One City, Two Men & Two Agencies
...with an interesting shared history for these 2 guns!
In July,1939, FBI Special Agent Lear B. Reed left the bureau's KCMO field office and took over the position of Chief of the scandal rocked Kansas City, Missouri, police department. According to searches by historian Dr. Roy Jinks, it would appear that on this date Reed had never owned a 357 Magnum revolver. However, it is possible that he may have been issued one of the bureau's approximately 100 owned 5” magnums.
At the same time, SA Fred McGeary, also at the FBI's KC Field office was promoted to “No. 1 Man” (Bureau designation) at that office. McGeary had purchased a 357, Registration #1419 in 1936. This gun shipped in blue with a 3.5” barrel and patridge front sight. Later it was refinished in nickel by the factory.
Following Reed's appointment to the PD he elected to supply all KCMO PD officers with the S&W magnums. Over the next 12 months he would become the largest purchaser of S&W pre-war magnums (476) accounting for nearly 7% of the total production. With the exception of 3 guns, Reed's orders were for 4” barreled, blue guns, and 'Baughman” Quick Draw front sights. The early orders included 'humpback” hammers. Of interest is the fact that Reed ordered a 3.5” (like McGeary's) blue magnum for himself that appears to be nickeled in a factory flyer.
Shortly after the KCMO PD revolvers started arriving, McGeary returned his gun to the factory for a Quick Draw front sight conversion and the addition of a Humpback hammer-now absent.
Both guns on this display were in service in Kansas City in the 1939-40 time frame.
It is interesting to note that both Reed and McGeary during their FBI careers had invoked the wrath of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover: Reed for the death of Dessie Masterson during an FBI raid in 1934 (the first year FBI agents were authorized to carry guns) and McGeary for allowing his gun to be stolen to the delight of the press. Reed was indicted for the shooting and would live under a cloud for 30 months until an appeals court would clear him. A FOIA request for Reed's personnel file has not been returned. McGeary suffered the loss of his “No. 1 Man” status and was sentenced to 6 months in the “Identification Unit”. After that McGeary continued his FBI career and became--according to FBI records—one of the bureau's top murder investigators and eligible to lead dangerous raids. Reed's tenure at the KCPD was tumultuous as it seemed the ousted Pendergast crime family had lots of friends. Reed resigned in 1941 over a salary dispute. Reed served
in the US Army in both world wars retiring as a Lt. Colonel, and was with the State Department from 1952 to 1963
It is interesting to ponder the influence these 2 men had on each other.
SWCA member Terry Lester has extensively researched and written about the KCMO magnums. His article in the Spring 2021 SWCA Journal and postings on the forum are a great resource for information on this subject.
Fred McGeary, FBI Career Highlights
1935—Joins FBI
1936—Orders S&W Registered Magnum, Reg #1419
1938--Kansas City, MO, Field Office, becomes “#1 Man” in July, 1939, when Reed goes to KCMO PD
1939—Gun stolen gaining national media coverage “Gun Shy G Man”
1940—Hoover's wrath: 6 months in Identification unit
1941—Portland, “#1 Man”
1942—Butte, ASAC
1944—San Francisco, security for U Cal Berkeley Nuclear Lab as part of Manhattan project and development of the atomic bomb
1945—S.F, Protecting the US Sec. Of State during formation of United Nations
1951—Denver, Captures killer Raymond Edward Young, one of the FBI's 10 Most Wanted
1953—Kansas City, Investigation of the kidnapping and murder of Bobby Greenlease
1960—Denver, Investigation of the kidnapping and murder of Adolph Coors III
1961—Retires months after the conviction of Coor's killer
This was my 2023 SWCA Symposium display. Thanks
