You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm and Mild

from Aaron Manky.

When we think of famous gangsters of the 1920s and 30s, we think of New York's Lucky

Luciano or Chicago's Al Capone.

Of course, mobsters laid claim to other cities as well.

In Boston, Charles King Solomon ran the cities underworld.

He was born in 1884 to Jewish parents living in Russia, but the family fled to the United

States and settled in Massachusetts.

It's not clear whether they lived in Salem or Boston's West End, but Solomon fell

in with a bad crowd in the area at some point during his youth.

His first trip to the justice system happened in 1911 for running a brothel.

It would hardly be his last.

Arrests for breaking and entering, burglary, gambling, perjury, and even being idle and

disorderly soon followed.

All told, he was arrested 21 times over the course of 21 years.

The only time he spent in prison came after he committed perjury during a narcotics trial.

Though he was sentenced to five years, he spent a mere 13 months behind bars.

His drive to make the most of gang life catapulted him through the ranks.

He established himself in fencing, bonding, gambling, drugs, and brothels, all typical

fare for mobsters.

A police captain once asked him why he didn't give up the business.

He had already made a fortune after all, when Solomon left and said he enjoyed the night

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