Counterfeit Justice: The True Story of 19th Century Organized Crime

Long before the days of Bugsy Siegel, Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and other prohibition era gangsters, existed an organized crime syndicate which lasted almost one hundred years. 19th century organized crime plagued the Midwest at a time when many areas were just being settled. The gang spanned across many states into Canada. This dark era in American history has all but been lost until now. The gang was involved in counterfeiting, burglaries, stealing horses, murders, and all sorts of other crimes. The gang used code words, safe houses, and of course a code of silence which was enforced by death. The gang held many public offices to include local judges and sheriffs. Eventually the law abiding citizens of these areas grew weary and tired of having their property stolen. It was not safe to go out at night and many settlers had to sleep in their barns just to make sure their livestock would be there in the morning. The organized crime syndicate had political ties to the highest levels of government and they became all but untouchable. They were untouchable until ordinary citizens formed into "regulator" companies. These vigilante squads were tasked with detecting and apprehending the fugitives. The battle lines were drawn on both sides. When it was all over, dozens were dead in areas all throughout the Midwest. Read how organized crime in the United States was born. See yourself the ties to America's first serial killers. Read how the gang was tied in with several governors, and possibly one President of the United States. It is all here in one book where you can rediscover how your local history was tied into the underworld responsible for a very violent chapter in American history.