James "Fur" Sammons

My Al Capone Museum | home

James "Fur" Sammons

Known throughout gangland circles as a psychopath, he started his criminal career as a gang rapist in 1899.He was one of five youths who took an eleven year old girl beat her, raped her and tried to choke her on Dec.3,1899.

He was sentenced to the Pontiac reformatory. He was 16 at the time. Sentenced February 27,1900. Four years later he with two others shoot and kill Patrick Barrett, a saloonkeeper at 4216 Wallace street during a robbery. Sammons and John Lynch both shot at the same time. Sentenced May 28,1904. During the trial Sammons and his cohorts complain they are severely beaten by police during interrogation. (Kicked in the ribs and hung by a rope with their toes barely touching the floor). Said police methods made New York police interrogation seem like childs play. Jun 7,1904, Sammons and the other two who killed the saloon keeper were supposed to have hanged on this day for their crimes. Sammons and Lynch were sent to prison for life instead of hanging and the third was released. The governor reprieved their sentence on the 6th. June 10,1917, he escapes from Joliet penitentiary.

Oct.1917, James "Fur" Sammons is held under double guard and accused with a string of robberies. Sammons is arrested with Horace"Hi Hi" Simmons and James "Ice box" Thompson (used to lock saloonkeepers in their refrigerators) and John Heally. He and John Lynch had escaped from Joliet. Both were under life sentences at the time. Captured and returned to prison on October 4th of same year. His sentence is changed to 50 years.

On July 28,1923, he is paroled thanks to Governor Small and his famous pardons. June 28,1924 is paroled. On January 28,1924, he is discharged from parole. On March 5,1926, Sammons considered leader of gang that held up the International Harvester company payroll. April 9,1926 arrested and puts up $30,000 bond.June 19,1926, despite positve identification by witnesses, Sammons is acquitted of Harvester payroll robbery. November 13,1926, arrested by request of Baltimore authorities for a payroll robbery there. The extradition is refused. December 20,1926, Sammons who was previously tried and acquitted of the $80,000 International Harvester robbery is now arrested carrying a revolver after an automobile chase in Lyons. He is released on bonds. Arrested for siphoning whiskey from a government bonded warehouse on March 4,1927. On April 12,1927, pleads guilty to Morand whiskey warehouse robbery and is sentenced to 18 months in Leavenworth.

October 16,1928, released from Leavenworth. October 18,1930, convicted of vagrancy by Judge Lyle. Conviction later reversed by Illinois supreme court.

July 14,1930, Sammons is arrested as John Doe after a traffic accident and waving a pistol in the other party's face threatening to blow it off.

He uses the alias John Nolan and says he is an electrician.

October 31,1930, Sammons is captured three hours after be released on bonds. This time in connection with the shooting and wounding of Sergt.James McBride of the Bellwood police. Sammons is found in Jack White's home at 80 North Highland avenue in Riverside. He is with his girlfriend Pearl Barry and White's wife. He has a revolver and a bulletproof vest and a police star.

November 26,1930, Sammons 1923 parole is deemed illegal and is sent back to Joliet prison to serve another 30 years that was remaining to his sentence.

July 21,1932, is arrested in connection with murder of Willie Marks at Shawano, Wisconsin.

July 1932, Sammons is ordered released by Judge Edward D.Shurtleff.

July 7, 1933, Sammons arrested with gun in Kansas city and is returned to Chicago in an armoured vehicle to face to reinstated charges of assault with intent to commit murder.

July 18,1933, Sammons is released on $20,000 bonds

September 8,1933, fails to appear for trial. Bond forfeiture ordered.

November 6,1933, he is arrested while intoxicated at Cedar Lake in Indiana and place in Crown Point jail.

November 31,1933, Sammons is found guilty in an Indiana court of bribing an official and being a habitual criminal and sentenced for life.

May 8,1943, Sammons is paroled from Indiana on condition he be returned to Illinois to finish his 50 years in which 31years remained.

September 3,1948, aged 66 and nearly blind Sammons ask for release from prison.

November 17,1948, Sammons weeps in court as his release is refused.

December 17,1952, Sammons is released by the Illinois parole board.He is 70.

May 20, 1960, Fur Sammons is found dead by a maid in a room of the Englewood Arms hotel 824 W. 62nd st.

Photo courtesy of Larry Raeder

First Posted April 2006


	My Al Capone Museum \| home MY AL CAPONE MUSEUM \| Myalcaponemuseum Reviews \| The Capone News \| FAQ's \| Mario Gomes \| Al Capone's Gold Service \| Al Capone's Tableware \| Al Capone Shot Glass \| Al Capone's Personal Silver Locket \| Al Capone's Personal Dress Shirt \| Al Capone's Personal Telephone \| Al Capone's Elephant \| Al Capone's Flatware \| Al Capone's Etched Glasses \| Al Capone's Personal Cuckoo Clock \| Al Capone Framed Signature \| Al Capone's Silver Tray \| Al Capone's light fixtures \| Al Capone's Personal Straw Boater? \| Ralph Capone's Personal Items \| Hymie Weiss Personal Prayer Book \| John D. Torrio's Personal items \| Louis "Two Gun" Alterie signed photo \| SVD Massacre bullet fragments \| Interesting items retrieved from Al Capone's Lexington office suite \| Alton Hotel Relics \| Al Capone Wax Figure \| 7244 Prairie Avenue \| 93 Palm Avenue \| 93 Palm Avenue Part 2 \| 93 Palm Avenue Part 3 \| 93 Palm Avenue Part 4 \| Renovated 93 Palm Avenue home \| Renovated Palm Avenue home Part 2 \| The Sad Demise Of Al Capone's Estate \| Artifacts from 93 Palm Avenue \| The Capone era Cicero, Illinois \| The Harvard Inn \| The Four Deuces (2222 South Wabash) \| The Hawthorne Hotel \| The Metropole Hotel \| The Lexington Hotel \| Al Capone's Bathroom Tile From The Lexington Hotel \| Geraldo's Capone Vault Grand Opening \| Lexington's Destruction \| X Marks the Spot magazine \| Capone Magazines and Booklets \| Capone Videos \| Capone Books \| Knick Knacks \| Capone's Chicago \| Chicago photos \| Capone Documents \| Capone Photographs \| Capone Photographs 2 \| Capone Photographs 3 \| My History channel Shoot \| Gravesites \| Gravesites 2 \| Al Capone; The Early Years \| Al Capone's Sister Gets Married \| Al Capone Speaks On Film! \| Al Capone's CPD Mugshot \| Al Capone and Friends: \| FDR and Al Capone's Cadillac; Truth or Myth? \| Al Capone in Hot Springs \| Al Capone and Miami \| Al Capone goes to Atlantic City \| Al Capone Goes to Cuba \| The Real Al Capone Quotes \| The Al Capone Interview \| Al Capone and Cigars \| Capone at the Ballpark \| Al Capone in Wisconsin \| Al Capone's Death and Funeral \| The St. Valentine's Day Massacre \| The Massacre Pt.2 \| Massacre Victim's Stats. \| Massacre News blurbs \| Some Theories on the Valentine Massacre \| Discounted Valentine Massacre theories \| Valentine Killers? \| The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Wall bricks \| The St. Valentine Massacre guns today \| The Infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre forensic evidence \| The Adonis Social Club Incident \| When, Where and How did they die? \| Gangster facts and side stories \| The Obituaries \| Gangster talk \| Gangster Fashion \| Gangster Molls \| William Hale Thompson \| Gangland Armourers \| The Chicago Typewriter \| Gangster Hitspots \| Mae Capone \| Louise Rolfe \| Charles and Rocco Fischetti \| Alberto Anselmi and Giovanni Scalise \| Frank Parker \| William Niemoth \| Jack Guzik \| Samuel "Golf bag"Hunt \| Jake Lingle \| Frankie Yale \| Samoots Ammatuna \| Jack Zuta \| Leo Vincent Brothers \| Edward David Vogel \| John D. Torrio \| Joe E. Lewis \| Rocco DeGrazia \| Machine Gun Jack McGurn \| Willie Heeney \| James "Fur" Sammons \| Jack "Three fingered" White \| George "Red" Barker \| Anthony "Tough Tony" Capezio \| Frank Nitto \| Dean Charles O'Banion \| Samuel Morton \| George Clarence Moran \| Hymie Weiss \| Vincent "The Schemer" Drucci \| Fred "Killer" Burke \| Fred Goetz \| Joe Aiello \| Edward "Spike" O'Donnell \| The Genna brothers \| Angelo La Mantia \| Edward O'Hare; Hero or zero? And the myth \| Frank Rio \| Ragtime Joe Howard \| Hinky Dink and Bathouse John \| Sol Van Praag \| Theodore "The Greek" Anton \| Joseph P. Bergl \| Daniel "Danny" Stanton \| Edward Tancl \| Louis & Elliott Wisbrod \| Eliot Ness \| Al Capone's tax trial and downfall \| Al in Jail \| Mr. Joe Walters \| Gangster articles \| Newspapers of the day \| Newspapers part Two \| Newspapers Part Three \| Newspapers Part Four \| The Green Mill \| Colosimo's \| Alcatraz \| Alcatraz Part 2 \| Al Capone goes to Baltimore \| Gangster sites today \| Gangster Sites part 2 \| Dead Gangsters \| The Famous Capone Soup Kitchen \| Origins of the Scars \| Al Capone Myths \| Collecting Al Capone? \| The truth about Al Capone's signature \| Al Capone Books \| Fred Pasley's Al Capone book \| Other Al Capone related Books \| In Memoriam \| Contact Me \| Capone/ Gangster Collectibles for Sale \| The best Al Capone Bobblehead! \| UNDER CONSTRUCTION James "Fur" Sammons Known throughout gangland circles as a psychopath, he started his criminal career as a gang rapist in 1899.He was one of five youths who took an eleven year old girl beat her, raped her and tried to choke her on Dec.3,1899. He was sentenced to the Pontiac reformatory. He was 16 at the time. Sentenced February 27,1900. Four years later he with two others shoot and kill Patrick Barrett, a saloonkeeper at 4216 Wallace street during a robbery. Sammons and John Lynch both shot at the same time. Sentenced May 28,1904. During the trial Sammons and his cohorts complain they are severely beaten by police during interrogation. (Kicked in the ribs and hung by a rope with their toes barely touching the floor). Said police methods made New York police interrogation seem like childs play. Jun 7,1904, Sammons and the other two who killed the saloon keeper were supposed to have hanged on this day for their crimes. Sammons and Lynch were sent to prison for life instead of hanging and the third was released. The governor reprieved their sentence on the 6th. June 10,1917, he escapes from Joliet penitentiary. Oct.1917, James "Fur" Sammons is held under double guard and accused with a string of robberies. Sammons is arrested with Horace"Hi Hi" Simmons and James "Ice box" Thompson (used to lock saloonkeepers in their refrigerators) and John Heally. He and John Lynch had escaped from Joliet. Both were under life sentences at the time. Captured and returned to prison on October 4th of same year. His sentence is changed to 50 years. On July 28,1923, he is paroled thanks to Governor Small and his famous pardons. June 28,1924 is paroled. On January 28,1924, he is discharged from parole. On March 5,1926, Sammons considered leader of gang that held up the International Harvester company payroll. April 9,1926 arrested and puts up $30,000 bond.June 19,1926, despite positve identification by witnesses, Sammons is acquitted of Harvester payroll robbery. November 13,1926, arrested by request of Baltimore authorities for a payroll robbery there. The extradition is refused. December 20,1926, Sammons who was previously tried and acquitted of the $80,000 International Harvester robbery is now arrested carrying a revolver after an automobile chase in Lyons. He is released on bonds. Arrested for siphoning whiskey from a government bonded warehouse on March 4,1927. On April 12,1927, pleads guilty to Morand whiskey warehouse robbery and is sentenced to 18 months in Leavenworth. October 16,1928, released from Leavenworth. October 18,1930, convicted of vagrancy by Judge Lyle. Conviction later reversed by Illinois supreme court. July 14,1930, Sammons is arrested as John Doe after a traffic accident and waving a pistol in the other party's face threatening to blow it off. He uses the alias John Nolan and says he is an electrician. October 31,1930, Sammons is captured three hours after be released on bonds. This time in connection with the shooting and wounding of Sergt.James McBride of the Bellwood police. Sammons is found in Jack White's home at 80 North Highland avenue in Riverside. He is with his girlfriend Pearl Barry and White's wife. He has a revolver and a bulletproof vest and a police star. November 26,1930, Sammons 1923 parole is deemed illegal and is sent back to Joliet prison to serve another 30 years that was remaining to his sentence. July 21,1932, is arrested in connection with murder of Willie Marks at Shawano, Wisconsin. July 1932, Sammons is ordered released by Judge Edward D.Shurtleff. July 7, 1933, Sammons arrested with gun in Kansas city and is returned to Chicago in an armoured vehicle to face to reinstated charges of assault with intent to commit murder. July 18,1933, Sammons is released on $20,000 bonds September 8,1933, fails to appear for trial. Bond forfeiture ordered. November 6,1933, he is arrested while intoxicated at Cedar Lake in Indiana and place in Crown Point jail. November 31,1933, Sammons is found guilty in an Indiana court of bribing an official and being a habitual criminal and sentenced for life. May 8,1943, Sammons is paroled from Indiana on condition he be returned to Illinois to finish his 50 years in which 31years remained. September 3,1948, aged 66 and nearly blind Sammons ask for release from prison. November 17,1948, Sammons weeps in court as his release is refused. December 17,1952, Sammons is released by the Illinois parole board.He is 70. May 20, 1960, Fur Sammons is found dead by a maid in a room of the Englewood Arms hotel 824 W. 62nd st. Photo courtesy of Larry Raeder First Posted April 2006