Archives West Finding Aid
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The Oregonian Portland vice investigation collection, 1946-1958
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Oregonian (Firm)
- Title
- The Oregonian Portland vice investigation collection
- Dates
-
1946-1958 (inclusive)19461958
- Quantity
- 6.3 cubic feet (14 document cases and 4 flat boxes)
- Collection Number
- COLL 461
- Summary
- This collection contains records of Wallace Turner and William Lambert investigation of corruption into the International Brotherhood of Teamsters between 1946 and 1958. As a result of their reporting for the Oregonian newspaper, Turner and Lambert won the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting in 1957. The collection contains photographs of source documents, recordings and transcriptions, notes, correspondence, legal documents, and newspaper clippings.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Collection created by The Oregonian newspaper reporters Wallace Turner and William Lambert during their investigation and reporting on corruption in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America. Throughout the 1950s organized crime infiltrated the Brotherhood and began to assert increasing control the over the organizations agenda. In 1957 Turner and Lambert were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. Their five-part series focused on Dave Beck, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and exposed widespread corruption within the Brotherhood and in the local government, including an organized crime sponsored plot to exert control of the Oregon State legislature, State Police, and Oregon State Attorney Generals’ office through bribery, extortion, and blackmail. Their work led to investigations into organized crime across the country. Called by some the father of investigative journalism, William Lambert went on to report for Life Magazine after leaving The Oregonian. Wallace Turner went on to work for the Kennedy administration before returning to news reporting for the New York Times.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains photographs and primary source documents compiled by Oregonian newspaper reporters Wallace Turner and William Lambert during their investigation and reporting on vice charges brought against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in Portland, Oregon. Materials with identifiable dates fall between July 1948 and December of 1958, with a sizeable amount of materials undated.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.
Preferred Citation
The Oregonian Portland Vice Investigation Collection, Coll 427, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
- Series A: Audio Recordings
- Series B: Documents
- Series C: Negatives
- Series D: Photographs
Acquisition Information
Lib. Acc. 28198
Processing Note
The arrangement of the materials has been retained and noted where possible. However, it should be stated that numerous different arrangements of the materials in this collection have occurred at different times over the collections life span.
For example, the primary source documents were photographed in one sequence now preserved in the strips of negatives contained within the Negative Series. Prints from those negatives were then rearranged by the reporter(s) and grouped into different sequences, some noted by different names and codes. The audio recordings were also arranged and rearranged over time, as noted by the different codes and terms associated with them.
All possible effort was made to retain the arrangement of the materials at the time of accession; however this arrangement is arbitrary and bears little resemblance to the sequence established by the reporters at the time of creation. Wherever possible, at the time of processing, correlations between the recordings and transcripts have been noted at the file level.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series A: Audio Recordings , 1950-1958Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| Box 1 - 7 | Audio Recordings
The audio recordings are comprised of primarily reel-to-reel
tapes, along with a handful of Dictaphone and wire recordings. The reel-to-reel
tapes are primarily six inches in diameter, with some four inch diameter tapes
present as well.
Permission required to access materials. Access may be
restricted due to condition of original recordings.
|
1950-1958 |
Series B: Documents , 1954-1958Return to Top
Documents in the collection include transcriptions and summaries of audio recordings, newspaper clippings, hand written and typed notes, originals and copies of correspondence, document reproductions, and ephemera.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 8/1 | Transcript of recording of
conversation between Maloney and McLaughlin
Accompanies audio recording box 3/10
|
1955 |
| 8/2 | Transcript of conversation
between Elkins, McLaughlin, Jenkins, & Langley |
1955 August 23 |
| 8/3 | Transcript between Maloney,
McLaughlin, Elkins, & Jenkins |
1955 |
| 8/4 | Summary of recordings between
Maloney and Plotkin made 1955 September 23 & 24; memo concerning summaries
|
1955 |
| 8/5 | Transcript McLaughlin, Maloney
and Elkins Sept 26 & 27 1955
Accompanies audio recording box 3/1
|
1955 |
| 8/6 | Recording Summary Maloney,
McLaughlin, Jenkins, & Elkins
Accompanies audio recording box 3/11
|
1955 |
| 8/7 | Transcript of conversation
between Austinslinger, Maloney, McLaughlin, and Elkins Oct 10, 1955
Accompanies audio recording box 3/4
|
1955 |
| 8/8 | Transcript of conversation
between Bennett, Elkins, Turner, Lambert, & Clark on May 9, 1956
Accompanies audio recording box 6/12
|
1956 |
| 8/9 | Transcript of conversation
between Bennett, Elkins, & Turner on May 9, 1956; Memo Pratt concerning
Minielly appearance on KGW
Accompanies audio recording box 6/9
|
1956 |
| 8/10 | Transcript of conversation
between Ray Clark and Mrs. Allen
Accompanies audio recording box/file 5/13
|
1956 |
| 8/11 | Recording summary between
Maloney, Elkins, McLaughlin |
1956 |
| 8/12 | Recording summary of Langley,
Maloney, McLaughlin |
1956 |
| 8/13 | Oregonian file labeled
"Investigation" |
1956 |
| 8/14 | Notes concerning contents of tape
Accompanies audio recording box/file 5/13
|
1957 |
| 8/15 | Transcript of conversation
between Bennett, Jenkins, and Mrs Jenkins (Ginger)
Accompanies audio recordings box/file 4/3 & 4/4
|
1957 |
| 8/16 | Transcript of conversation
between Bennett, Elkins, Turner, & Clark on May 9, 1956
Accompanies audio recording box 6/12
|
1956 |
| 8/17 | Notes concerning contents of tape
Accompanies audio recording box/file 5/4
|
Undated |
| 8/18 | Transcript of Interview with Bill
Way
Accompanies audio recording box/file 4/5
|
Undated |
| 8/19 | Summary of Recording
Accompanies audio recording box/file 4/11
|
Undated |
| 8/20 | Transcript Maloney,
McLaughlin
Accompanies audio recordings box/file 7/5 & 7/6
|
Undated |
| 8/21 | Summary of recording Maloney
& unknown
Accompanies audio recording box/file 7/9
|
Undated |
| 9/1 | Photos of Local 223 Application
Blanks; photos of newspaper clippings |
1953 |
| 9/2 | Mimeograph copy of receipt from
Congress Hotel |
1954 |
| 9/3 | Mimeograph of letter to Mayor
from C. Crosby |
Undated |
| 9/4 | Newspaper clipping; typed notes
on members of Teamster building assoc., Delmar Corp., Local 255, Joint Council
#37 |
1956 |
| 9/5 | US Dist Court of OR Motion for
Dismissal Langley vs. Thornton et al. |
1956 |
| 9/6 | State vs. Crosby testimony
transcript skippets |
1956 |
| 9/7 | Inventory of Oregon Collection
331.8805 Oregon Teamster |
1957 |
| 9/8 | Copies of newspaper clippings
mentioning Schrunk; typed interview notes with J. McLaughlin |
1958 |
| 9/9 | Documents photographs: letter to
the OR editor, National Congress of Parent and Teachers, US Dept of Army Record
|
1958 |
| 9/10 | Crosby deposition notes
Mentions "Party Room"
|
1958 |
| 9/11 | Transcripts and notes on tape 24
|
1958 |
| 9/12 | Transcripts and notes on tape 69
|
1958 |
| 9/13 | Photos of Local 223 Application
Blanks |
1958 |
| 9/14 | Newspaper clippings; photo of
Local 223 Application Blank with note "Check this out!"
Photo of Local 223 Application Blank with notation, "Check this
out!"
|
Undated |
| 9/15 | Crosby Case notes |
1958 |
| 9/16 | Mimeograph of documents,
handwritten notes
Probable explanations to be
offered in testimony, with handwritten notes attached concerning "Crosby"
|
1958 |
| 9/17 | Notes
Handwritten notes mentions "sound effect filter-" "Glitch
phasing"
|
1958 |
| 9/18 | Notes
Handwritten notes mentions "Party Room", "Crosby",
|
1958 |
| 9/19 | Misc. Documents
mug shot, newspaper clippings, perpetual calendar
|
Undated |
| 9/20 | Photographs of Application Blanks
and newspaper clippings |
Undated |
| 9/21 | Senate Transcript 1480;
handwritten notes concerning "Elkins" |
Undated |
| 9/22 | Notes on Crosby v. The
Oregonian |
Undated |
| 9/23 | Notes
Handwritten notes concerning failures.
|
Undated |
| 10/1 | Reproductions of newspaper
clippings |
1954-1957 |
| 10/2 | Copies of court indictment in OR
vs. Elkins et. al. |
1955 |
| 10/3 | Handwritten notes concerning
Crosby movements |
1955 |
| 10/4 | Newspaper clippings |
1956-1957 |
| 10/5 | Handwritten questions to ask
Elkins; copy of newspaper article concerning Crosby |
1956 |
| 10/6 | Transcript of T.V. Interview of
Clyde C Crosby by Tom Lawson McCall on Program "ViewPoint"
Accompanies audio tape in box/file 4/6
|
1958 |
| 10/7 | Copies of Grand Jury charges in
US vs. C. Crosby |
1958 |
| 10/8 | Typed notes concerning checks
with descriptions, people, dates, and amounts |
1955-1958 |
| 10/9 | Copies of letters from I.B.T.
Board of Monitors
Covering rules governing conduct of local nominations
|
1958 |
| 10/10 | Notes on Beck trial |
1958 |
| 10/11 | Affidavits of Lauren
Stone |
Undated |
| 10/12 | Typed list of witnesses in court
cases
OR vs. Crosby; OR vs. Maloney; OR vs. Langley; US vs. Elkins
& Clark
|
Undated |
| 10/13 | Invoices and Receipts |
1954-1958 |
| 10/14 | Hand written notes and
charts |
Undated |
| 11/1 | Transcription |
1946 |
| 11/2 | Hand written notes |
1956-1958 |
| 11/3 | Notes and article
drafts |
1955-1957 |
| 11/4 | Robert Notson
Correspondence |
1956-1957 |
| 11/5 | Crosby vs. OR memo; Oregonian
index |
1955 |
| 11/6 | General
Correspondence |
1956 |
| 11/7 | Legal records |
1957-1959 |
| 11/8 | Telex and wire
reports |
1957 |
| 11/9 | Telegrams |
1957 |
| 11/10 | Accolades |
1957 |
| 11/11 | Newspaper clippings |
1957-1958 |
| 11/12 | Gambling report |
Undated |
| Box | ||
| 12 | Newspaper clippings
Copies and original newspaper clippings from the Oregonian and
Oregon Journal. Wallace Turner and Portland Crime Investigation noted on
original wrapping surrounding the articles. Note, "Do NOT destroy Jan 1962" and
"Hold for Casscadden indefinitely."
|
1956 |
Series C: Negatives, 1946-1958Return to Top
These are the negatives of the primary source documents represented as prints in boxes 16, 17, & 18. Individual negative rolls are numbered and coded, however up to four different coding systems have been identified. The meaning and relationship of the different coding systems has not been identified. There is a relationship between the codes used on the negatives and for the prints.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| Box 13-15 | 1.08 cubic feet (3 flat
box)
Approximately 200 rolls of photographic negatives. These are the
negatives of the primary source documents represented as photographic prints in
boxes 16, 17, & 18. Individual negative rolls are numbered and coded,
however up to four different coding systems have been identified. The meaning
and relationship of the different coding systems has not been identified. There
is a relationship between the codes used on the negatives and for the prints.
|
Unknown |
Series D: Photographs, 1946-1958Return to Top
Photographs of primary source documents used by the reporters during the investigation. Photographs are found either stapled or grouped together by type, date, or in sequence. The photographs were arranged by the reporters. Each grouping of photographs is coded and numbered, some multiple times. The origin and meaning of the coding was unknown at the time of processing.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Crime--Oregon--Portland
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen, and Helpers of America--History.
- Newspapers--Oregon--Portland
- Pulitzer Prizes.
Personal Names
- Elkins, Jim, -1968
Corporate Names
- Oregonian (Firm)
Geographical Names
- Portland (Or.)--Newspapers
Form or Genre Terms
- Audiotapes
- Photographs
- Transcripts
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Lambert, William (creator)
- Turner, Wallace, 1921-2010 (creator)
