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REEFER MADNESS IN WASHINGTON STATE
. . . The Jack Marable investigation
Were Jack Marable and Bob Kimmich just a couple of Marihuana addicts? Did they commit their crimes while under the influence of Medical Marihuana? Or for that matter were they driven to crime by Marihuana caused insanity?
No doubt if you believe that Medical Marihuana use is evil, no amount of evidence will convince you otherwise. However, for the rest of us, let’s see what the Narcotics police themselves had to say about the matter at the time.
NOTE: All documents shown below, (all found at the National Archives, College park, MD), have been doctored for quicker download times. If needed for historical reasons, contact the museum for copies of the originals.
November 16, 1939.
Mr. Anker M. Bangs,
District Supervisor,
Seattle, Washington.
Dear Mr. Bangs:
An item by the United Press on November 11, 1939, states that Robert Kimmich and Jack Marable were convicted at Olympia, Washington, for kidnapping and that their defense was they were under the influence of marihuana.
Please advise us whether any marihuana was seized by the police in this case.
Very truly yours,
H.J. Anslinger,
Commissioner.
Treasury Department
Bureau of Narcotics
Seattle, Wash.
November 25, 1939
In re: Robert Kimmich
And Jack Marble.
Mr. H.J. Anslinger,
Commissioner of Narcotics,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Reference is had to your letter of November 16, 1939, requesting advice as to whether any marihuana was seized by the police from the above named individuals who were recently convicted at Olympia, Washington, for kidnapping, their defense, according to a United Press item, having been that they were under the influence of marihuana.
There is forwarded herewith, as self-explanatory, copy of report submitted by Inspectors Graben and Kushner, relating to this matter. The files here indicate no previous information regarding these individuals.
Very truly yours,
A. M. Bangs,
District Supervisor.
Nov. 24, 1939
Re: Reober Kimmich, and Jack Marable – Olympia, Wash.
Kidnapping case.
Mr. A.M. Bangs
District supervisor
Seattle, Wash.
Dear Sir;
(1) Reference is made to letter from the Commissioner of Narcotics dated Nov. 16, 1939 relative the kidnapping case of “Jack Marable, and Robert Kimmich”, at Olympia, Wash. Wherein the two mentioned subjects were convicted.
(2) In this connection the reporting officers conferred with Capt. Ray Hayes of the Olympia Police Department who was actively engaged in the above mentioned case. It appears that the defense counsel for Robert Kimmich stressed the fact that his client may have been under the influence of rum and marihuana when the alleged rape and kidnapping occurred.
(3) Capt. Hayes stated that no physical evidence was introduced at the trial, other than the remarks of counsel and defendant relative to the use of marihuana. Capt. Hayes stated that Robert Kimmich testified that an unnamed man sold him a marihuana cigarette and that Jack Marable and he had been drinking bay rum. Capt. Hayes further stated that these subjects were both out of town characters and that his investigation did not substantiate the contention of the marihuana angel, which Capt. Hayes believed was used for defense purposes.
(4) Both defendants have long criminal records; Robert Kimmich’s record does not include any narcotic violations, while the record of Jack Marable includes a violation of the Harrison Act, and indicates that he was sentenced to Atlanta, ?a. For two years on May 29, 1929 and later transferred to the Leavenworth penitentiary. ?a. // 29875 Leavenworth #34223 (Criminal record #)
(5) As a result of the rape and kidnapping case Jack Marable received a death sentence, and Robert Kimmich received a life sentence.
Respectfully,
Walter C. Graben
Narcotic Inspector
Irvin Kushner
Narcotic Inspector
E:KTRF
0480-36-1
May 7, 1940.
Memorandum to Miss Renfrew:
Under evey date a check with Mr. Tamm in F B I over the phone discloses the following arrests on Jack Marable in addition to arrest for theft of Govt. Property:
(FBI-28413)
2-19-22 Alabama vio. 523 State law.
SO. Miami, Fla. 2-1925 Highway Robbery
Arrested Alabama June, 1931, burg. 5-10 yrs.
Arrested PD, Macon Ga. Loitering in 1933
PD. Alabama in 1934, Investigation.
PD. Montgomery, Ala. 1934, (three charges) Burglary, grand Larc & Attp. Burg.
1939 State of Washington, Investigation.
10-4-39 Olympia, Wash. 1st degree kidnapping & rape.
Sentenced 11-14-39 to be hanged.
Record unsupported by fingerprints:
1930 paroled from State Pen. Ala., on 12-25-20
1928 viol. Prohibition Act in Ala.
#29875 U.S.P. Atlanta Gor. RTR. Flememing
5-24-29 2 yrs. From ala.
AFTERWARDS:
For the student of Reefer madness-ology, it is interesting to note that (despite the investigation as documented above), the Jack Marable case not only found it’s way unto Harry Anslinger’s Gore File, but actually made it’s way twice. Once for Jack Marable and the second for Bob Kimmich, thus giving the appearance that two different crimes had been committed instead of only one.
WANT TO KNOW MORE:
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