The Big Bankroll

This is an impressively researched, very well written account of an exciting but thoroughly disreputable era and of a man who matched and out-matched his times - Arnold Rothstein: gambler, fixer, corrupter, politician, businessman, pawnbroker; who was known as "The Brain", "The Man Uptown", "The Bankroll"; "who transformed the world of crime from an anarchic into an authoritarian state." Arnold ?? was born in 1882 in New York City. His father, Abraham, was successful in the garment trade, was honored by Governor Smith, Justice Brandeis. The younger Rothstein left school at 16, became a runner for a bookmaker, small-time pool player, loan shark. Later, in the era of the "Robber Barons", when New York City was emerging from its frontier stage, Rothstein had become a person of prominence in his own (under) world but was little known outside of it until "Sir Charles" Murphy made him the leader of Tammany. By 1923 Rothstein had been accused of fixing the 1919 World Series; he had been involved in a number of racing coups; and he was regarded as the overseer in New York. The 16th amendment and especially Prohibition had changed the climate; now Rothstein could extend his empire into multi-million larceny. He was one of the first rum-runners, he smuggled uncut diamonds and narcotics, he was the solvent for politics and crime in the garment industry, construction, the waterfront and his name turned up constantly in trials and bankruptcies. Finally in 1928 Rothstein was shot and the case left unsolved, its probe would have harmed too many eminent citizens. This biography of the man who led crime into the business era is masterly reporting, most readable social history. (Kirkus Reviews)