Redistributing Wealth

“Marm Mandelbaum’s Dinner Party” and portrait of “Mother Mandelbaum,” from George Washington Walling. Recollections of a New York Chief of Police. New York: Caxton Book Concern, 1887.

The “Queen of Fences” was Fredericka Mandelbaum (also called “Marm” or “Mother”), who handled millions of dollars worth of stolen goods during her twenty-year career. She owed her success not only to her keen business acumen but also to her knowledge of the criminal justice system. Specializing in silk, lace, and other specialty goods, Mandelbaum worked with a network of hundreds of thieves and traffickers extending across the country into Canada and even Europe. Known for her “honest criminal ethics,” she bailed out high-profile criminals when they were arrested, and she bankrolled other commercial activities, such as the infamous Manhattan Savings Bank robbery in 1873, which netted about $3 million. She was finally arrested in 1884 and, with the help of her attorneys, jumped bail to Canada with $1 million. Bridging the worlds of shadow and light, Mandelbaum enjoyed high-class living – here, she entertains guests with fine dining – and was also known as a faithful member of the local synagogue.