New York State Crime Commission records, 1951-1953

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.:
MS#0927
Bib ID:
4079160 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
New York (State). Crime Commission; Osborne, Lithgow
Repository:
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Physical Description:
1.25 linear feet (3 boxes)
Language(s):
English .
Access:
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Description

Summary

These records were used in the investigation of waterfront crime, 1952-1953, including research, drafts and published reports of the recommendations of the Crime Commission, correspondence and memorandums, charts and financial statements, newspaper clippings, Acts pertaining to and resulting from the work of the Crime Commission; notes and transcripts of public hearing testimony, including three volumes of Ogdensburg Public Hearings held at Canton, N.Y., July 18-20, 1951.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 4 series.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); New York State Crime Commission records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Osborne, Lithgow. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--12/29/1953. Accession number--M-53-12-29.

Two boxes of collection received December 29, 1953. A further accession (3 volumes) received January 14, 1960. Donated by Lithgow Osborne, a member of the Commission.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 08/--/1989.

Processed in 1955, 1960 by RBML staff. Reprocessed Cristine Lovelace 3/5/2005.

Revision Description

2010-02-18 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Biographical / Historical

The New York State Crime Commission was appointed by Governor Dewey in 1951 to investigate and report on the relationship between organized crime and units of government and to recommend measured for the improvement of law enforcement in the state. Pervasive corruption on the waterfront in the Port of New York-New Jersey was documented by public hearings held by the Commission with the assistance of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Council. Chairman of the Crime Commission from 1951 to 1953 was Judge Joseph Meyer Proskauer (1877-1971) and Chief Counsel was John Marshall Harlan (1899-1971). In August 1953, New York and New Jersey created the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor.

The New York State Crime Commission Records document the Commission's activities from its inception in 1951 and fall into four series: Correspondence, Manuscripts Research papers and documents and Publications.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Place
Canton (N.Y.) -- Law and legislation CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
New York (State) -- Law and legislation CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Subject
Crime -- New York (State) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Criminal investigation -- New York (State) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Waterfronts -- New York (State) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID