Midwestern armed robber and contract killer during the Prohibition era (1893-1940) who is considered a prime suspect in the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929. Fred Burke's personally-owned circa 1917 Elgin pocket watch, measuring 1.75″ in diameter, featuring a gold-tone case and blue hands, with an inset seconds dial. The watch is suspended from a 12″ long chain, which has a thin matching pocket knife at the end. In fine condition, with some spotting to edges of the dial; the hand-wound mechanical watch still ticks and seems to function well. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the owner, in part: "The enclosed Elgin pocket watch, previously owned by Fred Burke (Dane) was passed down to me directly by my Aunt Charlotte Crossman, who was a personal friend of his…I was reared by my Aunt and Grandmother in Michigan, and Washington, D.C., and for many years it was pointed out by my Aunt Charlotte that this was his personal Elgin pocket watch." Supplementing evidence includes color photocopies of a letter from Burke (writing under his alias 'F. Dane') to Charlotte Crossman, a copy of Burke's funeral expenses submitted to Mrs. Jennie Crossman, and a newspaper article naming Charlotte Crossman, her mother, and a sister-in-law as the only mourners to attend Burke's funeral. A remarkable artifact with excellent provenance, associated with one of Al Capone's key hitmen.
