46 | JANUARY 21 • 2021 

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Justice for Louis Gross
T

wo weeks ago, I had a very inter-
esting conversation with Judge 
Avern Cohn. To be sure, a chat 
with Judge Cohn is always interesting. 
This time, he told me a story that led 
me into the William Davidson Digital 
Archive of Jewish Detroit history for 
this week’s “Looking Back.” 
The front page of the Nov. 10, 1949, 
issue of the Jewish Chronicle 
has a headline that reads: 
“He Was Innocent: 
16-Year Nightmare Ends 
in Justice for ‘Murderer.’” 
It referred to a story about 
Jewish Detroiter Louis 
Gross, who had spent 16 
years in prison for kill-
ing Mortado Abraham, 
a member of the Syrian community in 
Highland Park. He was convicted after 
a friend of Abraham falsely stated that 
Gross was hired by Abraham’s estranged 
wife to kill him in 1932. 
Although no weapon could be located 
and evidence was flimsy at best, Gross 
was tried and convicted in 1933, largely 
on the witness testimony. He was sent 
to Michigan’s Jackson State Penitentiary, 
and subsequently, he was refused a 
retrial. 
Gross was a classic “fall guy,” or falsely 
accused victim for a crime he did not 
commit, but his story did not end there. 
Three well-known people, two from 
Detroit, one from California, decided 
to investigate: Rabbi Joshua Sperka, 
Earl Stanley Gardner and the JN’s own 
Danny Raskin.
Rabbi Sperka was a well-known local 
religious figure. Born in Poland, Sperka 
was a rabbi at Congregation B’nai David 
in Detroit. He had also served at Beth 
Tephilath Moses in Mt. Clemens and 
Beth Israel in Ann Arbor, and spent his 
last 24 years at Young Israel. Sperka was 
a prolific author and educator, and per-
tinent to this story, a chaplain at Jackson 

State prison.
Erle Stanley Gardner was a lawyer 
turned author, creator of the famous 
“Perry Mason” stories and, in the 1940s, 
one of the most famous writers in 
America. In 1948, he was working with 
the “Court of Last Resort,” sponsored 
by Argosy magazine, a famous pulp 
magazine, 1884-1978. The “Court” 
sponsored private investigations into 
the wrongly accused or “fall guys” from 
1948 to 1958. 
After deciding Gross had been 
“railroaded,” Rabbi Sperka wrote to 
Gardner about his case. Gardner then 
came to Detroit and the “Court” began 
an investigation. Ballistics testing and 
the resulting publicity in Argosy maga-
zine led to a Detroit Times investigation. 
Danny Raskin began to follow the 
case in his “Listening Post” columns in 
the JN. In short, Danny smelled some-
thing fishy. His Aug. 9, 1949, column 
laid out the specious nature of the case. 
Danny followed the case throughout 
the fall of 1949. Gross was retried and 
acquitted in November 1949. 
In 1952, Gardner published a book 
with the same title of the Agrosy’s initia-
tive — Court of Last Resort. One chapter 
focused on the Gross case. The book 
and the “Court’s” investigations also led 
to a TV show of the same name.
There was another sidelight to the 
case. It was Gardner’s “first experience 
with a Jewish rabbi.” As he said in his 
book, Gardner found Sperka to be “a 
compact bundle of energy, functioning 
at high speed.” 
So, thanks Judge Cohn for this great 
story. I suppose Danny Raskin might 
say: “Did I tell you the one about a 
rabbi, a judge and a writer …” 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 

archives, available for free at www.djnfounda-

tion.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

“Perry Mason” stories and, in the 1940s, 
“Perry Mason” stories and, in the 1940s, 

America. In 1948, he was working with 
the “Court of Last Resort,” sponsored 

magazine, a famous pulp 

magazine, 1884-1978. The “Court” 
sponsored private investigations into 
the wrongly accused or “fall guys” from 

“railroaded,” Rabbi Sperka wrote to 
Gardner about his case. Gardner then 
came to Detroit and the “Court” began 
an investigation. Ballistics testing and 

maga-

 investigation. 

Danny Raskin began to follow the 

case in his “Listening Post” columns in 

. In short, Danny smelled some-

thing fishy. His Aug. 9, 1949, column 
laid out the specious nature of the case. 
Danny followed the case throughout 
the fall of 1949. Gross was retried and 

In 1952, Gardner published a book 

initia-

. One chapter 

focused on the Gross case. The book 
and the “Court’s” investigations also led 

There was another sidelight to the 

case. It was Gardner’s “first experience 
with a Jewish rabbi.” As he said in his 
book, Gardner found Sperka to be “a 
compact bundle of energy, functioning 

So, thanks Judge Cohn for this great 

story. I suppose Danny Raskin might 
say: “Did I tell you the one about a 

Go to the DJN Foundation 

archives, available for free at www.djnfounda-

“Perry Mason” stories and, in the 1940s, 

