Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

by Nelson Johnson

  7 … looked like a bank president … A.D. Pierce, Family Empire, p. 226.

  8 The initial investors in the Camden and Atlantic Railroad are discussed by A.D. Pierce, Ibid., p. 228.

  9 … a weird, wild look, a veritable desert … These first-hand observations are of Richard Osborne, the civil engineer who laid out the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, speaking at its 25th anniversary dinner in June 1879. S.W.R. Ewing and R. McMullin, Ibid., p. 135.

  10 The profits made on early land sales are detailed by John F. Hall in The Daily Union History of Atlantic City and County, New Jersey (Daily Union Printing Company, 1900) p. 187.

  11 A terrible Northeast storm … S.W.R. Ewing and R. McMullin, Ibid., p. 142.

  11 manifest destiny … W. McMahon, Ibid., p. 38.

  11 … Finally, a bit after 9 A.M. … A.D. Pierce, Ibid., p. 230.

  12 desolate succession of pine trees … S.W.R. Ewing and R. McMullin, Ibid., p. 145.

  13 When I wanted to stop the train … S.W.R. Ewing and R. McMullin, Ibid., p. 145.

  13 greenhead flies … A.L. English, History of Atlantic City, New Jersey, (Dickson & Gilling, 1884) pp. 70–72.

  14 Prior to 1864 … A.L. English, Ibid., p.75.

  15 Unpropitious times… S.W.R. Ewing and R. McMullin, Ibid., p. 179.

  16 … brought in by ships from Baltimore … A.D. Pierce, Ibid., p. 236.

  Chapter 2: The Grand Illusion

  20 The fare was … A.L. English, Ibid., p. 154.

  22 … swiftness in constructing new hotels … W. McMahon, Ibid., Chapter V, “Hotels of the Boardwalk” pp. 117–152.

  23 … many establishments used the term “cottage” … An analysis of boardinghouses versus hotels is found in the work of Charles E. Funnell, By the Beautiful Sea, The Rise and High Times of That Great American Resort, Atlantic City (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1975) pp. 34–35. Despite its limited focus, Funnell’s book is an excellent work. I recommend it to anyone interested in early Atlantic City. Notwithstanding the fact that it was originally a doctoral dissertation, it is more accessible to the reader (and more accurate) than some of the earlier histories. Funnell’s work is one of the first serious histories of the resort, written without rose-colored glasses. Mr. Funnell died while still a young man. It would have been interesting to learn his thoughts on Atlantic City today.

  24 … Perfect health … W. McMahon, Ibid., p. 57.

  25 … endless panorama … Alfred M. Heston was Atlantic City’s all-time cheerleader. He wrote a series of “hand-books” spanning 1887 to past the beginning of the 20th century and beyond. The handbooks were entitled, Illustrated Hand-Book of Atlantic City, New Jersey, published by A.M. Heston and Company. Heston’s handbooks were widely circulated by the railroads throughout the entire country.

  25 … absence of art! Quote from letter written by Walt Whitman in 1879.

  25 … No snow on the Boardwalk … W. McMahon, Ibid., p. 80.

  26 Boardman opened the meeting … W. McMahon, Ibid., pp. 70–74.

  28 … something colossal about its vulgarity. The New Baedeker: “Casual Notes of an Irresponsible Traveler,” September 1909.

  30 … envy of his customers … The career of Captain John Lake Young is discussed at length by W. McMahon, Ibid., pp. 159–166.

  31 President Ulysses S. Grant. Grant’s visit to the resort was recalled by Mary Ill in an interview conducted by the author. She quoted her father’s friend, Al.

  Chapter 3: A Plantation by the Sea

  Pulling together the pieces for a coherent history of Atlantic City’s African-American community was a challenge. In my opinion, it was a story that cried out for proper treatment. I hope I succeeded. I realize that there may be some who will be offended by the title of this chapter. I consider it an apt description of the way things were.

  Understanding the African-American experience in Atlantic City is critical if one is to have a true picture of the resort. Without the Black community, Atlantic City, as we know it, would never have come to be. The resort was founded at a point in time when Philadelphia was emerging as a major industrial power. For a decade and more before the American Civil War, and for two to three generations thereafter, Philadelphia boomed as an industrial employment center. It may be hard to grasp today, but at the time, Philadelphia’s factories gobbled up nearly every available able-bodied White worker who wasn’t a farmer in the region.

  Late 19th-century hoteliers within the orbit of Philadelphia’s economy had no choice but to recruit Black workers from the South. Without newly freed slaves from the Upper South, there would have been no one to service hotel patrons. Remove the affordable labor of African-Americans from early Atlantic City and it would have remained a beach village.

  I have high regard for the excellent work and thorough research of Professor Herbert James Foster and relied heavily on his work. I believe the African-American experience in Atlantic City warrants a book unto itself. Hopefully, that will occur.

  35 … cooly told them … Herbert James Foster, The Urban Experience of Blacks in Atlantic City, New Jersey: 1850–1915. (Written in partial fulfillment of the requirements for doctor of philosophy, graduate program in History, Rutgers University, 1981). See p. 38, citing U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor, Federal Writers Project.

  36 Negroes are servants … W. E. B. Du Bois, Dark Water (Schocken Books, New York, 1920); reprint ed., 169, p. 115.

  37 … artisans dwindled to only a handful. E. Franklin Frazier, The Negro in the United States (Macmillan, 1957), p. 165.

  37 … 4 percent of that city’s population. E. Franklin Frazier, Ibid., p. 596.

  37 By 1915, 50 years after the Civil War … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 60.

  39 … highest paid at the time … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 101.

  40 … “by the dump,” or “back of the hill” …The Negro in New Jersey, report of a survey by the Interracial Committee of the New Jersey Conference of Social Work in Cooperation with the NJ State Department of Institutions and Agencies, December 1932.

  41 Unlike many other cities … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 141, note 12.

  41 Time, time is the great cure-all … Samuel Lubbell, White and Black, Test of a Nation, (Harper & Row, 1964) p. 15.

  43 “Down by the Sea Shore – Atlantic City,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 23, 1900, p. 1.

  45 The Negro Church … survived slavery. W. E. B. Du Bois, Some Efforts of American Negroes for Their Own Betterment (Schocken Books, 1898) p. 4.

  45 … Du Bois argued … resentment of the stolen people. W. E. B. Du Bois, The Negro Church (Schocken Books, 1898) p. 5.

  45 invisible institution … George F. Bragg, History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church (Schocken Books, 1922).

  47 … shouting … E. Franklin Frazier, Ibid., p. 355.

  48 A cornerstone of their church doctrine … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 198.

  49 Among them were the Northside Board of Trade … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 202, citing U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor, Federal Writers Project.

  50 Engine Company #9 … held the city record for efficiency six years in a row. Interview with Richard Jackson.

  51 This young man is right. H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 219.

  52 … separate play yards … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 221.

  52 The employment of colored teachers … Annual Report of the N. J. Board of Education, 1903, p. 93.

  53 The few local Black physicians there were … H. J. Foster, Ibid., p. 201.

  Chapter 4: Philadelphia’s Playground

  Despite Atlantic City’s promotion of itself as the “World’s Playground,” Atlantic City was and is a creature of Philadelphia. Throughout its history, the Philadelphia Metropolitan Region has looked to Atlantic City as a place to go for a no-holds-barred good time. And in turn, Atlantic City has looked to Philadelphia not only as a prime source of patrons, but as the “big city,” where one would go to handle important matters, whether they be medical, financial, legal, or educational.

&
nbsp; In some ways, Atlantic City was to Philadelphia what Coney Island was to New York. However, the relationship was and is more complex, and unlike Coney Island, Atlantic City was more remote geographically and had a very strong identity of its own. Coney Island was a resort within a city. Despite its dependence on Philadelphia, Atlantic City was a bustling little city all to itself.

  55 What community would hail …Philadelphia Bulletin, August 2, 1890.

  56 Do you gentlemen realize …Philadelphia Bulletin, August 10, 1890. Atlantic City was a favorite target of the Philadelphia Bulletin. The newspaper frequently published scolding editorials that began each summer season and trailed off with the coming of fall.

  56 Excellent material on 19th-century Philadelphia and its emergence as a major industrial power and urban center is found in Philadelphia: A 300 Year History edited by Russell F. Weigley, (W.W. Norton & Company, 1981).

  59 If the people who came to town had wanted Bible readings… Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire. Murray Fredericks’s family moved to the resort from New York City in 1905. As long-time associate in the practice of law (they were not “partners”) and adviser to Hap Farley, Murray knew where “the bones are buried.” It was a privilege to know him. I’m honored that he was so candid with me.

  60 As to gambling houses …Philadelphia Bulletin, August 7, 1890.

  61 “Newspaper is what you wrap fish in.” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  61 It has been impossible to get indictments …Philadelphia Bulletin, August 13, 1908, pp. 1, 4.

  61 Governor Fort’s “Proclamation” was published by the Philadelphia Bulletin on page 1, August 27, 1908.

  62 The “Atlantic City Manifesto,” in reply to Governor Fort’s proclamation was printed by the Bulletin on September 8, 1908, p. 11.

  65 The source of Kuehnle’s power … See “The Rise and Fall of Kuehnle,” Literary Digest, December 27, 1913, pp. 1285–93.

  68 “the rawest ever known in the country” See Literary Digest, Ibid.

  70 “The domination of politics by corporation-machine alliances had reached its full flower.” David W. Hirst, Woodrow Wilson, Reform Governor, (D. Van Nostrand Company, 1965) p. 33.

  71 Harvey took it upon himself … D.W. Hirst, Ibid. p. 5.

  72 The report of the Macksey Committee is discussed in the Literary Digest, Ibid.

  75 entrapment by “Mr. Franklin.” See Literary Digest, June 29, 1912.

  77 The Commodore served his time without complaint. Interview with Mary Ill.

  Chapter 5: The Golden Age of Nucky

  79 There I am driving along … Interview with Joseph Hamilton, bus driver and backup chauffeur. I owe my chance opportunity of meeting him to my dear friend, Lou Testa, who provided physical therapy treatments to Mr. Hamilton prior to his death.

  80 The personal sketches of Smith and Virginia Johnson are based on interviews with Mary Ill and Richard Jackson. By all accounts, Smith and Virginia were quite a force in early Atlantic City.

  81 “Mabel Jeffries … Nucky just adored her.” Interview with Mary Ill.

  82 “My father said … he was a changed man.” Interview with Mary Ill. Mary was the only person who possessed any reliable knowledge of Nucky’s relationship with Mabel. She claims Mabel was his one true love and that he would likely have been a very different man had she lived.

  82 “Running for election was beneath a real boss.” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  83 Nucky Johnson “owned” the Black vote … Interviews with Richard Jackson and Murray Fredericks.

  83 “With Nucky … You paid or he shut you down.” Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  84 “Edge was a stuffed shirt, but he knew where to go … Nucky Johnson.” Interview with Joseph Messick, Professor of South Jersey History at Atlantic Community College. Joe was a wealth of information on the history of southern New Jersey. I had the privilege of serving with him on the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

  85 “Can you imagine that …” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  86 “I make my money by supplying a public demand.” John Kobler, The Life and World of Al Capone, (G. P. Putnam’s Sons 1971). See p. 157.

  86 “Prohibition didn’t happen in Atlantic City.” Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  87 “Everybody helped out. If you worked for the city …” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  87 “You gotta understand, nobody did it the way we did here.” Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  89 “There never really was a second political party in Atlantic City … everyone was on the same team.” Interview with Richard Jackson, confirmed by many, including Patrick McGahn Esq., Lori Mooney, Mildred Fox, and Harold Finkle Esq.

  93 “I went to my first World Series with Nucky … He sure knew how to have a good time.” Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  94 The quote by the retired detective was made to me by a friend of Richard Jackson who requested anonymity.

  96 “Remember, there aren’t any cemeteries in Atlantic City—it’s an island.” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  97 The futile efforts of the Committee of One Hundred were reported on by Jack Alexander in “Boss on the Spot” in The Saturday Evening Post, August 26, 1939.

  99 The “Seven Group” and Nucky Johnson’s involvement with Lucky Luciano is discussed in “Boss on the Spot,” Ibid.

  100 A hurried call to Nucky Johnson … Martin A. Gosch and Richard Hammer, The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano, (Little, Brown and Company, 1974).

  101 1 told them there was business enough … Kobler, Ibid., p.265.

  102 The story of Nucky’s kidnapping by Tony “the Stinger” Cugino was reported on seven years later by Alexander Kendrick in the Philadelphia Inquirer on May 19, 1939. Despite the span of time between the incident and Kendrick’s news article, it is a credible story, especially given the company that Nucky kept.

  Chapter 6: Hard Times for Nucky and His Town

  The story of the investigation into Nucky Johnson’s empire, his indictment, and conviction are an epic. This chapter attempts to capture that story and relies on the formal report prepared by William E. Frank, the Special Agent assigned to lead the investigation. The report is entitled, “The Case of Enoch L. Johnson, a Complete Report of the Atlantic City Investigation.” Prepared by William E. Frank, Special Agent, Intelligence Unit, Treasury Department, and Joseph W. Burns, Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Notwithstanding the title, and the fact that it was written by FBI Agents, it’s an entertaining read.

  Securing hard evidence on Nucky was a difficult task for the FBI. The agents faced many obstacles. The resistance was broad-based and represented most of the community. They received virtually no cooperation from anyone with knowledge of how Nucky’s empire was organized. As you read the report, you can feel the growing anxiety and near paranoia as they move closer to Nucky and are frustrated by rampant perjury and jury tampering. But for Joseph Corio’s carelessness it’s likely the FBI would never have had the evidence needed to obtain a conviction. The report is exciting stuff. I recommend Agent Frank’s report to anyone interested in the “nuts and bolts” of what it took to convict Nucky Johnson. The Report was completed in 1943. It is referred to hereinafter as Report of W. E. Frank.

  103 The confrontation between Nucky Johnson and Ralph Weloff was recounted to the author by Richard Jackson’s friend, a retired Atlantic City detective. He also told me that it was in the lobby of the Ritz that Nucky first made acquaintance with James Boyd. Boyd was Nucky’s protégé on administering the operations of the Republican organization. He got his start as a bellhop at the Ritz. This fact was confirmed by several persons.

  104 “Losin’ Prohibition really hurt …” Interview with Patrick McGahn, Esquire, relating events told to him by his father.

  104 “A bartender I knew … all that trouble over a broad.” Interview with Richard Jackson, confirmed by Patrick McGahn, Esquire. Rumors,
and the myth that grew out of them, that “Two Gun Tommy Taggart” was somehow behind the charges against Nucky are without basis. Taggart was a loyal player in the Republican organization and despite his ambition, he would not have done anything to undermine Nucky’s power.

  105 “Hearst was tight with FDR …” Interview with Richard Jackson, confirmed by Patrick McGahn, Esquire. Hearst’s newspapers had been critical of Nucky for years. And it’s true that they had more than one confrontation during the times Hearst was in town. With Nucky’s and Hearst’s fondness for the ladies what it was, the story of Hearst’s involvement is credible.

  105 The wide-open nature of Atlantic City’s gambling operations is discussed in the Report of W. E. Frank, pp. 24–30.

  105 The discussion of the details of the investigation into Nucky’s organization is derived from the Report of W. E. Frank.

  110 “Joe Corio surprised everybody …” Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  111 The discussion of the details of the investigation into Nucky’s organization is derived from the Report of W. E. Frank.

  113 The whores hung in there—they were tough old girls.” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  113 Nucky was Boss because he delivered … Interview with Murray Fredericks, Esquire.

  114 Only the very best people went to Babette’s … Interview with Mary Ill.

  115 “If you went to the corner store … a business wrote numbers.” Interview with Richard Jackson.

  116 The quote from Special Agent Frank at Report of W. E. Frank, p. 60.

  121 “We admit that we received money … we did not report for taxes.” Walter Winne as quoted in Report of W. E. Frank, p. 136.