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Title details for Queen of Thieves by J. North Conway - Wait list

Queen of Thieves

The True Story of "Marm" Mandelbaum and Her Gangs of New York

by J. North Conway
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Queen of Thieves is the gritty, fast-paced story of Fredericka “Marm" Mandelbaum, a poor Jewish woman who rose to the top of her profession in organized crime during the Gilded Age in New York City. During her more than twenty-five-year reign as the country's top receiver of stolen goods, she accumulated great wealth and power inconceivable for women engaged in business, legitimate or otherwise. The New York Times called Mandelbaum “the nucleus and center of the whole organization of crime in New York City."
Having emigrated from Germany in 1850, she began her climb to the top of the crime world as a peddler on the rough-and-tumble, crowded streets of the city. By 1880, she had amassed a fortune estimated at more than $1 million. Mandelbaum was known for running an orderly criminal enterprise. She enlisted the services of an extensive network of criminals of every ilk and bribed police officials, politicians, and judges. If someone wanted to move stolen goods, needed protection from the law, or sought money to finance a caper, Marm was the person to see.
In 1884, Mandelbaum escaped from the clutches of Pinkerton detectives, who were casing her house, and fled to Canada. Mandelbaum lived out the rest of her life in luxury on a small farm with her family and ill-got fortune. Hundreds of people turned out for her funeral. Dozens of people later reported to police that they had their pockets picked at the service.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 2, 2014

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781632200983

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781632200983
      • File size: 2515 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      September 1, 2014

      Conway's (coauthor, Attack of the HMS Nimrod; King of Heists) latest book delves into the story of Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum, an early pioneering woman of crime. A German Jewish immigrant to 19th-century New York City, Mandelbaum created an empire based on stolen goods, which passed through her "legitimate" dry goods store. By 1880, it's estimated that her personal wealth was over $1 million and she controlled a large criminal network that provided services and bribed officials. Conway presents fascinating details about the grittiness of life during the Gilded Age in the nation's largest city, as well as smaller biographies of Mandelbaum's contemporaries and cocriminals such as Sophie Lyons, Adam Worth, George Leonidas Leslie, and Charles W. "Piano Charley" Bullard. While the book is well researched and well written, it is hard to know exactly how much of the story is fact or legend. No matter, it is a provocative read and a pleasing window into 19th-century crime with an unusual leader--an immigrant woman. VERDICT Recommended for historical crime buffs, those interested in women's history, and the general reader.--Amelia Osterud, Carroll Univ. Lib., Waukesha, WI

      Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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