See thetrouble anddisgrace main page, as well as theFAQ and thePoliticalGraveyard privacy policy, for important explanations anddisclaimers. in chronological order | |  Edward T. Noland (d. 1926) — ofJacksonCounty, Mo.Democrat.Missouristate treasurer, 1889-90; resigned 1890.In March 1890, following reports of hisdrunkennessandgambling, his accounts wereinvestigated;ashortageof about $32,000 was discovered;suspendedfrom office as state treasurer, andresigneda few days later;arrestedsoon after, and charged withembezzlement;tried in 1891, and ultimatelyconvictedand sentenced to two years inprison.DiedJune 26,1926.Burial location unknown.  | Thomas Francis Grady (1853-1912) — also known asThomas F. Grady;Tom Grady;"Silver-Tongued Grady" —of New York,New YorkCounty, N.Y.Born in New York,New YorkCounty, N.Y.,November29, 1853.Democrat.Lawyer;member ofNew Yorkstate assembly from New York County 2nd District, 1877-79; memberofNewYork state senate, 1882-83, 1889, 1896-1912 (6th District1882-83, 1889, 14th District 1896-1912); died in office 1912;Independent Democratic candidate forU.S.Representative from New York 8th District, 1886; delegate toDemocratic National Convention from New York,1896,1900,1904(chair,Committeeon Rules and Order of Business;speaker).Member,TammanyHall.In 1883, then-Gov.GroverCleveland wrote to Tammany leaderJohnKelly to request that Grady not be renominated to the StateSenate; Kelly complied with the Governor's request. In 1908, apolice raid on a poolroomrevealedbetting slips showing that Grady hadbet on a horse namedAzelina; this detail became a running joke in political cartoonsabout Mr. Grady.Died in1912(ageabout58 years).Burial location unknown.| |  Image source:New York Red Book 1907 |
| | Frank Frankel (1886-1975) — of Long Beach,NassauCounty, Long Island, N.Y.; Houston,HarrisCounty, Tex.; Beverly Hills,LosAngeles County, Calif.BornOctober2, 1886.Mayorof Long Beach, N.Y., 1924, 1930-33; defeated, 1925 (Democraticprimary), 1925 (Republican), 1929 (Democratic primary); founder ofLong Beach MemorialHospitalindictedin September 1927 onchargesof maintaining agambling place; the charges were laterdropped; in December 1929, his right to take office as mayor wasunsuccessfullychallengedby the Long Beach police chief, based onvotefraud (for which many had been arrested and prosecuted) and theexpectation that Frankel wouldtolerategambling in the city;indictedin January 1933 forfraudover his transfer of $90,000 in city funds to the Long Beach TrustCompany, which subsequently closed; the indictment was dismissed inFebruary;indictedagain in May 1933, along with two city council members, over thediversion of $750,000 of state and county tax revenue to cityprojects; pleaded not guilty; no trial was held; the indictment wasdismissed in 1937;oilproducer.Died, in ahospitalat Los Angeles,Los AngelesCounty, Calif.,June 12,1975 (age88 years, 253days).Intermentsomewherein Houston, Tex. | | Thomas Joseph O'Brien (1878-1964) — also known asThomas J. O'Brien;"BlindTom" —of Chicago,CookCounty, Ill.Born in Chicago,CookCounty, Ill.,April30, 1878.Democrat.Accountant;member ofIllinoisstate house of representatives, 1907-10, 1929-32;U.S.Representative from Illinois 6th District, 1933-39, 1943-64; diedin office 1964;arrestedin a police raid on agambling establishment, 1935;CookCounty Sheriff, 1939-42; delegate to Democratic NationalConvention from Illinois,1960.Catholic.Member,Knightsof Columbus.Died in Bethesda,MontgomeryCounty, Md.,April14, 1964 (age85 years, 350days).Interment atQueenof Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, Ill. | | Lawrence J. Murray Jr. (1910-2000) — of Haverstraw,RocklandCounty, N.Y.; Pearl River,RocklandCounty, N.Y.; Nyack,RocklandCounty, N.Y.Born in New York,June 20,1910.Democrat.Lawyer;member ofNew Yorkstate assembly from Rockland County, 1938-40; removed 1940;charged,in January 1940, withembezzling$49,102 from Miss May Dunnigan, his mentally incompetent law client(also sister-in-law to U.S. Postmaster GeneralJamesA. Farley); the money was lost ingambling on horse races;tried,convictedon all counts, and hence automaticallydisbarredandremoved fromoffice;sentencedto five to ten years inprison;his sentence was commuted in 1942;arrestedin 1952, along with other bookmakers, for illegallytakingbets.Irishancestry.DiedMarch15, 2000 (age89 years, 269days).Burial location unknown.| | Relatives: Sonof Lawrence J. Murray and Emma (Brennan) Murray. |
| | Edwin J. Szarzynski (born c.1907) — ofSt.Louis, Mo.Born in East St. Louis,St. ClairCounty, Ill., about 1907.Republican.Creditmanager;chargedin 1937 withembezzlementof $2,553 from his employer;pleadedguilty to a reduced charge, andsentencedto six months in the workhouse; served three and a half months;arrestedin 1942 in a raid on agambling operation;fined$15;dockworker; candidate forMissouristate senate 5th District, 1960.Burial location unknown.  | Herman Methfessel (1900-1963) — of Staten Island,RichmondCounty, N.Y.; Miami, Dade County (nowMiami-DadeCounty), Fla.Born in Manhattan,New YorkCounty, N.Y.,November23, 1900.Democrat.Newspaperreporter;lawyer;member ofNew Yorkstate assembly from Richmond County 2nd District, 1935-38;RichmondCounty District Attorney, 1948-51.In September 1951, the New York State Crime Commission, investigatingrackets on the Staten Island waterfront, heard testimony from Mrs.Anna Wentworth that she had seen District Attorney Methfessel in agambling house, which implied that he wasprotectingvice; in response, he ordered her arrest and charged her withperjury. At the request of the Crime Commission, citingabuseof power, Gov.ThomasE. Dewey superseded him from all cases related to theinvestigation; in the meantime, he was defeated for re-election. In1952, he and a subordinate werechargedwithofficialmisconduct, but found not guilty.Injured in aone-caraccident, and died the next day, in North ShoreHospital,Miami, Dade County (nowMiami-DadeCounty), Fla.,July 7,1963 (age62 years, 226days).Burial location unknown. | | Joseph E. Venuti (born c.1915) — of Tuckahoe,WestchesterCounty, N.Y.Born about 1915. Democrat.Plumber;candidate forU.S.Representative from New York 27th District, 1944.Italianancestry.He and two others wereindictedin July 1951, and charged with conspiring to violategamblinglaws; the trial was delayed while he was hospitalized with a stomachailment;arrestedin his hospital bed and transferred tojail;the other two co-defendants were tried separately and convicted;later, the convictions were reversed, and the indictment of Mr.Venuti was dismissed.Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.| | Relatives: Sonof Joseph Venuti and Pauline Venuti. | | | | Cross-reference:MiltonA. Gibbons |
| | Milton A. Gibbons (born c.1900) — of Tuckahoe,WestchesterCounty, N.Y.Born about 1900. Democrat.Policeofficer;mayorof Tuckahoe, N.Y., 1949-65; defeated (Republican), 1965; he andtwo others, includingJosephVenuti, wereindictedin July 1951, and charged with conspiring to violategamblinglaws;triedandconvicted;sentencedto three months injail,but released on bail a week later, pending appeal; in January 1953,the appellate court unanimously reversed his conviction and dismissedthe indictment.; in 1962, he started a petition drive for aConstitutional amendment to allow prayer in public schools.Burial location unknown.| | Relatives:Married to Elisa Cuyar. |
| | William John Bennett (b. 1943) — also known asBill Bennett — Born in Brooklyn,KingsCounty, N.Y.,July 3,1943.U.S.Secretary of Education, 1985-88; director, U.S. Office ofNational Drug Control Policy ("Drug Czar"), 1989-91;radio showhost;televisioncommentator.Catholic.Member,KappaAlpha Society.In 2003, news media reported that Bennett hadlost millionsgambling in Las Vegas, a minorscandalin light of his advocacy for self-discipline and other virtues; heacknowledgedthat he had done "too much gambling" and that it "set a bad example".Still living as of 2010. | | Maureen Frances O'Connor (b. 1946) — also known asMaureen O'Connor;"MayorMo" —of San Diego,San DiegoCounty, Calif.Born in San Diego,San DiegoCounty, Calif.,July 14,1946.Democrat.Schoolteacher;mayorof San Diego, Calif., 1986-92; defeated, 1983;firstwoman mayor of San Diego; in February 2013, she waschargedin federal court withmoneylaundering, using a nonprofit foundation she managed to supporthergambling; prosecution was deferred, and charges weredismissed in 2015.Female.Still living as of 2015.
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