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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Assistant US Attorney Thomas F. Green

In Ed C King's recap of the Taylor case "I Know Who Killed Desmond Taylor", King claimed that Taylor had been fighting a narcotic ring. Some support for that claim came when Assistant US Attorney Tom F Green himself made various statements to Hearst newspapers indicating that Wm Taylor had appealed to him for help in 1920 to fight a 'dope ring' which was supplying narcotics to a certain actress (i.e. Mabel Normand). The interviews were given after the death of Wm D Taylor so Green's statements could be disputed.
Thomas F. Green was born in October 1869 in Colorado. His parents were Frank (b.1833) & Maggie Green (b.1840).
1880: Sterling, Kansas- Green: Frank (age 47), Maggie (age 40), Charles A (age 12), Thomas F (age 11), Mattie A (age 8 months)
Bet 1883-1886: Carrie (Green) (b. 1 Jan 1874 Ireland & d. 11 July 1968 LA County, CA) arrived from Ireland and married Thomas Green prior to 1900.
1900: Purcell, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory- Green: Thomas (age 30) Clerk for the US Court; Carrie (age 27).
Before 1920: Thomas Green worked as a bank teller in Los Angeles while studying law; became secretary to US District Judge Bledsoe; clerk in the US Court; then US Attorney;
1920: 15 Paloma Ave, Venice, CA- Green: Thomas F (age 49) Government Attorney; Carrie C (age 46), Immigrated in 1883 & naturalized in 1892.
1921 LA directory: Venice, Green: Thomas F, Assistant US Attorney.
1922: Thomas Green had his first stroke.
1923: Thomas Green had his second stroke
4 Dec 1824: Thomas F. Green, (allegedly) committed suicide in his office in the Bank of Italy Building at the corner of Temple & Spring Streets. The LA Times ("Ex-Prosecutor Takes Own Life" December 5) reported that Green had been brooding for many months over his crippled physical condition caused by two paralytic strokes and he feared he might become a burden to his wife & that he preferred to die. His "friends" also told the newspaper that he had $2.50 in his bank account. Green left 2 notes- one to his wife and the other to attorney Claude I Parker. The article also referred to several men: WW Bixby (partner); CC Samuels (friend); Wm Truesdell (last client); AO Kriete (Federal tax attorney); Albert "Al" Sittel (US Marshal & close friend); Atty JR O'Connor (Green served under him); US Atty Burke (Green served under him); US District Judge Bledsoe (close friend); US Clerk Williams (close friend); Ivon D Parker (intimate friend);
1930: 945 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles- Carrie Green (widowed age 57) was working as a companion;

Speculation: There is little evidence (except for Ed C King's recap & Green's own statements to Hearst reporters) to support the claim that Green was primarily fighting just a "narcotic ring". This researcher wonders where Green's investigations had taken him over those few years. Perhaps Green's hunt included a state-wide booze ring like the one Judge Bledsoe was trying to bust (Dec 1921 investigation included former & present prohibition enforcement officials). Or perhaps Green was working with the IRS (many of his close friends were tax attorneys) and his investigating had something to do with taxes (remember JM Berger went to Federal Prison for tax issues).

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