# Detroit Bureau of Investigation letter on the deaths of Abe Axler and Eddie Fletcher (28 November 1933)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/fbi-vault-purple-gang-p01-axler-fletcher-letter-1933/

Special Agent in Charge Wm. Larson at Detroit sends the Director Detroit Times clippings on 'the murder of two alleged members of the Detroit Purple Gang, Abe Axler and Eddie Fletcher', with their Detroit police numbers.

A one-page letter on "U. S. Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice" letterhead, 625 Lafayette Building, Detroit, dated November 28, 1933, to the Director of the Division of Investigation in Washington. It reads: "There are being transmitted herewith newspaper clippings taken from The Detroit Times of November 27, 1933 which concern the murder of two alleged members of the Detroit Purple Gang, Abe Axler and Eddie Fletcher, who it will be noted, are allegedly recognized as Detroit Public Enemies Nos. 1 and 2."

The second paragraph gives "the Detroit Police number of Axler" as 29655 and Fletcher's as 28544, for fingerprint purposes. It is signed Wm. Larson, Special Agent in Charge, and lists three enclosures.

The enclosed Detroit Times clippings follow in the file on pages 13 and 14. They are third-party newspaper pages and are not reproduced here. The letter does not say where or how the two men died, and this page does not either. The 1932 Detroit letter in the same file lists Abe Axler under police number 29655 and a "Henry Fletcher" under 28544, the number this letter gives for Eddie Fletcher.

## Sources

- FBI Records: The Vault, Purple Gang Part 01, p. 12: https://vault.fbi.gov/Purple%20Gang%20%28aka%20Sugar%20House%20Gang%29/Purple%20Gang%20%28aka%20Sugar%20House%20Gang%29%20Part%2001/view