Who Was Inmate Lester Ohmart and What Was the Drake Estate Conspiracy?

In my examination of the federal inmate files of Leavenworth, Kansas, I stumbled on the inmate record of Lester Ohmart (1888-?). He was received at Leavenworth prison on February 22, 1936, on the charge of "using mails to defraud" in Chicago, Illinois. In further digging through the records I found a small sentence that points to the context behind the mail fraud conviction-- Lester Ohmart was involved in a fraud, scheme, or con known as the Drake Estate. Never heard of it? Me neither. I had to keep reading and researching until I figured out and unraveled this interesting tale. Who was Lester Ohmart? What was the Drake Estate conspiracy?

Some Background on Ohmart

You can find Lester Ohmart in the 1900 US Census. He is living in South Otter Township Nilwood Village in Illinois with his mother and father and his four other siblings. (Bertha, August, Lovey, Ressie) It is fun to look at the original census document to see that there is an Everett Neff living just up the street-- I have to assume this is Lydia Neff Ohmart's father and the namesake of Lester's middle name.

Lester Everett Ohmart was born on October 2, 1888, in Girard, Illinois, the son of Lydia Neff and Marion Ohmart. At age 28, Ohmart is living in Hope, Kansas, and fills out the obligatory World War I registration card below. (The card spells his middle name Evertt.)

What Was the Drake Estate Scheme?

By all records and accounts, in his outside personal life Lester Ohmart was a clerk and accountant. There is one summary document within his Leavenworth prison file that tells the story like it is:

"Indictment for the use of the mails to defraud was returned against forty-two persons who were principals and co-workers in the collection of donations to a fund for the settlement of the mythical estate of Sir Francis Drake, the navigator."

So there it is. A charlatan named Oscar Hartzell (see photo above) came up with the idea of the Drake Estate-- an unsettled pot of gold just waiting to be distributed to hundreds of heirs. If you think about it long enough, it's kind of brilliant. The Drake Estate con men preyed upon people with the common last name of Drake and took their money for their own profit. It is also conceivable that Lester Ohmart was just a low-level clerk who truly believed in the mythical estate that never delivered the large and promised payout. There is a great article by Rupert Taylor that goes into more detail about the Drake Estate Fraud here.

Legal Summary of the Drake Estate Crimes of Ohmart

Another document within Lester Ohmart's Leavenworth inmate file provides a fascinating summary of the Drake Estate fraud that seems similar to a pyramid scheme or Ponzi scam. It's kind of long but it's worth a read for some context into this fascinating piece of American and British history.

Collections for the settlement of this estate have been made since about 1920. Oscar M. Hartzell, who resided in London, England, for about ten years, but who is a native of Illinois, and was an American citizen alleged that he had discovered the living heir of a son of Sir Francis Drake and that this living heir had assigned to his title to the estate. Hartzell represented that he was dealing through the Ecclesiastical Courts and the Secret Courts of England and that the British government had accepted his right to the estate. He further represented, through these defendants and other agents, that settlement would be made within a few months, but this continued throughout the years, and each postponement was explained as being due to the fact that additional funds were necessary to pay the expenses of settlement.

Lester Ohmart was an agent for the Drake Estate a number of years ago in Texas and testified that for the operation of this so-called estate he was arrested twice by the state authorities and once by the United States. A fraud order was issued against him in 1933, after which, the case for which he was arrested by the Government was dismissed. He operated the offices of the Drake Estate swindle in Boone, Iowa, and later in Chicago, Illinois, and for his work received, according to the records of the concern, a small salary.

Psychological Evaluation

It is interesting to note that in the year of Ohmart's incarceration there is a psychological evaluation of every inmate. On the psychological report of Lester Ohmart, the psychiatrist has this to say:

This was an office man in the Drake Estate scheme, who says he was employed there for a few years, and was receiving a salary for his work and had no other participation in this enterprise. He is a pleasant frank sincere appearing person, who apparently belives [sic] that the Drake Estate is not a myth.

For his crimes (inadvertent or not) Ohmart is sentenced to one year and a day in the Federal Leavenworth prison in Kansas. At age 46 and a first-time offender, Ohmert must have been a somewhat unusual inmate in this environment. Someone at the prison writes to Mrs. Ida Ohmert in Spencer, Iowa, to ask very personal questions about the background of Lester. In answer, there is a three-page handwritten letter that speaks well of her husband.

"My husband's attitude to me was always kind and loving and always provided well for his family. Yes he was always a compatible marital companion. No I have never had any cause to suspect him of being unfaithful. He is very reliable. We were acquainted four years before our marriage. We were married 25 years last Thanksgiving Day at hope, Kansas. No, neither of us was previously married. No he has never engaged in any illegal activity before I married him. Yes we have 3 children. His attentions toward his family responsibilities were good, he always supported us well. I have no income now. I am at the mercy of friends. I and the children are living alone. As to plans for our future I cannot say as it was such a shock and so unexpected. I feel the cause of our present difficulty was a victim of circumstance. He was employed as an auditor and book keeper. No I do not feel like anything in his previous life had a bearing in connection with his trouble.

This is an unusual look at the life of those left behind by the incarcerated. Sadly, the story of Ida Ohmart is all too common-- when a provider is locked up many families find themselves in financial dire straits. It would have been especially hard for Ida Ohmart to find a job as someone with no degree or employment experience, especially as a woman in a male-dominated world in 1930s America.

Lester Ohmart: Post Prison

The good news is that Lester Ohmart repays his debt to society by serving his prison sentence and returns to his wife and children. I found him in the 1940 census living in San Antonio, Texas with his wife Ida, his two daughters, and a granddaughter. It is interesting to note that Lester is now employed as a traveling salesman for a candy distributor. And that is where our story ends for Lester Ohmart and his family. As an afterthought: it is weird that I can find the story of Lester Ohmart and his mugshot but I am unable to find the mugshot and prison record for the true mastermind of the Drake Conspiracy, Oscar Hartzell. He certainly would have done time in a Federal prison-- I have to assume his record has not yet been digitized.

Appendix

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4WD-GB7 : accessed 18 May 2018), Lester Ohmart, Area D, San Antonio, Justice Precinct 1, Bexar, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 259-150, sheet 11A, line 9, family 400, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4206.

Who Was Inmate John Barney Prine?

In researching historic prisoner records, one of the factors I look for as a researcher is a meaty inmate record file and John Barney Prine (b. abt. 1911-?) of Florida has a very lengthy file of about 200 pages of material. In reading each and every document it became immediately apparent why this inmate file was so big-- John B. Prine was a high maintenance inmate and most of his file was made up of disciplinary records. John Prine was a bad boy, locked up at age 16 for a Violation of Postal Laws in Leavenworth Kansas in 1927.

Prine Prison Violations

With 44 disciplinary violations, John Barney Prine shows a clear disregard for the rules of prison. Now, to be fair, prison has a lot of rules and complete obedience is expected. Also, Prine is a teenager. Most 16 year old children are professional boundary pushers. The disciplinary violations of Prine include:

Went to a ball game while he was supposed to be in school
Talked in main hall while marching
Built fire in his cell
Left his place of work without permission
Fighting
Disobeyed orders of guard
Failed to line up for count
Made music after hours and insolence
Loafed on gallery

These are all low-level violations of prison rules but John B. Prine spent a lot of time in isolation and on a restricted diet due to his poor behavior. Prine also loses a lot of 'Good Time'-- these are days that are credited to prisoners who are well behaved-- time off for good beavior. Because of Prine's numerous prison violations he spends his full three years in prison rather than getting out early for good behavior. John B. Prine did the whole bid.

The Doctor's Report

By the 1920's Leavenworth has a physician examine each inmate upon arrival to determine their physical and mental fitness for their stay in prison. From this doctor's report we gain a little backstory from Prine himself.

"This 'kid' is only 16 years of age, and claims that he was arrested previous to his now incarceration at the age of fourteen (14) years for drunkenness and fighting. He states that his father was killed by lightning, and that he left school while in the (4th) grade at the age of ten (10) years because he had to go to work....Upon examination of this youngster, I find nothing wrong with him mentally with the exception that his mentality is of a low grade and type." Ouch, that last sentence is totally judgmental.

Letter to Mother

I am not sure why there is a letter written to his mother in John Prine's prison record but it is such a sweet little time capsule. Written in elementary cursive and in stilted language, the letter shows the personal side of this rebellious teenager. One wonders if a copy ever reached the Prine household, or has it languished in his prison file for 100 years?

"I am studying poultry from books here. I am also studying penmanship. I have been going for 10-1/2 days, 1-1/2 ours [sic] a day can you see any improvement in this and the last one. I wish you wood [sic] keep these letters from now one [sic] so I can see them when I come home and it won't be long now."

There are many misspellings and grammatical errors in this letter from John Prine to his mother but this is still pretty competent writing for a teenage plumber's helper with a fourth grade education.

Post Prison in 1930 Census in Florida

So what happens to John Barney Prine after he is released from prison? I found him living with his mother and his step family in Wauchula City, Florida in Hardy County. His occupation is listed as laborer and he performs 'odd jobs.' We know that this is the correct John Prine because he gave his mother's name as Bessie McGahgan when he was admitted to prison. The fact that the census taker records the family name as 'McGahagin' shows the fluidity of spelling in the early 20th century. This is also the final historical record that I can find of young John Barney Prine, who had an unusually long prison file and the same name as a famous American singer-writer, presumeably unrelated.

Appendix

1930 Census

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SRT3-KPZ : accessed 9 May 2018), John B Prine in household of James Z Mcgahagin, Wauchula, Hardee, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 3, sheet 7B, line 73, family 180, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 317; FHL microfilm 2,340,052.

Who Was Inmate Floyd Clymer?

It's not often that I run to an inmate who has their own Wikipedia page. Such is the case with Floyd Clymer (1895-1970), inventor, businessman, automobile innovator, and professional racer. I found Clymer's Federal Leavenworth, Kansas, prison record while perusing historic prison records available at the US National Archives. And I have never seen a mugshot with such a happy face! Clymer was convicted of Mail Fraud, no doubt an early conviction of using the mail in a nefarious manner. I was unable to find out the real issue here-- what lead to the arrest-- until I found a small ad in the back of the American Motorcycle Association Magazine:

I have to assume that this small magazine ad is what sent Clymer to prison: perhaps he had nothing to send the patent seeker or perhaps he provided false information. Either way, this successful businessman, inventor, and professional driver ended up at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas for about a year.

Harley Davidson and Meryle Clymer

Another thing that drew me to the inmate file of Floyd Clymer was the length of his file. There are almost 200 pages of documents and for a prisoner serving only a year that is a lot of paperwork. I concluded that there had to be an interesting story here. Most of the documents in Clymer's file represent telegrams to and from his wife and business partner Meryle Clymer. At the time of his arrest and incarceration, Floyd Clymer owned and ran a successful Harley Davidson shop in Colorado. Even though Meryle lives in Colorado, she travels to Leavenworth, Kansas about twice a month to visit her husband and to consult him about the business. And you can tell Floyd is a proactive businessman when he writes to the Warden of Leavenworth to ask questions about his impending incarceration-- Floyd is a planner and a bit of a name dropper. I think this is also Floyd's way of showing the Warden that he is not your run-of-the-mill criminal-- Floyd is an important businessman with his own letterhead, secretary, and important friends.

Another unique aspect of Floyd Clymer's inmate record is the love and affection expressed in the exchange of telegrams between Floyd and Meryle. Floyd usually signs each telegram with a very sweet and sincere, 'Worlds of Love.' The below telegram from Meryle to Floyd from January 1, 1931, reads in part: "This new year will bring us many good things. Thinking of you all day and loving you with all my heart." Clearly this is a couple that was not destroyed by a prison sentence. The back and forth of telegrams shows a couple united in their business and personal partnership.

Letters of Support

Floyd has a lot of important friends who write letters to the Warden on his behalf. One letter reads in part: "You recently acquired a new addition to your big house in the person of Floyd Clymer. He does not belong in your institution, and would not be there, in my opinion, except for technicalities of law." That fact that the letter is signed by lawyer Kenaz Huffman of the Colorado law firm of Yeaman, Gove and Huffman makes this particularly funny and ironic-- all people have been sent to prison on 'technicalities of law.' Perhaps what Huffman meant to say is that while Clymer broke the law he had no previous record and was not criminally minded.

Other letters in Clymer's file indicate that at one point the Warden of Leavenworth is seeking a personal driver. Clymer is keen to get the job and has several very important people send letters to the Warden on his behalf. One letter from Don Hogan of Fokker Aircraft of Chicago reads:

"Floyd Clymer is the man and I doubt if there is anyone in the United States of his age that has attained more worthy note when it comes to professional racing and supervision of such events, than this fellow. For seventeen years he has raced motorcycles and automobiles and successfully and for many years past has been the one person to make the final choice of the best lady driver in the Rocky Mountain region in contests that are sponsored by the Rocky Mountain News of Denver."

Floyd Clymer is definitely part Paul Newman. Sadly, regulations prohibit inmates from being personal drivers so Clymer is denied the position.

Special Privileges Denied

While Floyd definitely has some things going for him that separate him from other inmates the Warden of Leavenworth at one point grew weary of Meryle Clymer often asking for special visiting privileges to be able to visit her husband and to consult him regarding the business. In February 1931 the Warden hand writes on a request letter from Meryle, "Advise her to handle by letter. No visit permitted." Even special guests in the Big House have their limitations.

Additionally, on August 28, 1930, N. R. Timmons of the Warden's office sends letter to Floyd saying,

"I am approving requests for three special letters received from you today with the understanding that they are not to be used in carrying on outside business from this institution, as it appears that you are trying to do. It is permissible for you to write such letters in closing up your business or to have the same carried on by others through power of attorney, but no requests of this kind will be granted in the future if it appears in any way that you are carrying on a business by this method."

It is common practice even today to deny inmates the right to "do business" from prison. In researching Clymer's records, he was certainly afforded privileges in this area that others might not have been permitted.

Upon his release on parole on June 15, 1931, Floyd Clymer goes on to continue his work in the field of motorcycles, automobiles, and racing. Clymer designs and patents motorcycle helmets. Floyd Clymer was honored as an inductee in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998. It's nice to know that Clymer survives his incarceration and picks up where he left off. As a former felon, Clymer seemed to face few obstacles in achieving success however, it should be noted that Clymer had the infrastructure of his success already built before his stay in prison. Many prisoners are not so lucky nor successful post release.

Appendix

The Clymer Manuals are still in use today. Floyd Clymer also authored many books about automobiles including this one on the Porsche 912:

And finally, I have to include the only photo I could find of Meryle Clymer, faithful wife and partner of Floyd Clymer.

And just for the record, there is no proof in Leavenworth prison records that Clymer was granted leave to ride motorcycle in races. You can view Floyd Clymer's complete prison records at the National Archives here.

Who Was Inmate Dan Tso-Se?

At age 13, Dan Tso-Se (b. abt. 1896-?) was probably one of the youngest inmates in prison during this time period in the United States. So who was inmate Dan Tso-Se?

Dan arrived at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas on June 21, 1909, found guilty of manslaughter for killing four people. Dan’s intake record shows that he is 5 feet, ¾-inches tall, and weighs 98-pounds. He cannot speak or understand English and his ears are pierced. He is also listed, probably mistakenly, as age seven. He lists his parents as dead, making Dan Tso-se an orphan.

A poignant statement is found on Dan’s 1913 Trusty Prisoner’s Agreement that reads:

“It was alleged that in November 1908 in New Mexico I killed four men whose names I do not remember. I was only 13 years old at the time and these men were continually mistreating and whipping me. I had no one to look after me, being an orphan. I plead guilty.”

It is noted on Dan’s intake record that he “cannot speak or understand English” so this Trusty Prisoner Agreement must have been made a few years after his arrival in Federal prison.

A Murder Mystery

At some point in this young man’s incarceration, he must have asked about the whereabouts of his sister and family. A letter from W. T. Shelton, Superintendent of the San Juan School of Shiprock, New Mexico to United States Marshall J. H. Anderson of Salt Lake City, Utah from 1910 reads:

“I am in receipt of your letter dated Dec. 28, 1909, asking for the whereabouts of Dan-Tso-se’s sister and other kinsfolk. In reply, I have to say that unfortunately, Dan killed his sister and two or three of his kinsfolk. He has a brother in this school by the name of Tony Tso-se. I will make further inquiry of his kinfolk.”

This letter is forwarded to Warden R. W. McLaughrey who, in turn, was asked to give the letter to young Dan.

So, did Dan Tso-se kill his sister and other members of his family? Or did he kill “four men whose names I do not remember?” There is a big discrepancy here. It is also interesting to note that Dan writes to Mr. Shelton at least twice during his incarceration. (We don’t know what the correspondence content was but there is a log of all letters in and out of the prison to Dan.)

Youthful Offender

An examination of Dan’s disciplinary record while in prison shows the antics of someone who is still quite childlike. For example:

Nov. 15, 1909: Breaking dishes. This prisoner broke a number of bowls by carelessly running the truck which he was pushing against the table. (Dan broke a lot of dishes and has several disciplinary notes regarding this subject.)

Dec. 27, 1901: Vulgarity. This prisoner was kicking up his heels and blowing with his mouth imitating breaking wind in a loud, boisterous, vulgar way…

Oct. 9, 1911: Skylarking with [inmate] #7656. This prisoner was wrestling and also laughing with [inmate] #7556 around the dining room, taking advantage of the guard's absence…

Oct. 29, 1912: Failing to obey orders. This man has been instructed time again not to put any dirty rags under the dining room tables but is still keeping them there.

It is interesting to note that Dan receives no disciplinary write-ups from October 30, 1912, until his release on March 7, 1916. Perhaps Dan matures a bit in these four years.

Feral Child Myth

Contrary to articles written about Dan Tso-Se, he was not raised in the wild and he was able to speak. However, he was unable to speak English when he was sent to Leavenworth. A memo shows that Dan sent a letter to his brother in New Mexico using the Navajo language.

At Dan’s trial in Salt Lake City, there is a brief report from June 18, 1909, in The Standard of Ogden Utah that reads in part: “The boy came into the courtroom dressed in an old pair of overalls, and an old khaki colored canvas coat. His long straight hair fell around his ears and well into his neck, and as he took his seat in the courtroom and looked toward the judge he seemed to be absolutely free from any realization of the heinousness of his crime.”

And… “He was to all intents and purposes a wild boy of the hills, and as such, he excited sympathy from all present. The boy stated to the district attorney that he had never received any kindness from anyone excepting a brother and a sister. The hand of everyone else, he intimated, had been against him. If he did not do as he was told he was beaten and ill-treated. As he told his story he shed tears, which showed some susceptibility.

The myth of Dan Tso-Se as a feral, nature boy seems to come in part from a sensationalized article from the Deseret Evening News, December 28, 1909, that is deemed important enough to be tucked into his prison records online. In part, the article reads,

“Under the influence of discipline and surroundings at Leavenworth prison, to which he was sent last summer for shooting four relatives in the extreme southeastern part of Utah, an Indian boy, Dan Tsose, has undergone a remarkable change. When he was in Salt Lake City, and appeared before the United States district court for the sentence he was clad in worn and old overalls, and a shirt that appeared as if it had never been washed, and his long and unkempt hair and apparent nonchalance of the seriousness of the crime, evoked feelings of sympathy for the child of nature, whose angry passion lead him, childlike, to take summary vengeance on those whom he thought unkind to him.”

The End of Dan

Dan is released in 1916 and seems to disappear. A letter from the warden to Charles E. Dagenett in February says that Dan wants to go to the Arapahoe Indian Agency in Wyoming. A letter to the Warden of Leavenworth from C. H. Asbury, Special Agent in Charge, in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, says that Dan went to New Mexico after prison but was not welcomed there. Does this add credence to the notion that Dan had committed a horrible crime? Searches in subsequent census reports from 1920 and 1930 reveal no more mentions of young Dan Tso-se, perhaps one of the youngest people ever sent to Leavenworth Federal Prison.

You may read the inmate file of Dan Tso-Se at the US National Archives here.

Who Was Prisoner Hyman Polski?

“The war on alcohol in the 1920s and the war on drugs of the ’70s and ’80s are symbiotic campaigns. The initial edifice of the war on drugs was built with similar logic, the same cast of characters, and some of the initial infrastructure that came out of the war on alcohol.”

~ Lisa McGirr

This is the story of Hyman Polski (1885-1939), merchant, husband, father, and resident of Minnesota, USA. Mr. Polski was born Chaim Krasnopolski about 1885, a Russian Jew who immigrated to the United States around 1905. In 1927, Mr. Polski is sentenced to two years at the Federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, for Conspiracy to Violate the Prohibition Act-- Mr. Polski is a moonshiner who was caught with storage tanks of alcohol and a still operation in a barn in Minnesota. According to the record in the district court:

“...did feloniously have in their possession and under their control, a certain still and distilling apparatus set up, used and intended for use in the manufacture of distilled spirits, to-wit, whiskey, which said still and distilling apparatus was not and had not been registered with the Collector of Internal Revenue for the District of Minnesota…”

The Appeal

While Hyman Polski was sentenced on December 30, 1927, he does not begin his sentence until almost two years later. A letter from 1928 in his inmate file shows that a judge granted Polski and his co-defendants more time to appeal their conviction. Polski’s co-defendants include Charles Geller, Harry Skar, Maurice Ruben, Jacob M. Fredgant, Louis B. Wiggins, Charles J. Stock, Lawrence Jenson, William Ledgerding, Henry Lotfog (aka Isaac L. Rabinovitz), Louis Wittles, and Clarence F. Bradfield.

Ultimately, Mr. Polski’s appeal is denied and he is received in Leavenworth Prison in Kansas on December 29, 1929. Hyman Polski appeals his conviction but loses. An order from May 1929 directs Polski and his co-defendants to surrender themselves to prison within 30 days. Instead, Mr. Polski et al filed a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States. The writ asks for an appeal or review of the case that leads to the conviction of Polski and others. On October 21, 1929, the US Supreme Court denies the petition of certiorari, and Hyman Polski et al must surrender themselves to the proper authorities to serve their sentences in prison. (This same court case from 1929, Polski v. the United States, is sometimes cited in other legal cases due to the nature of Mr. Polski’s arrest.) On January 3, just five days later, Polski sends a worried telegraph to his wife Tillie in St. Paul, Minnesota, concerned that he has not heard back from her. Three days later on January 6, Ms. Polski telegraphs back to say that all is well and that she had sent a letter out just recently.

One interesting historic aspect of Hyman Polski’s file is a memo from J. Edgar Hoover (dated January 24, 1930) addressed to the Superintendent of Prisons at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, with a copy going to Leavenworth, Kansas, that states that Mr. Hyman’s fingerprints reveal that he has no federal record of previous convictions. The translation: Mr. Polski has no prior convictions.

J. Edgar Hoover & the FBI

There is another memo from April 10, 1937, that is personally signed by J. Edgar Hoover at the Federal Bureau of Investigation that shows Mr. Polski’s criminal record and felony registration. Presumably, the detail-oriented J. Edgar Hoover created a felony registry with Hyman Polski having registered on March 6, 1937.

A sad aspect of imprisonment during the Great Depression is that Mr. Polski’s wife and three children lost their house due to foreclosure. Mr. Louis Hertz writes, “Mr. Polski until convicted and imprisoned had a good reputation, and had never been involved in any trouble before that time.”

With no breadwinner in the household, Mrs. Polski was unable to pay the mortgage. Where did they go? What did they do? Only history knows. Friends of Mr. Polski, Mr. Hertz, and Mr. Gordon write poignant letters to the parole board on behalf of Mr. Polski and his family. There is also a letter in support of Mr. Polski from J. Clair Stone, the president of the Elk Laundry Company in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Polski Released

The good news is that Mr. Polski is released on parole after a little over a year in Leavenworth, Kansas. Presumably, Hyman Polski leads a law-abiding and productive life after prison.

Luckily for Mr. Polski, there is a job waiting for him with the Milton Rosen Tire Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota when he is finally released in December 1930.

It is somewhat sad that Polski only has less than a decade on the outside before he dies in 1939, but his wife Tillie (1889-1989) lives to be 100 years old. They are both buried at the Sons of Jacob Cemetery in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

A book by Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State (2016), talks about how the penal system in the United States grew and developed during Prohibition at both state and federal levels. This dry, dark time in American history also lead to the rise of organized crime and the Ku Klux Klan. From 1920-1933, the National Prohibition Act made illegal the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. Can we call this the War on Alcohol? Yes, we can. Many who tried to illegally provide this demanded product ended up in state or Federal prison. During the years of the Great Depression, it only seems natural that many would try to supplement their income with the illegal manufacturing and distribution of alcohol. Many who were locked up on charges of making and selling alcohol were first-time offenders, minorities, or recent immigrants, just like Hyman Polski.

For more context, watch this video on Reason TV featuring Lisa McGirr, author of The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State. You can read the inmate file of Hyman Polski at the National Archives online catalog here.

Who Was William Holly Griffith (1892-1971) of West Virginia?

Who was William Holly Griffith (1892-1971), a convicted murderer and prisoner from Wirt County, West Virginia? Sometimes called the Bestial Murderer (because of the heinous nature of his crimes), Griffith was probably responsible for the deaths of four men including Constable Jeff Goff, police officer G. Ord Thompson, boat owner Ira Roush, and inmate Henry Lewis. This cop killer, murderer, and chronic prison escapee is probably one of the most dangerous criminals in recorded West Virginia history.

Griffith in the Census

In the 1900 US Census, there is a William Griffith (born in July 1892) living in the Burning Springs district of Wirt County, West Virginia. William’s parents are listed as James (age 33) and Eva (age 24) Griffith. James’ occupation is listed as farming. At the time of the 1900 Census, James and Eva had been married for 8 years. Also listed are additional children of James and Eva including Elizabeth, age 7, and George D., age 2. William is listed as attending school. The birthplace of all parents and children is listed as West Virginia, and the parents of James and Eva are listed as being born in West Virginia.

William H. Griffith (age 17) and his parents, James (age 44) and Evaline (age 36) are also found in the 1910 US Census. They are living in Nicholas County, West Virginia, in Kentucky District Precinct 3. What we can conclude from looking at the census is that the Griffiths had a very large family that included:
Minnie S. (age 15),
George D. (age 11),
Albert F. (age 8),
Lona (age 6),
Bessie (age 2),
Atha (age 0, indicating infant).

Including parents and children, that is nine people in one household. James Griffith’s occupation is listed as a carpenter who works on his own account and builds or works on houses. The future murderer, William, is listed as working as a laborer in a coal mine. An article in Goldenseal Magazine by Herbert R. Cogar in 2010 lists Griffith’s wife’s name as Lulu. Allegedly, William Holly Griffith also had a daughter.

The Crimes of Holly Griffith

So, what are the crimes of Holly Griffith? It all started over a car that Griffith purchased using a bad check. Mr. Griffith had been arrested in Athens, Ohio. The arresting party, with Griffith, stopped to spend the night in Cairo and Griffith was able to escape and return to his home in Groundhog, West Virginia.

Special Constable Jeff Goff went to Griffith’s house in Groundhog (near Creston) in Wirt County, WV, to arrest Mr. Griffith. Griffith shot Goff rather than submit to the arrest. For reasons unknown, William Griffith was never charged in the shooting of Constable Jeff Goff on April 1, 1915, which resulted in Goff’s death on April 8. (Sadly, Thomas Jefferson Goff lingered for a week before he died from the gunshot wound.) After this shooting and escape, Griffith was chased by bloodhounds and a group of deputies led by the Sheriff of Wirt County.

Griffith was able to escape arrest and was on the run when he murdered again.

Griffith was convicted for the murder of G. Ord Thompson, the Chief of Police of the town of Gassaway, WV. Thompson was murdered by Griffith on May 1, 1915, while Griffith was on the run from the first murder. It is interesting to note that the wanted poster from 1915 lists Griffith's alias as F. S. Rose, the name he used to write the bad check.

So while there is no census information that gives us William Griffith’s middle name, there is evidence that the man known to many as “Holly” really had a similar, but different, middle name of “Howlie.” One strong piece of evidence as to the identity of William Griffith is his World War I draft card from December 1918, easily found on the Church of the Latter Day Saints site Family Search. Is this an error? One possibility is that the card was filled out by someone else who misheard the middle name of the Bestial Murderer.

This record clearly lists Griffith’s name as William Howlie Griffith, born in Sanoma on July 31, 1892, in Wirt County, West Virginia. Griffith lists his occupation as an electrician and claims to be married with a child. He also gives his address as Clarksburg.

Griffiths' death certificate lists his first name as Holly, one must assume because that is his nickname. He died July 11, 1971, at Moundsville Penitentiary of a cerebral vascular accident due to hypertension-- Griffith died of a stroke.

You may read and view the entire death certificate of William Griffith here.

Speculation About Griffith

So, did one bad check begin the criminal career of this notorious West Virginia felon? The details of Griffith’s life and crimes are a bit murky. It is known that Griffith’s lawyer, the highly respected J. Howard Holt came to Griffith’s defense and argued that his client was not guilty of the three murders he was ultimately convicted of. (Holt also was a passionate opponent of the death penalty.) William Holly Griffith is an interesting character from West Virginia history. Descriptions of Griffith are contradictory as he has been described as a model prisoner who was entrepreneurial in prison and yet he also escaped from Moundsville Penitentiary. Do model prisoners escape? I think not. But you can look at the mugshots of William Holly Griffith and tell that he was in prison for most of his life. Holly was incarcerated for over 55 years, one of the longest-serving inmates in US history. He is so much a convict that he was allowed to have his own dog when incarcerated at Moundsville Prison in Moundsville, WV (see pic below).

By some accounts, Griffith was a wealthy man and had built up a bank account of several tens of thousands of dollars but this is hearsay. Sadly, there is just not a lot of historic information about William Holly Griffith. If he was indeed a vicious, or bestial, murderer, perhaps a lack of details about his life and death is a suitable epitaph.

Who Was Logan Peter Martin, Prisoner and Poet?

I found Logan P. Martin’s prison record from 1913 in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia while browsing online via the National Archives. He was one of many federal inmates whose records have been preserved for history. Most of these records contain the obligatory mugshot and fingerprint records, but Martin’s file also contained a handwritten poem about the atrocity of murder committed during wartime. One verse proclaims:

“It is a crime as base as hell
To Take from man the breath of life,
Even though your country says ‘tis well
To join the sanguinary strife.”

The poem is signed by Logan P. Martin, Convict #4642, Federal Prison, Atlanta.

Prisoner and Poet

So who was inmate Logan Martin? ((December 28, 1873-1929) A little further digging reveals that the prisoner Mr. Martin had a book of poetry published in 1915 entitled Chrysalis by J. J. O’Donnell of Atlanta, Georgia. Byrd Printing Company agreed to print the book at cost according to a publisher’s note inside. Apparently, it took a lot of people to publish this 104-page volume. Amongst those thanked inside the book include Atlanta Mayor James G. Woodward who also has a photograph of his mustachioed self, Reverend Cary B. Wilmer (a pensive side-view photo included), Reverend Doctor John E. White (a photo with starched collar), and Dean John R. Atkinson. Also included in this book of poetry is a tribute from Rabbi Doctor David Marx that reads in part,

“We welcome this little book of verse, flung red hot from the soul-forge, of one who, while in prison, emancipated himself. It is a message to his fellow men outside the walls. A perusal of its pages raises a mighty question: ‘Who is a prisoner? Who is really free?’”

Songs of the Heart

Chrysalis is divided into four sections, the first of which is called Songs of the Heart. While this section includes some standard themes indicated by the title— women, Christmas in prison, and children— there is also a whimsical and unexpected poem of affection entitled “Lines to a Roach.” The first verse reads,

“There is a timid little roach,
That comes to see me every day.
He’s very shy in his approach,
But that, I think, is just his way.”

Songs of Life

The second section, Songs of Life, reveals some of the poetic popularity of Mr. Martin. In the poem “From a Prison Cell”, he perhaps reveals regret and circumspection perhaps about his crime when he writes,

“A thing once done is never dead.
The best way to undo the deed
that makes our heart and conscience bleed
Is just to look above and say:
I will pursue another way.”

Also included in this section is a short unentitled poem that may or may not be about prison officers and/or prison administrators but it is certainly about those in positions of petty power.

“The large officiousness of small officials
would be almost piteous were it not so ludicrous.
Just watch poor Willie Wimple strut;
He has a place wherein he can
Lord it over another man

And he’s a wondrous wonder but –
With all his faults we love him still;
He’s not as bad as we may think,
for Willie has to eat and drink,
and he needs his job to pay the bill.”

In the above poem, the first verse calls out the abuse of power, and the second verse tempers it with understanding. This perhaps illustrates the delicate relationship between prisoner and jailer—both depend on each other for their livelihoods.

There are small paragraphs of prose interspersed with the poetry. One reads:

“Centuries of example have not yet convinced the powers that be of the futility of punishment. Where one man has been reformed by punishment a thousand have been reformed by mercy” This paragraph concludes, “Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Luther, and others who have accomplished things in the world, were leaders, not drivers of men.”

This reader interprets this paragraph as social commentary about the prison and legal system. While prison administrators and employees are encouraged to act as role models, some correctional officers and administrators operate as punishing people-herders rather than responsible leaders.

In another intriguing paragraph Logan P. Martin writes,

“In the upward trend of events three things are hastening to become fixed among us, namely, woman suffrage, the abolition of the open saloon, and the disarmament of all civilized nations.”

As a book written over 100 years ago, Chrysalis becomes a time capsule. It is interesting to note that only the open saloon—the idea of the doors swinging out and in simultaneously to all—is no longer an issue in America. Sadly, women’s suffrage and the disarmament of the world are still works in progress in the 21st century.

Songs of the Soul and An Essay

The third section of Chrysalis, Songs of the Soul, reveals the spiritual and contemplative side of Logan P. Martin who is truly a jailhouse philosopher as well as a poet.

“A prisoner has but one true friend—
A friend regardless of his crime;
That helps him always to the end--
We call him by the name of Time.”

While Chrysalis is an acceptable book of poetry, it also has some corny, funny, and schmaltzy bits. A case in point is a love poem entitled “Maude Mining” presumably in honor of a fair maiden of the same name. Maude is a nature girl who, like Snow White, enjoys frolicking in nature with birds and sunshine. One especially funny verse reads,

“When you’re on the lake canoeing,
All the sea-gods go a-wooing.”

The final section of Chrysalis is "An Essay in Four Parts" and consists of a meditation on prisons and prisoners.

“Looking into the past of the average man in prison, I have discovered the environments which surrounded him were bad.” In this observation, Martin is spot on -- the reasons many end up in prison are the same today. In attempting to give Logan Martin more back story and context this researcher felt compelled to do some genealogical digging.

Logan Martin in the Census and in Prison Records

In Martin’s final prison record from 1913 he says he was born in Kentucky. A search on the US Census of 1880 reveals only one Logan Martin (age 7) living with his parents, Peter & Julia. The census also lists four siblings to Logan Martin. Peter Martin, the head of the household, lists his occupation as a farm laborer. Mrs. Julia A. Martin lists her occupation, of course, as keeping house.

In searching the travels of Logan Martin it is most interesting to find his additional incarceration records on the National Archives website.

• In 1895, Mr. Martin, age 22, (inmate #1119) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of altering a postal money order in east Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• In 1899, Mr. Martin, age 26, (inmate #2331) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.
• In 1913, Logan Martin, age 40, (inmate #4642) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.

It is the final prison record from 1913 that reveals the most clues regarding Mr. Martin’s personal information. The Bertillon Measurement Card for Mr. Martin is pictured here, an almost elegant, handwritten record with a sepia-toned portrait:

From this fascinating picture we know that Logan Martin is 5-foot 9-inches tall, weighs 137-pounds, and has bad teeth. In this record, Mr. Martin is age 40, a native of Kentucky, and his occupation is listed as ‘newspaperman.’

Logan P. Martin in the Baltimore Sun

While the National Archives contains records of three separate convictions and incarcerations for Martin, the Baltimore Sun reveals at least one additional arrest. From a small article dated September 2, 1904:

“Rev. Logan P. Martin, an evangelist, was arrested in Roanoke on a charge of raising money orders.”

Repeat Offender

So, somewhere between Martin’s second and third stint in the federal prison in Atlanta, he may have done time in Virginia on similar counterfeiting charges. Or, as the next article indicates, he may have made bail and skipped town. It is also interesting to note that he is described in the article as an evangelist with the title of Reverend. There is no mention of Mr. Martin’s alleged clergy status in Chrysalis and this researcher raised a skeptical eyebrow at this small arrest article. Was Mr. Logan P. Martin a con man who knew the language and posture of a clergyman? Did he use his piety (real or pretend) to convince those around him that his poetry was worthy of publication?

The next mention of Martin in the Baltimore Sun is from December 1908. The article reads: “Logan P. Martin was arrested for making and passing counterfeit nickels, and is said to be wanted in Baltimore and other cities for raising money orders. When arrested here he said his name was Peter Vinson. Subsequently, he admitted his guilt, it is said, and gave his correct name, saying he is a native of Kentucky. It is said he is wanted by the police of Denver, New York, Philadelphia, and Wilmington.”

It is also relevant and interesting to see the photo of Mr. Martin as a civilian in a bowler hat, tie, and mustache. His flat affect and narrowed eyes make him appear more of a streetwise criminal than his wide-eyed, clean-faced prison portrait.

The final mention of Mr. Martin is in the Baltimore Sun in 1909. This is a recap of the counterfeit nickel arrest that took place at his residence at 502 East Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two sentences are the most interesting,

“He said he was formerly a minister of the Christian Church in Kentucky, and lived on a farm near Owensboro, in that State. In April 1906, he said, he was released from the Government prison at Atlanta after serving a term of two years for raising money orders in Philadelphia, and he said he wished to get back to that prison as soon as possible.”

Further Questions About Logan Martin

So, if Mr. Martin’s intentions were to get back to federal prison as soon as possible, why did he initially offer up the Peter Vinson alias? This researcher also thinks that there are more expeditious ways to get back to federal prison than setting up a counterfeit nickel operation. This researcher speculates that Mr. Martin’s pattern of travel, arrest, and counterfeiting reveals him to possess a criminal mind of deception and denial.

Given the information about Logan P. Martin not revealed in Chrysalis, it is interesting and telling that so many men of God came together to publish this book of poetry. Mr. Martin in the role of Reverend, real or imagined, had the skills and vocabulary to be able to talk, interact, and influence the Mayor of Atlanta, two Reverends, a Rabbi, and an academic Dean. In return, all of these upstanding members of society gain cache by publishing a book of poetry discovered inside a place where poetry is an unexpected refinement. Mr. Logan is perhaps something of a trained cat or a sword swallower, able to perform extraordinary feats for the entertainment of others. However, I don’t want to sell Mr. Martin short-- as a prisoner in the early 20th century, it is quite an achievement for an inmate who may have challenged literacy skills to be able to put together and publish a book of poetry. To have inspired and motivated many important people of the day to cooperate in the creation of Chrysalis, Martin must have had powerful charisma.

Who benefits more from the publishing of Chrysalis? The repeat offender and inmate Logan P. Martin? Or, the Mayor, Reverends, Rabbi, and Dean who lend their names and reputations to this symbol of gentility? Or perhaps the reader is inspired by a literate inmate who spends his time creatively? This researcher hypothesizes that the answer is ‘yes” to all of the above. Regardless of the motivations and benefits of this book of prison poetry, it is a fascinating relic of an era over 100 years ago when clergy rallied to lift up a shiny remnant of humanity “flung red hot from the soul-forge.”

After Prison & Death

After spending some quality research time with Logan P. Martin, I really hoped that he had time to live life outside of prison. (He was a non-violent offender after all.) I was pleased to find out that he did. There is one marriage record for Logan P. Martin and Anne (Irwin) Martin, who married in Manhattan in New York City on January 2, 1924. (Martin’s parents are mentioned as Peter and Julia as well as his birthplace of Cromwell, Kentucky in 1873, which confirms this is the same Logan P. Martin.) It is interesting to note that the marriage record lists Mr. Martin as divorced-- perhaps he had a previous unrecorded marriage? Ms. Anne Irwin Martin, age 39 and also previously divorced, lists her parent’s names as Walter Irwin and Anne Howell.

How long did the marriage of Logan and Anne Martin last? It is hard to say, but his death certificate suggests a brief marriage. Logan P. Martin died on May 10, 1929, at age 56 in the Columbia Hotel in New York City, his marital status listed as single. It is interesting to note that Mr. Martin’s parents are correctly listed as Peter Martin and Julia Wilson. His occupation is listed as a salesman and his final resting place is the City Cemetery, no cause of death was indicated.

Appendix

1880 Census, b. 1873, Kentucky
Ohio County, Kentucky, Sulphur Springs
Parents: Peter Martin, age 50, farm laborer, birthplace is Kentucky
Julia A. Martin, age 38, keeping house, birthplace is Kentucky
Siblings: Reuben, age 15
Nora, age 11
Alonzo, 9
Logan, 7 (b. About 1873)
James, 5
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZ2-VWT : 11 August 2016), Logan Martin in the household of Peter Martin, Sulphur Springs, Ohio, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 185, sheet 617B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0436; FHL microfilm 1,254,436.

Death Record

“New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MQ-GVJ : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin, 10 May 1929; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,057,106.

Marriage Record

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2467-C58 : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin and Anne I. Martin, 02 Jan 1924; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,643,139.

The Bertillon Measurement System

The Bertillon Measurement System was one of the first methods of capturing the identification of inmates and criminals and was developed by French police officer and biometrics researcher Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914). Fingerprinting ultimately won out as a better system of identification over the complicated physical measurement system invented by Bertillon.