The Vendetta: FBI Hero Melvin Purvis's War Against Crime, and J. Edgar Hoover's War Against Him

by Alston W. Purvis, Alex Tresniowski

By the end of 1934 Melvin Purvis was, besides President Roosevelt, the most famous man in America. Just thirtyone years old, he presided over the neophyte FBI's remarkable sweep of the great Public Enemies of the American Depression—John Dillinger; Pretty Boy Floyd; Baby Face Nelson. America finally had its hero in the War on Crime, and the face of all the conquering G-Men belonged to Melvin Purvis. Yet these triumphs sowed the seeds of his eventual ruin. With each new capture, each new headline touting Purvis as the scourge of gangsters, one man's implacable resentment grew. J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI, was immensely jealous of the agent who had been his friend and protégé, and vowed that Melvin Purvis would be brought down. A vendetta began that would not end even with Purvis's death. For more than three decades Hoover trampled Purvis's reputation, questioned his courage and competence, and tried to erase his name from all records of the FBI's greatest triumphs. Alston Purvis is Melvin's only surviving son. With the benefit of a unique family archive of documents, new testimony from colleagues and friends of Melvin Purvis and witnesses to the events of 1934, he has produced a grippingly authentic new telling of the gangster era, seen from the perspective of the pursuers. By finally setting the record straight about his father, he sheds new light on what some might call Hoover's original sin - a personal vendetta that is one of the earliest and clearest examples of Hoover's bitter, destructive paranoia.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, True Crime, American History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 2005

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

My positives: this book details the capture of some heinous gangsters and describes the events at great length. I don’t know much about this time period, before I was born, and I learned a lot. Especially the workings of the FBI under Hoover’s hand. Hoover getting it in order and actually going after the criminals. The FBI is such a mess now, it must have felt good to be an ordinary citizen and knowing these violent beings were being taken off the streets.

My negatives: it went on too long. Too much of the story was repeated over and over. Also, I wish it would have been told in an organized way, instead of jumping forward then back then forward. Etc.

Ending thoughts, perhaps some spoilers: I have mixed feelings on Melvin. I think he did like the attention and Hoover was probably right to rain him in from news people. It took many agents to capture these individuals not just Melvin. On the other hand Hoover should have moved Melvin to another office after Dillinger was caught, instead of dealing with him in such underhanded ways. So, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. I’m also very sorry the author and his brothers didn’t have better parents.

[Elisha Condie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, my main reason for picking this up was how good Johnny Depp looked in his John Dillinger clothes from the film "Public Enemies". And how good Christian Bale looked tracking him down. There. I said it.

But, this book is really interesting. It's written by the son of Melvin Purvis (the Christian Bale character) to give credit to his late father. It was a great read, although sometimes a little TOO detailed (I don't need to know the name of every agent involved on cases). Poor Melvin Purvis became this sudden hero after he caught Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, and J. Edgar Hoover just couldn't stand it. Hoover constantly cut down his former favorite employee until Purvis finally resigned from his position a year after Dillinger was killed.

And man, that Hoover was C-R-A-Z-Y. I realize this book was written with a bias for Purvis, but Hoover's own letters and actions condemn him. He was such a grasping, jealous, warped guy. He only hired FBI agents who were a certain height and good looking. If you were really qualified and intelligent but not so handsome you didn't get hired. One of the things he did to knock Purvis - which was hard to do since Purvis was an excellent agent- was send an agent to his Chicago office with white gloves who checked the cleanliness of the inside of drawers. Then he wrote a very critical report on how Purvis' office was a mess. You can't make this stuff up! I told you - crazy. Despite the public's great desire for information on Purvis, Hoover repeatedly refused to offer anything at all to reporters and wouldn't let Purvis himself speak to the press at all after he realized how popular the young, handsome agent had become. Even long after his resignation, Hoover kept tabs on Purvis, just waiting for Purvis to publicly defend himself or say something bad about the FBI, which he never did (and he was a popular public speaker). Purvis seems every bit the gentleman, Hoover the snivelly guy in the shadows waiting for him to screw up.

I particularly liked the chapter on Little Bohemia - the lodge where Purvis almost catches Dillinger (yep, it was in the movie, everyone was looking good). I loved that after the big shoot out, the owner of the lodge left the bullet holes and everything as it was and it became a HUGE boom to his business because everyone wanted to see where the action had been. And when these criminals went down (like Dillinger and Floyd) 10,000 people would flood through the morgue to see their bodies, wipe up the blood on the street with their bandanas as souvenirs.

Anyway, this was an interesting, if somewhat sad read. It's so tragic how Melvin Purvis was aggressivley pushed out of history by Hoover, and how he really didn't deserve that. And it really was sad how he died by a gunshot wound from his own gun. There is a strong case that it was an accident, but we'll never know for sure.

I thought this was a good read, and I wish that more people today could know about Melvin Purvis and his contributions. Stupid J. Edgar Hoover. Whatever good he did, it just doesn't justify how he mistreated Purvis.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A son's honest and at times painful memoir. I sit now some two blocks from the Purvis home, where Melvin's life ended. I heard his son speak at the local library when the book was issued, and many of Melvin's personal belongings are at the county museum, second floor, courtesy of his son. I was probably five the day Melvin died, too young to remember, but walked past the old columned mansion on the way to junior high school. Here is the whole story, and J.Edgar Hoover in all of his petty ruthlessness. (S.C. Educational T.V. produced an excellent documentary some years back complementing this book.)

[Myra Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a meaty book loaded with information. I recommend it to anyone with any interest in the FBI. I read the book because my husband is from Florence SC and has an interest in Purvis. Alston Purvis is Melvin's son. This book is compelling and fair-minded. This book is worth reading. The epilog nails the entire account.

[Mark Elworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dad found this book when he googled his Dad's name. Grandpa E (Keith Elworthy). is mentioned on page 102. He was in a car accident with Baby Face Nelson outside of Portage; Nelson was travelling to Little Bohemia.

[L8blmr · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a difficult book for me to wade (read "slog") through, for some reason. There were teasers aplenty leading up to the historic confrontations with the nation's most infamous criminals in the 1930's, but I grew weary of the flashbacks and jumping around to provide background info on all the involved parties. I never even reached the portion of the story about Hoover's decline while holding so much power in this country. I pride myself in being able to stick with what many people feel is a "difficult" book to get into, but this is different. I was tempted to skip through it and read only the "good" parts, but I was so tired of the writing style, close spacing and simply boring material leading up to the more interesting portions that I had to, as Elsa said, "let it go."

[Kim Mccully-mobley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's authors (one of them is the son of former FBI man--Melvin Purvis) did an amazing job of weaving the story amidst the documentation from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The facts reveal a sad and jealous man in power (J. Edgar Hoover) and how jealousy corrupts and corrodes friendships, professional relationships and lives that literally hang in the balance. If you are a history buff and think you already know a lot about John Dillinger, Ma Barker, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, this book is a "must have" for your shelves. I'm just left sad in the end for the Purvis family. Melvin was truly a hero in his own right. May he rest in peace.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. Nice blend of significant events mixed in with an interesting perspective. Does and exemplary job of describing the pursuit and final capture/killing of depression era legends John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson.

The thrust of the book was a chronicle of the relationship of J. Edger Hoover and his most famous agent Melvin Purvis. Written by Pruvis’ youngest son, this book clearly provides a perspective around the long history of Hoover trying to discredit Purvis, his one time close friend.

Overall I liked this a lot, and it kept me engaged throughout. Slowed down a bit in the last section.

I give this a 3.5 for sure.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting look into the relationship of J. Edgar Hoover and Melvin Purvis and the events that were taking place as they were gaining advancement in the FBI. I don't read a lot of nonfiction but I enjoyed this one, it was written creatively and the details were great.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting biography of a great man by his son. This just confirmed my view that J. Edgar Hoover was a manipulative, petty, insecure little man who abused his power.

[Lewis Codington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, fascinating story about the FBI agent who captured John Dillinger.

[Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

written by purvis' son so maybe not the most objective account. entertaining and confirms that hoover was a jerk.

[Stephanie]

history

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is Hoover was a real vindictive person. What he did to Mr. Purvis was a disgrace. A very interesting read.