The Oregonian Portland vice investigation collection

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

2.5 cubic feet (7 document cases)

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

1.44 cubic feet (4 document cases and 1 flat box)

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.

Arranged chronologically, while respecting the original order where possible

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

Approximately 220 negative strips

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.

Original arrangement unknown.

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

1.08 cubic feet (3 document cases)

As much as possible original arrangement and grouping maintained.

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)

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