Frank Erickson

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Frank Erickson

[edit] Background

Frank Erickson was born in New York in 1896 to parents of Norweigan and Irish decent. After the death of his father, he grew up in orphanages and foster homes.

Frank Erickson was Arnold Rothstein's right hand man and New York's largest bookmaker during the 1930's and 40's. He worked closely with Frank Costello developing the mob's bookmaking interests in New York; eventually, Erickson became very well known among bookmakers nationwide for handling "lay-off" bets. With Chicago's Moses Annenberg, Erickson developed a country wide wire service, making possible for the first time nation wide synchronized betting. Erickson was referred to in the Kefauver Committee's interim report #1 from August 18, 1950 as a "known ganster." In Robert Lacey's book on Meyer Lanksy, Erickson was named "the largest book maker on the East Coast, if not in all America."

Erickson died on March 2, 1968 from cardiac arrest while undergoing surgery on a bleeding ulcer.

[edit] Brushes with the Law

Between the years of 1919 to 1926 Erickson was arrested five times for gambling only to have the charges dismissed each time. He was arrested again in 1939 for vagrancy and was so insulted by the charge, he arrived to court in an armoured car, escorted by Brink's guards. He showed the presiding body securities worth $125,000 to prove he wasn't a vagrant. That case, too, was dismissed. Erickson served 10 months on Riker's Island after eventually being convicted by District Attorney Hogan. ^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ Katz, L. (1973). "Uncle Frank." Drake Publishers, New York, NY. ISBN 0-87749-549-1

Eisenberg, D., Dan, U., and Landau, E. (1979). "Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob." New York: Paddington Press. ISBN 0-448-22206-X, ISBN 0-7092-0151-6

Katz, L. (1973). "Uncle Frank." New York, NY: Drake Publishers. ISBN 0-87749-549-1

Kefauver Committee Interim Report #1 Aug. 18, 1950

    http://www.onewal.com/kef/kef1.html

Lacey, R. (1991). Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life. Canada: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-51168-4