Charles Leiter
Listed in a 1932 Bureau of Investigation letter among the Purple Gang's 'ring leaders', named in the Detroit FBI office's 1939 survey as one of Abe Bernstein's two lieutenants 'in the old Purple Gang', and listed in a 1948 Miami memorandum.
- Aliases
- Charlie Leiter (1939 letter), Charles Lieter (1948 memorandum)
- Family
- Purple Gang (Bureau of Investigation and FBI letters, 1932 and 1939)
- Role
- one of "two lieutenants of BERNSTEIN's in the old Purple Gang" (FBI Detroit letter, 1939)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records and the filed newspaper pages state.
On the record
- 1932-03-25 — Bureau of Investigation, Detroit: "Charles Leiter," Detroit Police No. 32564, is among those "known to be ring leaders of the Purple Gang."
- 1939-06-17 — FBI Detroit letter: "Two lieutenants of BERNSTEIN's in the old Purple Gang were IZZIE SWARTZ and CHARLIE LEITER." The letter goes on to allegations, attributed to what "has been stated," that this archive does not repeat.
- 1948-04 — FBI Miami memorandum: "Charles Leiter," alias Charles Lieter, Detroit PD No. 32564, is among those the Miami office was told were "presently members of the notorious DETROIT PURPLE GANG."
The family and role lines quote the Bureau’s letters, which rest on police and informant information. No court record about him is filed here, and no filed record gives his birth or death.
Records
itemDetroit Bureau of Investigation letter sending Purple Gang photographs to New York (25 March 1932)A three-page Bureau of Investigation letter from Detroit, written during the Lindbergh kidnapping inquiry, lists thirteen Detroit police photographs and states that all the men pictured except Joe Tocco 'are known to be ring leaders of the Purple Gang'.
itemDetroit Special Agent in Charge's letter on organized crime conditions in Detroit (17 June 1939)John S. Bugas, Special Agent in Charge at Detroit, answers a Bureau request for current organized crime conditions. Under 'Gangs in Detroit' he calls Abe Bernstein 'the original head of the Purple Gang' and names his brothers Joe, Izzie and Raymond.
itemMiami office memorandum 'Detroit Purple Gang' (April 1948)An FBI office memorandum from the Special Agent in Charge at Miami to the Identification Division lists seven men, with aliases and police numbers, said 'according to information received by the Miami Office' to be 'presently members of the notorious DETROIT PURPLE GANG'.