Joe Bernstein
Listed among the Purple Gang's 'ring leaders' in a 1932 Bureau of Investigation letter; 1930 wire reports call him a 'reputed leader' of the gang, the alleged victim in an assault case and the owner of a seized armored car.
- Aliases
- Joe Burnstein (1932 Bureau letter)
- 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.
On the record
- 1930-02-12 — Washington Times (INS): an attorney promised the surrender of four "purple gangsters," named as "Raymond, Isadore and Joe Bernstein and Jules Jaffe," after detectives testified before a police trial board about altered 1927 arrest reports.
- 1930-08-16 — Evening Star (AP): Harry Kirchenbaum was acquitted of assault with intent to kill after the alleged victim, "Joe Bernstein, reputed leader of the once powerful Purple gang," testified as an unwilling State witness that he remembered nothing.
- 1930-12-19 — South Bend News-Times (UP): Joe Bernstein, "reputed purple gang leader," sued the city of Detroit for the return of his armored car.
- 1932-03-25 — Bureau of Investigation, Detroit: "Joe Burnstein," Detroit Police No. 14498, is among those "known to be ring leaders of the Purple Gang."
- 1939-06-17 — FBI Detroit letter: "ABE's two brothers, JOE and IZZIE BERNSTEIN, are alleged to be affiliated with him in wire service activities."
The family and role lines quote the 1932 Bureau letter. The 1930 newspaper descriptions (“reputed leader”) are the wire services’ and set no role here. No filed record gives a fuller name, a birth date or a 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.
clippingWashington Times, 12 February 1930, page 3: Detroit gang to surrenderAn International News Service item: an attorney promised the surrender of four 'purple gangsters', Raymond, Isadore and Joe Bernstein and Jules Jaffe, after detectives testified that Inspector Henry J. Garvin had altered 1927 arrest reports.
clippingEvening Star, 16 August 1930, page B-12: Kirchenbaum is freed on charge of assaultAn Associated Press item: Harry Kirchenbaum was acquitted in Detroit Recorder's Court of assault with intent to kill after the alleged victim, Joe Bernstein, 'reputed leader of the once powerful Purple gang', testified for the State as an unwilling witness.
clippingSouth Bend News-Times, 19 December 1930, page 2: Gunman sues city for return of carA United Press item from Detroit: Joe Bernstein, 'reputed purple gang leader', sued the city for the return of his armored car, one of three seized in ten days after the 'Buckley grand jury' ordered seven armored cars confiscated.