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LOT 3228
Documented FBI Special Agent Carried Colt Detective Special Double Action Revolver with Holster and Factory Letter - Serial no. 579739, 38 Special cal., 2 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. As confirmed by the included affidavit from the original owner’s son, this Colt Detective Special revolver was carried by his father, FBI Special Agent George H. Franklin. The son explained, this revolver (listed by serial number) “was carried by my father, George H. Franklin during his service as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). G.H. Franklin served as a Bernalillo County, New Mexico deputy sheriff (1921-22), Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer (1922-32), Bureau of Investigation (pre- FBI, 1932-35), FBI (1935-56), first Director of Public safety, City of Albuquerque, New Mexico (1957-59) and as New Mexico State Liquor Director (1961-65).” Franklin had a long and successful law enforcement career. In the period newspaper article “Demonstration Tonight by G-man with Machine Gun,” Franklin was called out as “one of the nation’s best marksmen.” A scan of the original 8 x 10 inch photograph of Franklin demonstrating the firepower of a Thompson submachine gun is included as well as a scan of the original photograph taken in a well-stocked armory with Franklin holding a Thompson.
LOT 3229
Documented FBI Special Agent Carried Smith & Wesson .38/32 Terrier (Pre-War) Double
Action Revolver with Holster and Factory Letter - Serial no. 46822, 38 S&W cal., 2 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Offered here is the revolver carried by FBI Special Agent George H.
Franklin as confirmed by the included affidavit from his son, a retired USMC major. As explained by the son, this revolver (listed by serial number) “was carried by my father, George H. Franklin, during
his service as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). G.H. Franklin served as a Bernalillo County, New Mexico deputy sheriff (1921-22), Albuquerque, New Mexico police officer (1922-32),
Bureau of Investigation (pre-FBI, 1932-35), FBI (1935-56), first Director of Public safety, City of Albuquerque, New Mexico (1957-59) and as New Mexico State Liquor Director (1961-65).” Franklin had a long and successful law enforcement career. In the period newspaper article “Demonstration Tonight by G-man with Machine Gun,” Franklin was called out as “one of the nation’s best marksmen.” An 8 x 10 inch photograph of Franklin demonstrating the firepower of a Thompson sub-machine gun is included as well as a photograph taken in a well- stocked armory with Franklin holding a Thompson. Four more photographs of Franklin throughout his law enforcement career are also included. Copies of a Western Union telegram from Senator Bratton’s office and a letter to Congressman Chavez from FBI Director Hoover confirm Franklin was appointed to the position of FBI special agent in 1932 and a letter from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover confirms Franklin retired from the FBI in 1956. A copy of the City of Albuquerque November 22, 1957 memo confirms Franklin was appointed Public Safety Director as well as a local period newspaper article. This newspaper article provided additional details about Franklin’s time with the FBI: “His FBI career included assignment to the kidnapping squad which was involved in the sensation Weyerhaeuser, Mattson and Ursell cases; anti-sabotage and espionage surveys for industrial plants, civilian defense and national security activities. He was also police training and firearms expert with the FBI for many years.”The three cases mentioned in the article were all separate kidnappings that garnered national headlines. These were among the first high profile kidnappings
the FBI investigated since the passing of the Lindbergh Law that defined kidnapping as a federal offense. The kidnapping of 9 year old George Weyerhaeuser, son of lumber tycoon J.P. Weyerhaeuser, occurred in 1935 and was resolved successfully after the ransom was paid. The kidnappers were later caught and sentenced to prison. The kidnapping and brutal murder of 10 year old Charles Fletcher Mattson remains unsolved.