Took 1, Came Home With 2: FBI Reg Mags

[quinn]

Since we were flying to the SWCA Symposium in Concord, NC, I opted to do a 1 gun display while son, SAFireman, did a related pair display.

My display was of my Arlin Jones' RM #4950 that was ordered for him by Frank Baughman when he graduate from the FBI academy in 1939. At the end of WWII Jones transferred the Counter Intelligence Corps in search or Japanese war criminals. On my display was a 1945, AP Wire photo copy of Jones arresting Iva Togur who was better known as "Tokyo Rose".

As soon as I finished setting up Wednesday afternoon I did a quick circuit of some of the member's sales table being set up. At the far back of the room I came to a dead stop. On the table was RM# 1419, ordered and carried by Fred McGeary. In order to stem the tide of drool on his table that member graciously consented to sending McGeary's gun home with me.

I have not had much time to research McGeary but my early research shows that he was in the KCMO FBI field office at the same time Lear Reed took over the corrupt KCMO PD, he was involved in security for the Manhattan Project during the development of the Atomic bomb, and he investigated a couple of very high profile cases including the kidnapping and murder of Adolph Coors.

Both guns shipped the standard FBI blue and were later refinished in nickel by the factory. In an interest coincidence at the time McGeary was in KCMO, Jones was in St. Louis.

So now, I would like to find more information about the RMs purchased by FBI agents. Thanks

 

[S&W ucla]

You can try FOI request from FBI. Should get some information, but older files were often 'thinned' of material. Good Luck! The hunt is half the fun

Enjoyed seeing y'all AND your displays!

 

[DARE]

Hey Randy,
Here is my RM owned by James C (Doc) White.
SN 47138 REG 657. Shipped Dec. 24,1935.
Doc had a rather long law enforcement career.
Was a Texas Ranger, an Austin mounted policeman, a Customs agent, Army Intelligence agent during WWI, a Prohibition agent and then an FBI agent from 1924-1947.
Think he bought the gun on his own when he was an agent in San Antonio.

 

[sigp220.45]

A small point: Per the documents you posted in another thread, SA Jones didn’t “transfer” to his counter-intel job. He resigned from the FBI and the Dept of Justice and got hired by the Army as an employee of the War Department.

He would have been able to take his RM with him since it was personally owned. I have no idea if the Army would have allowed him to carry it for them.

 

[quinn]

A small point: Per the documents you posted in another thread, SA Jones didn’t “transfer” to his counter-intel job. He resigned from the FBI and the Dept of Justice and got hired by the Army as an employee of the War Department.

He would have been able to take his RM with him since it was personally owned. I have no idea if the Army would have allowed him to carry it for them.

In my thread about UFOs in the 'lounge' I did not list the whole story regarding Jones' transfer. In the FBI file which I received under the FOIA there is a rather testy exchange of letters between the FBI and the DOD regarding Jone's transfer. The FBI finally conceded that Jones transferred and release his personell file to the DOD. It appears that the FBI was not happy about the transfer.

Jones went to the CIC as a civilian investigator. In the immediate postwar time in Japan it appears all Americans wore Khakis... even the press. If you notice in the phot of the Tokyo Rose arrest Jones is wearing khakis along with the othr CIC investigator, unmarked helmets and no insignia. In addition in the photo Jones appears to be wearing a gun belt.

 

[LPD256]

Randy-I enjoyed meeting you and your son in Concord. Your display was great with a lot of interesting reading. Glad you found another RM. I didn’t see that one while I walked around. Jh

 

[22hipower]

Very nice Randy, I wondered where that one went.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[rednichols]

While researching Doc White, who was Capt. Hughes' right-hand man during the development of the Brill scabbard based on White's larger, bulkier King Ranch holster, I was surprised to discover that he had evolved into FBI agent J.C. White and made the news for pistol whipping Machine Gun Kelly.

A pair of 1950 articles state that he had just retired after 25 years with the Bureau which w/b 1949; which then conflicts with other records stating 1947. Not having a document proving up 1947 I took Doc's word for it as 1949 . Makes a certain amount of sense that he would seek out the publicity at retirement rather than several years later.

I'm truly surprised at the news of his having a .357 for in his retirement articles he is in his original Texas Rangers gear including his Colt that's in a museum:



But then all his mates had a Smith .357 so why not?

In addition to being known for being at the birth of the Brill, Doc is also known for working at Treasury with Tom Threepersons for the last 6 months of 1922. White was by far the more experienced lawman by then and Tom left law enforcement on the last day of 1927 while Doc continued as noted by the OP.