St. Valentine's Day Massacre Traveling Display

[pftraining_in]

This is a traveling display and the only requirements to have the display come to your area is the Berrien County Sheriff requires that Lt. Michael Kline have a hotel and meals provided while giving the presentation. Lt. Kline gives an excellent presentation and not only knows the history of the event but also the history of the Thompson. All the photos on the website are displayed during the presentation along with other memorabilia and pictures. As someone who likes firearm history and law enforcement history, this is was a great opportunity to get up close and personal with history. To request the presentation contact the Sheriff Department.
Here is the link to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Webpage where they explain the history behind how they obtained the two Thompsons.

Berrien County Sheriff's Department

Thompson Serial # 7580. When looking at the gun in person, the rust tint is not visible but appears when the flash is used. The finished of the gun was damaged when acid was poured onto the gun to raise the serial number that was removed by the gunsmith. I actually got to handle the weapon, which is amazing considering the history behind it.

The complicated rear site assembly of the 21 Thompsons

Also present was a 100 rd drum that had been seized along with the two Thompsons. The serial number had been removed by the same gunsmith that removed the serial numbers off of Thompson 7580.

On display was one of the original “bullet proof” vests that were seized along with the Thompsons. The plates were made out of five layers of spring steel. The Lt. Kline had found a short movie from the time period where a volunteer was shot with a .38 to test the vest. It is hard to see in the picture, but the vest included additions to cover up to the clavicle notch, a groin protector and rear flap.

Here is an example of the internal design of the vest.

Both Thompsons together

 

[bluewraith]

Thats pretty cool. Rep inbound!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Cool!

I've been by the spot in Chicago where it happened.

Strangely enough, the old sitcom Perfect Strangers was shot nearby.

-J-

 

[indykid]

Celebrating what helped lead to the 1934 NFA! Yeah rah, nope.

 

[jetmechG550]

Somewhere I have a couple of the crime scene photos from that. My Dad was a evidence tech for CPD at one time. I know one is that very first picture with the writing on it.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Very cool! Support for getting this to Indianapolis anyone???

 

[fullauto 45]

I've seen this display and have actually shot both the guns at our all Thompson shoot in Ohio few years back. Very interesting. Lt. Kline is very nice guy and he knows everything you could think to ask about the guns.
I think he will be at our show again this fall if I remember correctly.

 

[jedi]

This is a traveling display and the only requirements to have the display come to your area is the Berrien County Sheriff requires that Lt. Michael Kline have a hotel and meals provided while giving the presentation. Lt. Kline gives an excellent presentation and not only knows the history of the event but also the history of the Thompson. All the photos on the website are displayed during the presentation along with other memorabilia and pictures. As someone who likes firearm history and law enforcement history, this is was a great opportunity to get up close and personal with history. To request the presentation contact the Sheriff Department.
Here is the link to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Webpage where they explain the history behind how they obtained the two Thompsons.

Berrien County Sheriff's Department

So it just cost us meals and lodging to get this to say NWI?
I could see maybe cabela's as a place for this but that is just me spinning my wheels.

 

[bluewraith]

I have a spare bedroom and some corndogs.. think they would be ok with that?

 

[pftraining_in]

So it just cost us meals and lodging to get this to say NWI?
I could see maybe cabela's as a place for this but that is just me spinning my wheels.

That is correct. You contact the Sheriff Department and request from the Sheriff to have the display brought to your event. After approval, the only requirements are housing (if required) and food for Lt. Kline while he there. It is a pretty good price for the chance to see the items and hear the history. Lt. Kline advised some locations have used the display as a fund raiser for their organization, however Cabelas would be a great place for exposure and chance for more people to get a hands on with history.

 

[indiucky]

I've seen this display and have actually shot both the guns at our all Thompson shoot in Ohio few years back. Very interesting. Lt. Kline is very nice guy and he knows everything you could think to ask about the guns.
I think he will be at our show again this fall if I remember correctly.

A customer (and my High School rifle team coach) must have been at the same shoot. He told me today he fired the St Valentine's Day Thompsons and has the brass casings and I believe the bullet itself. I told him he should put them in a shadow box with a cool period photo or two.

I was going to post that but I figured no one would believe me and here you post confirming what he said!

Thirty years ago when I was in High School He took me and another student to the range our senior year and let us shoot his 1921 Colt Thompson because we made him a handful of t- shirts with a Thompson and the auto ordnance logo in our graphic arts class. I can remember it like it was yesterday and whenever he comes in to the shop I say, "How much trouble do you think you would get into now if you took two 17 year old students to a gun range to shoot a submachine gun?"

He just laughs and says "Much!"

I saw the guns (along with two uniformed officers) at the NRA Convention in Louisville a couple of years ago. I believe these weapons were also the first time "forensic ballistic evidence" was used in a court case.

 

[pftraining_in]

I believe these weapons were also the first time "forensic ballistic evidence" was used in a court case.

This is was the first time ballistic evidence was used. Oddly enough while this technology was being discovered in the 1920's, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had wrote about it in the Sherlock Holmes series in the 1880's.

 

[indiucky]

This is was the first time ballistic evidence was used. Oddly enough while this technology was being discovered in the 1920's, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had wrote about it in the Sherlock Holmes series in the 1880's.

I believe that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle deserves much credit for advancing forensics. If you get a chance watch "Sherlock" on Netflix. It's taken place in modern England and they do an amazing job of keeping the stories true to the original.

Example. Watson wounded in Afghanistan. Just like the original. Holmes is having a hard time finding a place to smoke and uses nicotine patches. He tells Watson "It's a three patch problem" when Watson notices Holmes is wired with three nicotine patches on his arm studying a problem. It's very well done. Here is a clip. I only hijacked this because you seem like a true fan of Holmes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4foH4HCzKA