he wrote an autobiography titled The Life Story of James Horace AldermanJames AldermanBornJames Horace Alderman some source Aldermon 1884 06 24 June 24 1884Hillsborough County Florida U S DiedAugust 17 1929 1929 08 17 aged 45 Fort Lauderdale Florida U S Cause of deathExecution by hangingOther namesKing of the Rum Runners The Gulf Stream Pirate nicknames in media Occupation s Farmer fisherman field guideYears active1907 1927Criminal statusExecutedChildren3Conviction s Murder on the high seas 2 counts Criminal penaltyDeathDetailsDateAugust 7 1927Location s Gulf StreamKilled3Injured2 Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 Notes and references 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography EditAlderman was born in 1884 near Tampa Florida He spent several years in the Ten Thousand Islands area of southwest Florida as a farmer fisherman and field guide 3 With his wife Pearl and three daughters Bessie Ruby and Wilma Alderman lived variously in Chokoloskee Caxambas Palmetto and Tarracia Island before settling in Fort Myers around 1911 After World War I and the passing of the National Prohibition Act Alderman began smuggling illegal immigrants and alcohol from Cuba and the Bahamas to Florida In the 1920s he set up a base of operations in Miami 4 On the afternoon of August 7 1927 Alderman and his associate Robert Weech were intercepted by a Coast Guard cutter in the waters between Florida and Bimini After a series of events Alderman killed U S Coast Guardsman Sidney C Sanderlin and Secret Service agent Robert K Webster The cutter s machinist Victor A Lamby was seriously wounded and later died 5 Alderman was tried under Sections 272 273 275 of the US Criminal Code In January 1928 he was sentenced to death by U S District Judge Henry D Clayton President Herbert Hoover declined clemency 1 Alderman was hanged on August 17 1929 6 7 on newly erected gallows built by Chief Carpenter s Mate Olaf Tobiason in a metal hangar at Coast Guard Base Six near Fort Lauderdale the site of Bahia Mar Marina today Media witnesses were barred from watching the execution 1 It was the only hanging ever carried out by the Coast Guard the first hanging in Fort Lauderdale and the only legal execution in Broward County It is also the only known occasion where a man was hanged in a hangar 4 Alderman s execution had initially been scheduled to be carried out in the Broward County jail but the County Commissioners declined insisting that a federal hanging should occur on U S property from 1924 all executions by the state of Florida were carried out by electric chair 1 See also EditCapital punishment by the United States federal government List of people executed by the United States federal governmentNotes and references Edit a b c d Hangar Hanging Time 1929 p 15 Archived from the original on July 3 2009 Buchanan Patricia 1970 Miami s Bootleg Boom Tequesta The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida 30 24 25 Kaserman Sarah 2011 Florida Pirates From the Southern Gulf Coast to the Keys and Beyond Charleston SC History Press pp 99 100 ISBN 978 1614231769 a b Estorino Maria R 2004 Guide to the James Horace Alderman Collection Prepared for the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections Division Coral Gables FL Retrieved January 4 2014 This article incorporates text from this source which has been released under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3 0 and GNU Free Documentation license Buchanan Patricia 1970 Miami s Bootleg Boom Tequesta The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida 30 25 26 History of Federal Executions RUM PIRATE HANGED FOR DOUBLE KILLING The New York Times 18 August 1929 Further reading EditCaudle Hal M 1976 The Hanging at Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale FL Wake Brook House OCLC 003979526 Crankshaw Joe February 9 1998 Finding God on Death Row an Old Story Miami Herald Lehman Frank 1979 Encounter with the Gulf Stream Pirate OCLC 11105267 Rowe Sean December 4 1997 The Gallows and the Deep New Times Broward Palm Beach External links EditLibrary and archival resources by or about James Horace Alderman James Horace Alderman Collection 1929 University of Miami Special Collections This archival collection contains the typescript of Alderman s autobiography The Life Story of James Horace Alderman written during his imprisonment prior to execution United States v James Horace Alderman U S District Court for the Miami Division of the Southern District of Florida 1907 Copies of Alderman s indictment and death warrant digitized by the U S National Archives Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Alderman amp oldid 1124301491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
