zwiebel
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The son of a bank robber who was abandoned age 2, when his parents went on the run, has discovered his father's portrait is in an Andy Warhol exhibition.
In 1955, gangsters Thomas 'Duke' Connelly and Elmer 'Trigger' Burke robbed a Chase Manhattan bank in Queens of over $300,000. Connelly went on the run to Isle of Palms, SC, with his wife Ann and their children, George (now Lawler) and his sister Veronica. The children were eventually abandoned at different locations, and their parents were never seen again. They are presumed dead and the money's never been recovered. Burke, the other robber, was a professional hit man who was executed in Sing Sing in 1958.
George, the abandoned child, was shown press cuttings about his father, who was on a 'most wanted list', but didn't realize Warhol had created several artworks in 1962, based on the list. He only found out this year, when the Queens Museum opened a Warhol exhibition titled “13 Most Wanted Men: Andy Warhol and the 1964 World’s Fair," and he recognized his dad's wanted poster.
George visited the exhibition this week and spoke to curators.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/n...-of-crime-is-now-a-work-of-art-by-warhol.html
Here's some more details about the bank robbery - it makes me wonder if George and his sister were abandoned, or if they were maybe dumped because someone killed their parents for the robbery money?
http://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_...cle_326b7243-a581-5c7d-82be-efcb59cc6150.html
The loot was a lot of money in those days - a nice Manhattan apartment could be rented for around $75 a month.
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/11/21/what_would_50_in_1940_rent_a_new_yorker_today.php
Photo link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/n...rhol.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes
In 1955, gangsters Thomas 'Duke' Connelly and Elmer 'Trigger' Burke robbed a Chase Manhattan bank in Queens of over $300,000. Connelly went on the run to Isle of Palms, SC, with his wife Ann and their children, George (now Lawler) and his sister Veronica. The children were eventually abandoned at different locations, and their parents were never seen again. They are presumed dead and the money's never been recovered. Burke, the other robber, was a professional hit man who was executed in Sing Sing in 1958.
George, the abandoned child, was shown press cuttings about his father, who was on a 'most wanted list', but didn't realize Warhol had created several artworks in 1962, based on the list. He only found out this year, when the Queens Museum opened a Warhol exhibition titled “13 Most Wanted Men: Andy Warhol and the 1964 World’s Fair," and he recognized his dad's wanted poster.
George visited the exhibition this week and spoke to curators.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/n...-of-crime-is-now-a-work-of-art-by-warhol.html
Here's some more details about the bank robbery - it makes me wonder if George and his sister were abandoned, or if they were maybe dumped because someone killed their parents for the robbery money?
http://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_...cle_326b7243-a581-5c7d-82be-efcb59cc6150.html
The loot was a lot of money in those days - a nice Manhattan apartment could be rented for around $75 a month.
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/11/21/what_would_50_in_1940_rent_a_new_yorker_today.php
Photo link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/n...rhol.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes
