I have posted quite a bit about this gun and James C (Doc) White. Doc had quite a law enforcement family and have also posted about the Whites.
Lee Jarrett commented that one thread would be better than various threads scattered all over the board in bits and pieces. This is a summary of some various threads.
.357 Magnum SN 47138 REG #657 shipped December 24, 1935 to Potchernick's Inc. in San Antonio, Texas. 5" barrel, blue, McGivern Gold Bead front sight, square notch rear, Magna stocks.
I acquired the gun from my father's estate sometime after his death in 1992. His name was also David Reynolds
Dad probably got the gun at a gun show in Texas in the 70's. It had Diamond Target grips and no accessories. He liked the gun because it had a registration number and a McGivern Gold Bead front sight. Ed McGivern was one of his heroes. He also thought that with the low registration number that it was a 1st year production gun. Lee Jarrett came up with a nice set of pre-war Magna stocks.
I met a guy at a gun show a few years back that told me about the S&W Forum. I joined the Forum, then the SWCA and then SWHF.
I ordered a "Letter of Authentication" from SWHF (my first).
Interestingly, I received two letters, one from Don Mundell and another from Roy Jinks. I got Don's letter first which noted 5" barrel and blue finish, but no record as to stocks or sights. He also said that the gun appeared to have been owned by an FBI Agent in the San Antonio, Texas area. That got me pretty excited. Roy's letter gave additional information as to the gun's original configuration, and stated that other information was available for the gun.
I ordered five documents that were available through SWHF.
1) Potchernick's order for two .357 Magnums dated 11/15/1935
2) Order form for REG #657 (completed by S&W)
3) Letter dated November 21, 1935 discussing the order
4) Invoice for REG #657
5) Letter dated December 11, 1936 to S&W from Potchernick's
saying, We are returning a 375 Magnum Revolver with 5" barrel, serial No. 47138. Property of Jomer C White, c/o the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who is very much dissatisfied with it and says it is out of time.
No serial number on the back of the star. My guess is that the star was replaced as part of the out of time repair.
SWSC, Buford57 and bigwheelzip suggested that Jomer was a typo or misread and that my agent is James C (Doc) White.
FBI Historian Dr. John Fox says that there was never an agent named Jomer. The only agents I could find named White were James C (Doc) White and his brother Tom White. Doc was an FBI Agent in San Antonio when the gun was purchased and when it was sent in for repair.
I think Doc owned the gun.
A couple of interesting notes on the order. Initially registration numbers 657 and 658 were assigned to this order.
658 was changed to 275. D B Wesson had reserved 658X13 earlier. X13 was added to the registration number per a note from D B Wesson without explanation. It was ordered by Harper & Reynolds with book signed by D B Wesson for Jim Smith on October 30, 1935. It was held by S&W until Mr. Wesson returned from the West Coast and was eventually shipped on December 19,1935.
REG #657 was shipped to Potchernick's in San Antonio. President of Potchernick's was Fred L Toepperwein. Fred was the younger brother of the famous Winchester Arms Company exhibition shooter Adolf "Ad" Toepperwein.
James C (Doc) White had quite a law enforcement career. He also had quite the law enforcement family.
Emmett White was Sheriff of Travis County Texas for many years, then Mayor of Austin and finally County Judge of Travis County. 28 years of public service. He had four sons that were lawmen.
Dudley was a Texas Ranger, a Houston Policeman and a Mounted Customs Inspector. He also had a son that was a Texas Ranger. Dudley was killed as a Texas Ranger on July 12, 1918 by draft evaders in San Augustine County. Doc referred to it as the "big thicket" gun battle.
Tom was a Texas Ranger, Special Agent for Santa Fe Railway and Southern Pacific Railroad, BOI Agent from 1918-1926 (became the FBI in 1935),SAC in Houston and Oklahoma City. Warden at Leavenworth, Kansas 1926-1931. Warden at La Tuna CF near Anthony, Texas 1932-1951. Member of three-man Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles 1951-1957.
In 1925 Tom was transferred from Houston to Oklahoma City by J Edgar Hoover to be in charge of the Osage Murders case, the FBI's first big case. Hoover told Tom when he was putting together his team of agents that he could have anyone he wanted. Doc would probably have been a good choice, but Tom and Doc had agreed years before to not work on the same case. That way the family would not lose two members at once.
An interesting side note. Bill Hale was the ringleader in the Osage Murders. Soon after Hale was convicted Tom became warden at Leavenworth. On November 17, 1926 a new prisoner arrived at the prison. Bill Hale was greeted by the new warden Tom White. "Why, Hello, Tom," Hale said to White. "Hello, Bill," White answered. The men shook hands.
Two other inmates at Leavenworth while Tom was warden were the Williams brothers that had been convicted in the murder of Tom's brother Dudley.
Tom was taken hostage by inmates during an escape in 1931. He was shot and left for dead in a ditch. He recovered, but never had much use of his left arm. Tom also had a son that became an FBI Agent.
The Osage Murders case is the subject of a best-selling book, "Killers of the Flower Moon". It has now been made into a movie with the same title, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro with Jessie Plemons as Tom White.
A composite version of Tom White played by Jimmy Stewart named John Michael "Chip" Hardesty is the main character in the 1959 film "The FBI Story", which features a fictionalized version of the Osage Murders and White's investigation.
Coley was a deputy sheriff in Travis County and later became Sheriff of Travis County following in his father's footsteps.
Doc was a Texas Ranger, with the Austin Mounted Police, a Mounted Customs Agent, an Army Intelligence Officer during WWI, a Prohibition Agent (had a partner named Tom Threepersons for a while) and joined the FBI in 1924.
Doc was in on the capture of Machine-Gun Kelly and pistol whipped him at his trial in Oklahoma City. He was at the Little Bohemia raid on John Dillinger and "Baby Face" Nelson. He took a .351 Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle belonging to Nelson during that raid, and later shot and killed a gangster named Rusty Gibson in Chicago with it. He was in on the raid against "Ma" Barker and her son Fred in Florida. In his 1936 efficiency rating it was remarked that his value to the Bureau is his ability to function in dangerous situations and raids of any kind. According to a note in the FBI's "Grapevine" magazine in 1960 "he had quite a bullet splattered career by the time he joined the Bureau in 1924." One of his Bureau peers, Andrew Longo told the "Grapevine" White was a great firearms man. "He was especially deadly with a .30-06 rifle and a Tommy Gun." Longo mentioned that "Doc" was a legend in the Southwest and was one of the best known Special Agents. Doc retired from the Bureau in 1947 and died in Austin, Texas February 11, 1969. J Edgar Hoover attended the funeral and was an honorary pallbearer.
.357 Magnum REG #657 is listed in the SWCA Pre-War .357 Magnum database at 96% condition with Magna grips unnumbered. Owned by Texas Ranger and FBI Agent James C White.
Lee Jarrett said that a Registered Magnum belonging to a man that was both a Texas Ranger and an FBI Agent is probably unique.
Doc is top left, Dudley is 2nd row 2nd from left, Tom is top row 2nd from right, Coley is top right.
Robert Emmett White
Lee Jarrett commented that one thread would be better than various threads scattered all over the board in bits and pieces. This is a summary of some various threads.
.357 Magnum SN 47138 REG #657 shipped December 24, 1935 to Potchernick's Inc. in San Antonio, Texas. 5" barrel, blue, McGivern Gold Bead front sight, square notch rear, Magna stocks.
I acquired the gun from my father's estate sometime after his death in 1992. His name was also David Reynolds
Dad probably got the gun at a gun show in Texas in the 70's. It had Diamond Target grips and no accessories. He liked the gun because it had a registration number and a McGivern Gold Bead front sight. Ed McGivern was one of his heroes. He also thought that with the low registration number that it was a 1st year production gun. Lee Jarrett came up with a nice set of pre-war Magna stocks.
I met a guy at a gun show a few years back that told me about the S&W Forum. I joined the Forum, then the SWCA and then SWHF.
I ordered a "Letter of Authentication" from SWHF (my first).
Interestingly, I received two letters, one from Don Mundell and another from Roy Jinks. I got Don's letter first which noted 5" barrel and blue finish, but no record as to stocks or sights. He also said that the gun appeared to have been owned by an FBI Agent in the San Antonio, Texas area. That got me pretty excited. Roy's letter gave additional information as to the gun's original configuration, and stated that other information was available for the gun.
I ordered five documents that were available through SWHF.
1) Potchernick's order for two .357 Magnums dated 11/15/1935
2) Order form for REG #657 (completed by S&W)
3) Letter dated November 21, 1935 discussing the order
4) Invoice for REG #657
5) Letter dated December 11, 1936 to S&W from Potchernick's
saying, We are returning a 375 Magnum Revolver with 5" barrel, serial No. 47138. Property of Jomer C White, c/o the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who is very much dissatisfied with it and says it is out of time.
No serial number on the back of the star. My guess is that the star was replaced as part of the out of time repair.
SWSC, Buford57 and bigwheelzip suggested that Jomer was a typo or misread and that my agent is James C (Doc) White.
FBI Historian Dr. John Fox says that there was never an agent named Jomer. The only agents I could find named White were James C (Doc) White and his brother Tom White. Doc was an FBI Agent in San Antonio when the gun was purchased and when it was sent in for repair.
I think Doc owned the gun.
A couple of interesting notes on the order. Initially registration numbers 657 and 658 were assigned to this order.
658 was changed to 275. D B Wesson had reserved 658X13 earlier. X13 was added to the registration number per a note from D B Wesson without explanation. It was ordered by Harper & Reynolds with book signed by D B Wesson for Jim Smith on October 30, 1935. It was held by S&W until Mr. Wesson returned from the West Coast and was eventually shipped on December 19,1935.
REG #657 was shipped to Potchernick's in San Antonio. President of Potchernick's was Fred L Toepperwein. Fred was the younger brother of the famous Winchester Arms Company exhibition shooter Adolf "Ad" Toepperwein.
James C (Doc) White had quite a law enforcement career. He also had quite the law enforcement family.
Emmett White was Sheriff of Travis County Texas for many years, then Mayor of Austin and finally County Judge of Travis County. 28 years of public service. He had four sons that were lawmen.
Dudley was a Texas Ranger, a Houston Policeman and a Mounted Customs Inspector. He also had a son that was a Texas Ranger. Dudley was killed as a Texas Ranger on July 12, 1918 by draft evaders in San Augustine County. Doc referred to it as the "big thicket" gun battle.
Tom was a Texas Ranger, Special Agent for Santa Fe Railway and Southern Pacific Railroad, BOI Agent from 1918-1926 (became the FBI in 1935),SAC in Houston and Oklahoma City. Warden at Leavenworth, Kansas 1926-1931. Warden at La Tuna CF near Anthony, Texas 1932-1951. Member of three-man Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles 1951-1957.
In 1925 Tom was transferred from Houston to Oklahoma City by J Edgar Hoover to be in charge of the Osage Murders case, the FBI's first big case. Hoover told Tom when he was putting together his team of agents that he could have anyone he wanted. Doc would probably have been a good choice, but Tom and Doc had agreed years before to not work on the same case. That way the family would not lose two members at once.
An interesting side note. Bill Hale was the ringleader in the Osage Murders. Soon after Hale was convicted Tom became warden at Leavenworth. On November 17, 1926 a new prisoner arrived at the prison. Bill Hale was greeted by the new warden Tom White. "Why, Hello, Tom," Hale said to White. "Hello, Bill," White answered. The men shook hands.
Two other inmates at Leavenworth while Tom was warden were the Williams brothers that had been convicted in the murder of Tom's brother Dudley.
Tom was taken hostage by inmates during an escape in 1931. He was shot and left for dead in a ditch. He recovered, but never had much use of his left arm. Tom also had a son that became an FBI Agent.
The Osage Murders case is the subject of a best-selling book, "Killers of the Flower Moon". It has now been made into a movie with the same title, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro with Jessie Plemons as Tom White.
A composite version of Tom White played by Jimmy Stewart named John Michael "Chip" Hardesty is the main character in the 1959 film "The FBI Story", which features a fictionalized version of the Osage Murders and White's investigation.
Coley was a deputy sheriff in Travis County and later became Sheriff of Travis County following in his father's footsteps.
Doc was a Texas Ranger, with the Austin Mounted Police, a Mounted Customs Agent, an Army Intelligence Officer during WWI, a Prohibition Agent (had a partner named Tom Threepersons for a while) and joined the FBI in 1924.
Doc was in on the capture of Machine-Gun Kelly and pistol whipped him at his trial in Oklahoma City. He was at the Little Bohemia raid on John Dillinger and "Baby Face" Nelson. He took a .351 Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifle belonging to Nelson during that raid, and later shot and killed a gangster named Rusty Gibson in Chicago with it. He was in on the raid against "Ma" Barker and her son Fred in Florida. In his 1936 efficiency rating it was remarked that his value to the Bureau is his ability to function in dangerous situations and raids of any kind. According to a note in the FBI's "Grapevine" magazine in 1960 "he had quite a bullet splattered career by the time he joined the Bureau in 1924." One of his Bureau peers, Andrew Longo told the "Grapevine" White was a great firearms man. "He was especially deadly with a .30-06 rifle and a Tommy Gun." Longo mentioned that "Doc" was a legend in the Southwest and was one of the best known Special Agents. Doc retired from the Bureau in 1947 and died in Austin, Texas February 11, 1969. J Edgar Hoover attended the funeral and was an honorary pallbearer.
.357 Magnum REG #657 is listed in the SWCA Pre-War .357 Magnum database at 96% condition with Magna grips unnumbered. Owned by Texas Ranger and FBI Agent James C White.
Lee Jarrett said that a Registered Magnum belonging to a man that was both a Texas Ranger and an FBI Agent is probably unique.
Doc is top left, Dudley is 2nd row 2nd from left, Tom is top row 2nd from right, Coley is top right.
Robert Emmett White
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