Bringing a dark and forgotten era into vivid life, this fascinating
history explores a booming criminal enterprise that was spawned in
California in the 1920s and 1930s. Exposing a spree of kidnappings
referred to as the 'snatch racket', true accounts of the crimes and
the unfortunate victims are revealed. Driven by greed, desperation,
or sheer stupidity, this detailed discussion explains that the
ransom artists preyed indiscriminately on Hollywood socialites,
wealthy heiresses, and even the poor - while each new disappearance
brought new headlines and sales to the newspaper companies.
Illustrating the manner in which even the simplest capers would
often run tragically awry, 15 bizarre and often ironic tales are
presented, including how a modern city rose to lynch a pair of
kidnappers, the college kids who chose to imitate Leopold and Loeb,
and the famed evangelist who faked her own abduction to cover up an
affair. Early forensic techniques are described, including the
first documented call tracing using a bevy of operators in a phone
chain, as well as the birth of the modern symbiotic relationship
between the news media and high-profile crime, demonstrating how
the sensationalism of personal tragedy became a source for
increased media sales.
General
Imprint: |
Linden Publishing
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
July 2010 |
First published: |
July 2010 |
Authors: |
James R. Smith
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 30mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
394 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-884995-63-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
True stories >
Crime
|
LSN: |
1-884995-63-2 |
Barcode: |
9781884995637 |
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