Vivian Gordon: A Tale of Murder, Political Scandal, and the Downfall of New York City's Corrupt Mayor

Episode Description:

On February 26, 1931, the body of vivacious red head Vivian Gordon was found by an oil worker on his way to work in Van Cortland Park. News of her death would dominate the press, catching the attention of Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt who had already been investigating rumors of corruption in New York City's government. He would urge the commission investigating the government to also look into the murder of Vivian Gordon, as she had reached out to the commission to testify regarding schemes involving the police framing women across New York City to scam them out of thousands of dollars in fake prostitution busts. The death of Vivian Gordon would lead to the downfall of New York City's mayor James J. Walker and the dissolution of Tammany Hall. How's that for revenge? 

Benita Franklin was born in 1891 in Joliet, Illinois. Her father was a prison warden. All the sources agree she seemed to have a troubled start to life, and this would unfortunately follow her into adulthood. Her parents sent her to the Ladies of Loretto covenant. She didn’t do well there and was said to have attempted to take her own life a few times. The sisters at the covenant labeled her as insubordinate and she would end up running away and started working as a chorus girl in a burlesque show. In 1912 she met a man named John Bischoff in Charleston and they would marry and in 1915 she gave birth to a daughter that they named Benita Francisca. By 1920 however, the marriage was troubled, by this time they were living in Philadelphia, and she would pack up with their daughter and move to New York City where she bounced around living with different men. The divorce proceedings from her husband were messy, and John was trying to get custody of Benita which she was trying her hardest to fight. Unfortunately, on March 9, 1923, she would lose that battle. Vivian was at the Langwell Hotel with a man named Al Marks, who was a lingerie salesman and former con man from Long Branch, New Jersey. That hotel room would be raided by a VICE patrolman named Andrew J. McLaughlin, who would charge Vivian with prostitution. Vivian would be convicted and sentenced to three years at Bedford Reformatory despite her claims at her innocence. She also lost custody of Benita to John. She was pissed, and she believed that she had been framed by her husband John… and she was likely on to something. After her arrest she would start to go by the name Vivian Gordon. She rose in power through her many connections to mobsters throughout New York City, but in her power would also be her downfall. 

This was the era of Tammany Hall. Tammany Hall was the democratic powerhouse of New York County. Tammany Hall was started as a social club for what the founders deemed as “pure Americans” whatever that means. The society started dabbling in politics in the 1790’s. In the 1840’s and 50’s during the time of the Great Famine that brought thousands of Irish Immigrants seeking refuge to America, Tammany Hall was the lead Democratic Party and would end up being an ally for many Irish Americans who began to get into politics. To be clear, some of the more well-known stories of Tammany Hall’s corrupt politicians were Irish Immigrants- Richard Crocker for example, there were equally corrupt politicians who were not. As we know, racism and bigotry paint a one-sided picture.

James J Walker had been born in Manhattan to Irish American immigrants in 1881. He grew up in Greenwich Village and developed a love of partying. His first love was music, he actually wanted to be a songwriter and he wrote a series of Tin Pan Alley hits. He began his political career when he was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1909. He then won a senate seat in 1914. He was mentored by Governor Al Smith, who would shield him from scruitiny, because when he first started out he was known to be a heavy partier into the booze and philandering. In April of 1924, Charles Murphy, the then Tammany Chief passed away and was replaced by Judge George Olvany who decided that Jimmy Walker run for mayor. This divided Tammany Hall, who wanted to re-elect Honest John Hylan and further divided them when he won the election. He had worked hard to campaign himself as a man of the people which really endeared him to the average New Yorkers. He would say “I like the company of my fellow human beings. I like the theatre and am devoted to healthy outdoor sports. Because I like these things, I have reflected my attitude in some of my legislation I have sponsored— 2.75 percent beer, Sunday Baseball, Sunday Movies, and legalized boxing. But let me allay any fear there may be that, because I believe in personal liberty, wholesome amusement, and healthy professional sport, I will not countenance for a moment any indecency or vice in New York". This was actually false.

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