PAUL KOHN'S

La Difference

LUNCH DINNER
COCKTAILS ltzt:

.g Hooper; and a variety of other

crimes perpetrated by the
Purples.
8
Kavieff recreates the Detroit
-6
Prohibition era with vividness
and painstaking accuracy.
Prohibition was a $250 million
'business' that really bankrolled
organized crime, with 50,000
jobs and 25,000 blind pigs
alone," he points out in an
interview. "It allowed the black
market to gain a foothold in
American commerce. And
Detroit was perfectly positioned
to receive contraband alcohol
from Canada.
"Prohibition allowed this
group of young men to
become one of America's most
powerful and infamous bands
of thugs and mobsters. During
Meyer Cohen, better known as 'Jew Max."
the
chaos of Prohibition, they
.His mistake: trying to double-cross the
rose
to the highest ranks of
Purple Gang in a 1932 whiskey deal.
organized crime — then self-
destructed with greediness and
Each of the 14 chapters begins with -betrayal."
quotes from Purple Gang members or
Most of the Purple Gang members
police officials, and the book is illus-
were the offspring of Jewish immi-
trated with 30 pages of graphic -photos
grants from Eastern Europe. The par-
— many of them rare and from the
ents were hardworking and honest.
author's own collection — depicting
But their children's desire for riches
the gangsters from their life on the
and a fast and easy life brought about
streets to their bloody deaths.
such ruthless tactics as murder, intimi-
Besides the Collingwood and St.
dation, racketeering, arson, kidnap-
Valentine's Day massacres, the chap-
ping, extortion, gambling, drug-deal-
ters cover the 1927 Milaflores
ing, bribery of law-enforcement offi-
Apartment Massacre (three dead); the
cers — "all of the elements of a Jewish
antics of the Oakland Sugar House
Mafia."
Gang (forerunner of the Purple
"They were just unruly kids
Gang); the 1928 murder of Police
trombeniks (trouble-makers) — who
Officer Vivian Welch; the 1930 assas-
rose quickly from humble beginnings
sination of radio commentator Gerald
on the Lower East Side of Detroit to
Buckley; the 1937 shootings at
positions of power," says Kavieff. "At
Boeskey's Restaurant (two dead); the
times, they collaborated with Al
1945 murder of state Sen. Warren G.
Capone in Chicago and Arnold

-

Gourmet Cuisine featuring Fresh Fish,
Pasta and Vegetarian Entrees

"

Also featuring

Sunday Brunch
****

Four Star Rating by

Sylvia Rector at the Detroit Free Press

Carry-out and Catering also available

1 Farmington Rd.

Maple Road

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7:11
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La Difference
(located in the
Robin's Nest
Shopping Plaza

..=

14 Mile Road

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72 95 Orchard Lake Road,
West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322,
Robins Nest Shopping Plaza

248-932-8934

Reservations Suggested

vegetarian treat in West Bloomfield."

Bob Talbert, March '99

just had to find out what so man y
people were raving about."

"

I

Danny Raskin, June '99

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—

1 0 0/
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Lunch & Dinner

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Expires 12/31/2000

O i t
utoenis
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ENTIRE
BILL

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4:

(248) 926-6711
6175 HAGGERTY • WEST BLOOMFIELD

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Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1931. Front row, left to right, Wayne Coun ty
Assistant Prosecutor Miles N Culihan, Irving Milberg, Ray Bernstein, Harry
Keywell and Purple Gang attorney Edward Kennedy Jr.

inishury .

7/2 8

(enlarged former Envoy Cafe location)

(2481 5

200