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Violet Crimes Trivia Quiz

Before they became the whole rhythm section in Jailhouse Rock, the Purple Gang was one of the most notorious organized crime mobs of the Prohibition Era. Answering these ten questions will help you wow the tour guides next time you're at Graceland.

A multiple-choice quiz by dbb. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
dbb

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
357,214

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
668

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (6/10), Guest 32 (8/10), Guest 136 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Purple Gang, unlike many of the other crime "families," was predominantly made up of members of this heritage. Hint

Russian

Jewish

Greek

Cuban

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Question 2 of 10

2. The Purple Gang controlled this Northern city's bootlegging operations years before Prohibition jump started other mobs in the booze business. Hint

Boston

Chicago

Detroit

Buffalo

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Question 3 of 10

3. What made Detroit an advantageous spot for a bootlegging operation? Hint

Easy access to automobiles

A large volume of available warehouse space

Henry Ford bankrolled the bootleggers

Its proximity to Canada

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Question 4 of 10

4. How the Gang got its nickname has been disputed, although the most commonly given reason is which of these? Hint

They wore purple yarmulkes

They were like the color of bad meat

Izzie Bernstein wore purple boxing shorts

They left purple flowers at the scenes of a crime

5. The Gang branched out into more than bootlegging and drug dealing. In the mid 1920's the purples were used as muscle by corrupt union leaders in the laundry industry to enforce the loyalty of union members and to harass non-union shops. What was this action called? Hint

The Dirty Laundry Affair

The Cleaners' and Dyers' War

The Soapbox Battle

The Hot Iron Circuit

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Question 6 of 10

6. Arthur Mixon was a 15-year old boy who was murdered by Purple Gang workers when he accidentally stumbled across a bootlegging operation in 1930. This murder was a turning point in the history of the gang. Why? Hint

It started a gang war

The gang apologized for the killing

The shooters were the first gang members convicted of murder

The shooters were killed by their own gang afterward

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Question 7 of 10

7. Harry Millman was a Purple Gang member who angered members of his own gang as well as those of rival gangs. The Purples tried to kill Millman more than once, including a botched car bombing. The rivals brought in muscle from Brooklyn to complete the hit. What was the group called that eventually killed Millman? Hint

South Siders

Bowery Boys

Murder, Inc.

The Dodgers

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 1927, three hoods named Frankie Wright, Joseph Bloom, and George Cohen were murdered at the Milaflores Apartments in retribution for killing a Purple Gang drug peddler. The Milaflores Massacre, as it came to be known, was noteworthy because it introduced which weapon to the local crime scene? Hint

Grenade

Crossbow

Poison gas

Machine gun

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Question 9 of 10

9. The beginning of the end came from within for the Purple Gang. A group of three gang members who owned boats and specialized in rum running and hijacking other shipments on the river decided to break away. What was this group called? Hint

The Little Jewish Navy

The Purple Patrol

The Peacocks

The Boathouse Boys

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Question 10 of 10

10. The final straw for the Purple Gang was the 1931 conviction of Ray Bernstein, Irving Milberg and Harry Keywell, for the murders of the Little Jewish Navy. Much like the Milaflores Massacre, the victims were lured to an apartment where they were gunned down. What were these murders called? Hint

The Collingwood Manor Massacre

Fourth Avenue Massacre

Oakland Sugar Gang Murders

Third Street Shootout

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 27 2024 : Guest 174: 6/10
Nov 21 2024 : Guest 32: 8/10
Nov 20 2024 : Guest 136: 7/10
Nov 08 2024 : Guest 66: 4/10
Oct 26 2024 : calmdecember: 7/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 202: 5/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Purple Gang, unlike many of the other crime "families," was predominantly made up of members of this heritage.

Answer: Jewish

The Purple Gang put the "Mispucha" in the mob. The founders of the group were four brothers: Abe, Joe, Raymond and Izzie Bernstein.

2. The Purple Gang controlled this Northern city's bootlegging operations years before Prohibition jump started other mobs in the booze business.

Answer: Detroit

Michigan passed the Damon Act in 1916 which prohibited alcohol. Even though the Damon Act was overturned in 1919, the Purple Gang's control over the movement of contraband liquor was well established by the time Prohibition went into effect nationally in 1920.

3. What made Detroit an advantageous spot for a bootlegging operation?

Answer: Its proximity to Canada

Alcohol was easily smuggled in across the Detroit River from Canada. It was illegal to sell liquor retail in Ontario, but the province allowed distilleries and breweries to manufacture and export product.

Henry Ford was a fervent Prohibitionist. He believed it would lead to a sober and therefore more productive workforce.

4. How the Gang got its nickname has been disputed, although the most commonly given reason is which of these?

Answer: They were like the color of bad meat

Supposedly this description of the gang during its formative years was made by a local merchant who said of the local boys "They're rotten, purple like the color of bad meat, they're a purple gang." - Mark Gribben "The Purple Gang - The Color Purple", Crime Library

Answer: The Cleaners' and Dyers' War

Theft, bombs, beatings and murder were employed by the Purple Gang. In 1928, gang members were tried and acquitted in connection with these activities, which just increased fear of the gang and their power.

Answer: The shooters were the first gang members convicted of murder

Philip Keywell and Joe Miller were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Up to that point many attempted prosecutions had failed due to bribery, jury manipulation and public fear. The fact that this victim was an innocent youth started a movement that led to many Purple Gang members being convicted.

Answer: Murder, Inc.

Murder, Inc., was the killing team for organized crime. They were made up of two factions, one Jewish, one Sicilian, and mostly performed hits among their own ethnicities.

Answer: Machine gun

The Purples had kidnapped a friend of Wright's and were told they could find him at the Milaflores Apt 308, but when they arrived, they were greeted by machine gun fire. Police found evidence in the apartment implicating Purple Gang members, but no charges were ever brought.

Answer: The Little Jewish Navy

They also went by the name of the Third Street Navy, and while controlling alcohol movement along the river was their preferred activity, they also got mixed up in racetrack gambling and fixing horse races. This ambition would quickly gain the attention of Purple Gang leaders.

Answer: The Collingwood Manor Massacre

Hymie Paul, Isadore Sutker, and Joe Lebowitz were gunned down at a supposed truce meeting with Purple Gang leaders at the Collingwood Apartments. Sol Levine, a bookie and the getaway driver, was arrested and turned state's evidence, resulting in three high-ranking Gang members receiving life in prison sentences.

The resulting power void and infighting opened the door for the Mafia to move in to Detriot. - Kathy Weiser, Legends of America.com, 2010.

Source: Author dbb

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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