Title supplied by cataloger. Charles H. Crawford (1879-1931), nicknamed "The Gray Wolf" and "Good Time" Charlie, was a kingpin politician and key player in what was known as the "City Hall Gang" or "The System", a low-profile but all-powerful syndicate that ran the gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging rackets in Los Angeles. By mid-1930s, Crawford's empire had begun to crumble and had had too many close brushes with the law. He sought legitimacy by opening an insurance and real estate office in Hollywood and also funded a periodical magazine called "Critic of Critics", operated by newspaperman Herbert E. Spencer. It was at this office building, that on May 20, 1931 both men were shot. Spencer was fatally shot with a bullet to the heart, but Crawford survived and was transported to the hospital, where he died at 8:54 pm despite blood transfusions. The bullet had plowed its way through his abdomen, rupturing his liver and one of his kidneys. Though Crawford regained consciousness prior to his operation, he refused to reveal his assassin's identity saying that if he had to die, the secret would go with him to the grave. And so it did. Three days later, on May 23, 1931, David H. Clark, known to the press as "Debonair Dave" or "Handsome Dave", a former deputy District Attorney and candidate for Municipal Judge, turned himself in to the police and admitted that he had shot Crawford and Spencer. At his trial, Clark testified that both killings were in self-defense. Eleven of the 12 jurors disagreed, and voted to acquit Clark. Interesting note: In 1936, Charles Crawford's widow hired Juan Carlos Rodriguez to design the historic "Crossroads of the World", and had it built on the site where her husband was shot. Photograph caption dated May 31, 1939 reads, "Guy McAfee, reputed gambling overlord of Los Angeles, shown with his wife, the former June Brewster, says he is forsaking Lady Luck in this city. But he is keeping his yacht in the waters around here. He's going to devote all his gaming activities to Las Vegas, where he's built two lavish palaces of chance."
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;25 x 19 cm. Photographic prints
Husband and wife--California--Los Angeles Couples--California--Los Angeles Criminals--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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