Overview

The sudden disappearance of Judge Joseph Crater nearly 75 years ago led to perhaps the most famous missing persons case of the twentieth century. Crater, a justice of New York's state Supreme Court, vanished amid political scandal. Within days, questions arose about Judge Crater's finances and his liaisons with numerous women. A public frenzy about what happened to Crater provided impetus for scrutiny of New York's Tammany Hall political machine—and ultimately for the vanishing of Tammany Hall as well. The cast of characters in this book—the first-ever serious look at the Crater case—includes Franklin D. Roosevelt, the governor who named Crater to the bench; Senator Robert Wagner, Crater's mentor, but also the leader with the most to lose from having Crater found; Al Smith, Tammany's ebbing leader and failed presidential candidate; Jimmy Walker, the rogue Mayor of New York City and the darling of Tammany Hall; and Fiorello La Guardia, the crusading reformer who finally came to power on the back of the scandals. Richard J. Tofel's Vanishing Point is a revealing look at New York as the Jazz Age gave way to the Depression, and at one of the most intriguing stories in the annals of urban America.

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9781566636056

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Reviews

Casts intriguing new light on a famous unsolved mystery. * Kirkus Reviews * It's a fascinating tale, even after all these years. * The Dallas Morning News * Fans of true crime and New York City politics alike will be attracted to Vanishing Point, an excellent survey. * Midwest Book Review * Tofel has written an entertaining account...For those who recognize the name, but don't know the fascinating story behind it, this is the book to read. * New York Post * With a newspaperman's eye for drama, Tofel covers a great tale about a New York just beyond our living memory. * New York Sun * Offers a portrait of Tammany personalities and their intricate political deals...The first book to piece together his [Crater's] surprising story. * The Wall Street Journal * Excellent...a vivid portrayal...New York lawyers should find fascinating the depiction of a New York legal world...Illuminating. * New York Law Journal * An intriguing mystery built around the author's compelling argument about the truth behind Crater's disappearance. * Smoke * Shrewd, terse, engrossing study... * The New York Times * Using a substantial body of evidence Tofel...offers a tentative, yet intriguing solution… -- Gracie Gregg * Times Record News * He makes the case relevant and fascinating for the reader. -- Larry Cox * Tucson Citizen * This makes for fascinating reading. -- Eugene R. Fidell * Green Bag * Compelling. -- Owen Moritz * New York Daily News * A fascinating look at a great city’s greatest mystery. * Kevin Baker * Extraordinarily deft and skillfully written...[An] admirably understated book... -- Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker

Extraordinarily deft and skillfully written...[An] admirably understated book...--Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker

Casts intriguing new light on a famous unsolved mystery. Kirkus Reviews It's a fascinating tale, even after all these years. Dallas Morning News Fans of true crime and New York City politics alike will be attracted to Vanishing Point, an excellent survey. Midwest Book Review Tofel has written an entertaining account...For those who recognize the name, but don't know the fascinating story behind it, this is the book to read. New York Post With a newspaperman's eye for drama, Tofel covers a great tale about a New York just beyond our living memory. New York Sun Offers a portrait of Tammany personalities and their intricate political deals...The first book to piece together his [Crater's] surprising story. The Wall Street Journal Excellent...a vivid portrayal...New York lawyers should find fascinating the depiction of a New York legal world...Illuminating. New York Law Journal An intriguing mystery built around the author's compelling argument about the truth behind Crater's disappearance. Smoke Shrewd, terse, engrossing study... The New York Times Using a substantial body of evidence Tofel...offers a tentative, yet intriguing solution... -- Gracie Gregg Times Record News, Wichita Falls, TX He makes the case relevant and fascinating for the reader. -- Larry Cox Tucson Citizen This makes for fascinating reading. -- Eugene R. Fidell Green Bag Compelling. -- Owen Moritz New York Daily News A fascinating look at a great city's greatest mystery. Kevin Baker Extraordinarily deft and skillfully written...[An] admirably understated book... -- Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker

Using a substantial body of evidence Tofel...offers a tentative, yet intriguing solution --Gracie Gregg Times Record News, Wichita Falls, TX

Casts intriguing new light on a famous unsolved mystery. Kirkus Reviews It's a fascinating tale, even after all these years. The Dallas Morning News Fans of true crime and New York City politics alike will be attracted to Vanishing Point, an excellent survey. Midwest Book Review Tofel has written an entertaining account...For those who recognize the name, but don't know the fascinating story behind it, this is the book to read. New York Post With a newspaperman's eye for drama, Tofel covers a great tale about a New York just beyond our living memory. New York Sun Offers a portrait of Tammany personalities and their intricate political deals...The first book to piece together his [Crater's] surprising story. The Wall Street Journal Excellent...a vivid portrayal...New York lawyers should find fascinating the depiction of a New York legal world...Illuminating. New York Law Journal An intriguing mystery built around the author's compelling argument about the truth behind Crater's disappearance. Smoke Shrewd, terse, engrossing study... The New York Times Using a substantial body of evidence Tofel...offers a tentative, yet intriguing solution... -- Gracie Gregg Times Record News, Wichita Falls, TX He makes the case relevant and fascinating for the reader. -- Larry Cox Tucson Citizen This makes for fascinating reading. -- Eugene R. Fidell Green Bag Compelling. -- Owen Moritz New York Daily News A fascinating look at a great city's greatest mystery. Kevin Baker Extraordinarily deft and skillfully written...[An] admirably understated book... -- Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker

This makes for fascinating reading.--Eugene R. Fidell Green Bag

Author Information

Richard J. Tofel is president and chief operating officer of the new International Freedom Center, a museum of freedom and a cultural center to be built at the site of the World Trade Center. Formerly assistant publisher of the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Tofel is a graduate of Harvard College, the Harvard Law School, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Before the publication of Vanishing Point, Tofel wrote A Legend in the Making, a book about the 1939 Yankees. He recently published Sounding the Trumpet, a fascinating look into the making of Kennedy's inaugural address, also published by Ivan R. Dee. He lives with his family in Riverdale, New York.

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