Harry Fleisher
Named in a 1932 Bureau of Investigation letter among the Purple Gang's 'ring leaders' and as wanted by Michigan authorities; convicted in 1936 in the Eastern District of Michigan of an internal revenue conspiracy and held at Alcatraz as No. 320 from 1936 to 1939.
- Born
- 1903-04-16
- Aliases
- Harry Fleischer (1948 Miami memorandum), Harry Fleish, Henry Fink
- Family
- Purple Gang (Bureau of Investigation letter, 1932)
- Role
- among those "known to be ring leaders of the Purple Gang" (Bureau of Investigation, Detroit, 1932)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records and the filed newspaper pages state. The identification photograph is a Bureau of Prisons record, public domain under 17 U.S.C. § 105.
On the record
- 1932-03-25 — Bureau of Investigation, Detroit: "Harry Fleisher (Circular)," Detroit Police No. 16151, is among those "known to be ring leaders of the Purple Gang," and "Harry Fleisher is the only member of the above outfit who is at present wanted by Michigan authorities."
- 1936-04-15 — Alcatraz notebook page: offense "Internal Revenue - Conspiracy," dated April 15, 1936, district sentenced "E/Mich., Detroit"; co-defendants "Sam Fleisher (brother), Joe Stein and Jack Selbin ... John J. Gettleson."
- 1936-08-06 — Received at Alcatraz from Leavenworth as No. 320; stamped "Transferred to USP Leavenworth, Sept. 12, 1939."
- 1948-04 — FBI Miami memorandum: "Harry Fleischer," with aliases including Harry Fleisher, Harry Fleish and Henry Fink, is among those the Miami office was told were "presently members of the notorious DETROIT PURPLE GANG."
The birth date is the one on the Alcatraz page (4/16/03). The family and role lines quote the 1932 Bureau letter. The Alcatraz classification committee’s opinion that he was “at least a principle in the well known ‘Purple Gang’” is quoted on the notebook page record but is staff opinion and is not used here. The page’s list of Detroit arrests from 1922 to 1933 ends nearly always in discharge or dismissal; they are not convictions. Whether the “Harry Fleisch” of a 1930 kidnapping report or the “Harry Fletcher” of 1958 McClellan testimony is this man is not stated by any filed record.
Records
itemAlcatraz warden's notebook page for Harry Fleisher, No. 320Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Harry Fleisher, No. 320, received at Alcatraz from Leavenworth on 6 August 1936 on an internal revenue conspiracy conviction from Detroit; co-defendants Sam Fleisher, Joe Stein and Jack Selbin. A copy is stored here.
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'.
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'.
itemAlcatraz warden's notebook page for Sam Fleisher, No. 327Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Sam Fleisher, No. 327, received at Alcatraz on 6 August 1936 on the same Detroit internal revenue conspiracy case as his brother Harry; transferred to Leavenworth 18 March 1937. A copy is stored here.
itemAlcatraz warden's notebook page for Joe Stein, No. 319Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Joe Stein, No. 319, received at Alcatraz on 6 August 1936 on the Fleisher internal revenue conspiracy case from Detroit; transferred to Leavenworth 18 March 1937. A copy is stored here.
itemAlcatraz warden's notebook page for Jack Selbin, No. 326Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Jack Selbin, No. 326, received at Alcatraz on 6 August 1936 on the Fleisher internal revenue conspiracy case from Detroit; his eight-year term was amended by the court to six years in June 1938. A copy is stored here.