St. Valentine's Day Massacre Colt .38

[Caponeophile]

https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/345914906383039-saint-valentine-s-day-massacre-frank-gusenberg-s-colt-detective-special-revolver/?cat=316

[anticus]

Amazing. I wonder how many firearms tied to massacre still exist, besides the Tommies ?

[colt21a]

And to think i sold it for 10 g back in 1991 { all that info i supplied.} I still have the Colt factory letter and the original Chicago pd Tony Beradi photo { Chicago Tribune} with the original file.and the Sgt Loftus letter.also six cartridges had been loaded and supplied with the gun hopefully the new owner got those also as they went with it.If present buyer owner wants to acquire what i have they can contact me.

 

 

 

glad another collector is happy. RON K.

Edited June 30, 2022 by colt21a

[HANS]

Amazing. I wonder how many firearms tied to massacre still exist, besides the Tommies ?

 

 

None. The shotgun was never identified, it's not even certain what kind it was other than a repeater (semi, pump?). The North Siders were either unarmed with the exception of Frank Gusenberg or their sidearms were taken away by the killers.

 

Still, very cool for this stuff to see the light of day and not stay hidden in someone's collection.

 

Cheers

 

HANS

[John Dillinger]

I have it from a good source that the 2 Thompsons pictured in this photo were found to be the ones used in the St Valentines Day Massacre by ballistics expert Calvin Goddard.
I can’t substantiate that but whether they were or not it’s a really interesting original 1929 photo,in particular the Chicago Bureau report on the reverse side.

 

[John Dillinger]

Linking Fred Burke with the St Valentines Day Massacre. Seen here numerous dignitaries most notably Lieut. Col C H Goddard examining the two Thompsons found at Burkes house subsequently linking him to the massacre.

 

Fred Burke who was wanted for at least 12 murders becomes the most wanted man in the United States.

 

Seen here ballistics expert Calvin Goddard carrying out tests on one of the Thompsons captured at Fred Burkes house and subsequently identified as one of the Thompsons used in the massacre.
Colonel Goddard went on to testify at the State of Illinois Cook County Corners Court and also compiled a very detailed ballistic report entitled ‘The  St Valentines Day Massacre:A study in ammunition tracing’

The authorities finally caught up with Fred Burke capturing him on a Missouri farm. Seen here in manacles in what looks like a Bureau publicity photo perhaps someone can enlighten me here.

 

One of many photos of the grissly scene showing members of the Moran gang who were slain.

I would just like to give a big shout out the fellow Member Chuck Schauer aka jijive for the mountains of material he kindly sent me all the way from the States to England. This is just a snapshot of the many photos, newspaper clippings, fingerprint cards and reports. 
Chuck thank you so much it is so very much appreciated!

 

 

 

 

[gijive]

John Dillinger,

 

Thank you very much for the shout-out.  I'm glad you are enjoying the material I sent.

The explanation of the photo of Burke with the people standing behind him is a newspaper photo taken during the trial of Burke while he was in custody for several days. The local press was very active during this period and they took many photos of Burke, posing with the local authorities.  They even accompanied Burke, after his guilty plea, on the ride to the penitentiary in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

If you are interested in reading more about Burke's capture there is an excellent book available on Amazon, written by a friend of mine, Chriss Lyon.  It is entitled, "Fred "Killer" Burke: The Hunt for the Most Dangerous Man Alive."  The book is an amazingly thorough review of the killing of policeman, Charles Skelly,  investigating the accident that Burke was involved in that led to the finding of the two (2) Thompson Submachine Guns involved in the Massacre.

 

[John Dillinger]

5 hours ago, gijive said:

John Dillinger,

 

Thank you very much for the shout-out.  I'm glad you are enjoying the material I sent.

The explanation of the photo of Burke with the people standing behind him is a newspaper photo taken during the trial of Burke while he was in custody for several days. The local press was very active during this period and they took many photos of Burke, posing with the local authorities.  They even accompanied Burke, after his guilty plea, on the ride to the penitentiary in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

If you are interested in reading more about Burke's capture there is an excellent book available on Amazon, written by a friend of mine, Chriss Lyon.  It is entitled, "Fred "Killer" Burke: The Hunt for the Most Dangerous Man Alive."  The book is an amazingly thorough review of the killing of policeman, Charles Skelly,  investigating the accident that Burke was involved in that led to the finding of the two (2) Thompson Submachine Guns involved in the Massacre.

 

Hi Chuck

The photo we’re referring to looks very typical of those times with high profile gangsters being ‘put on show’ in this way.

I’ll be buying a copy of ‘ Fred Killer Burke’ The Hunt for the Most Dangerous Man Alive’ on your recommendation as your in depth knowledge on this topic and such like is encyclopaedic it’s fair to say.

I have another photo that will interest you I’m sure. You may not have seen it, it’s on another post so I’ll show it you now. The back side tells the story so I’ll let you read it for yourself. 
Thanks again for your warm generosity in expanding on that single photo of that arms cache to such high level of detail it is very much appreciated and has been an education in the whole St Valentines Day Massacre affair.

JD