Documenting the murders in San Francisco that captivated both the city and the country, this dynamic history shows how the Bay Area can compete with Paris, London, and New York in the splendor of its suspenseful, horrifying, and audacious misdeeds. From the Montgomery Street killing of James King of William, editor of the Daily Evening Bulletin, in 1856 and the sensational trial of the early-movie comedian Fatty Arbuckle who was accused of killing a showgirl at a party in the St. Francis Hotel to the shocking “City Hall Murders” in which former city supervisor Dan White killed Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the homicides chronicled have been selected because a convergence of personality, circumstance, character, and geography makes them peculiarly San Franciscan. In addition to the facts, the historical importance of each of these crimes—whether they changed a law or revealed a shortcoming in society—is analyzed.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Go to the source books instead,
By Golden Kate (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Murder By the Bay: Historic Homicide In and About the City of San Francisco (Paperback)
The author, Charles F. Adams, credits his sources. But most of the stories found in this book were included in either San Francisco Murders, which was published in 1947 and edited by Joseph Henry Jackson, and Great Crimes of San Francisco, published in 1974 and edited by Dean W. Dickensheet. Adams has added very little to the tales he reiterates from these two books, and the originals were much more well written. There are innumerable typographical errors in this work, including instances in which the murderers' names are spelled in two different ways. Also, a citation to Dickensheet's volume says it was published in 1947 instead of 1974. The above-mentioned books are readily available from online booksellers, and are far more detailed and engaging. Adams' work does have one advantage: it includes some fuzzy half-tone photographs of the murderers and their victims, whereas the earlier works were unillustrated. Read the older books, then use this one, if need be, to look at the pictures.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lively expose,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Murder By the Bay: Historic Homicide In and About the City of San Francisco (Paperback)
Murder has a long history in San Francisco; and not just ordinary murder, either. The murders featured in Murder By The Bay: Historic Homicide In And About The City Of San Francisco involve politicians, colorful social figures, and even movie comedians. Chapters cover some of the biggest murders the city has experienced with an eye to exploring how these murders changed city policies and culture. From the Montgomery Street killing of a newspaper editor in 1956 to the trial of Dan White, former city supervisor who killed the mayor in more recent times, Murder By The Bay is a lively expose.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Facinating San Francisco Characters,
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This review is from: Murder By the Bay: Historic Homicide In and About the City of San Francisco (Paperback)
Adams has done it again! His Murder by the Bay joins Great Rouges of San Francisco and Heros of the Golden Gate to complete his trilogy on colorful San Franisco history. A really good read.
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In the summer of 1848, a small band of travelers made its way across the narrow isthmus of Panama, en route from the ship that had brought them from the Eastern seaboard of the United States to another ship that would carry them up the coast of California Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
trunk murder, hatchet men Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
San Francisco, Little Pete, Dan White, Liu Fook, San Jose, Harvey Milk, Laura Fair, Bay Area, Emma Le Doux, United States, San Franciscans, Virginia Rappe, Brooke Hart, New York, Burton Abbott, San Quentin, George Moscone, Max Ward, Tahoe House, Vigilance Committee, Blanche Lamont, Walnut Creek, Isaac Kalloch, Mary Ann, Roscoe Arbuckle New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
In the summer of 1848, a small band of travelers made its way across the narrow isthmus of Panama, en route from the ship that had brought them from the Eastern seaboard of the United States to another ship that would carry them up the coast of California Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
trunk murder, hatchet men Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
San Francisco, Little Pete, Dan White, Liu Fook, San Jose, Harvey Milk, Laura Fair, Bay Area, Emma Le Doux, United States, San Franciscans, Virginia Rappe, Brooke Hart, New York, Burton Abbott, San Quentin, George Moscone, Max Ward, Tahoe House, Vigilance Committee, Blanche Lamont, Walnut Creek, Isaac Kalloch, Mary Ann, Roscoe Arbuckle New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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