Publications with Information about Willie Sutton

I, Willie Sutton is the first of two autobiographies co-authored by Willie Sutton. Written shortly after his last arrest in 1952, Sutton told his story to Quentin Reynolds. Sutton was known as a “story-teller” and stretched the truth on many occasions. However, the events detailed by Sutton provided a good basis for further research.

Where the Money Was , first published in 1976 was co-authored by Willie Sutton with Edward Linn. While including a recount of the years of Sutton’s life from his first book, we are treated to an update on his activities during his final years in prison from 1952 through 1969. Here again, Sutton’s version of some events are changed, but it was twenty-four years since his first book and some truths are revealed here that he was unable to come clean about earlier.

Willie Meets the Pinkertons was initially published as an article in the October 1942 issue of True Crime Magazine, authored by Edmond Van Tyne, pen name for Richard Hirsch. Re-published as a booklet in 1932 by the Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency, it provides an account of Sutton’s activities in the 1930s. There is a specific focus on the 1930 Rosenthal Jewelry robbery from the account of the Pinkerton Agency who was hired to locate the thieves and recover the stolen goods.

Breaching the Walls written by Joseph J. Corvi and Steve J. Conway was published in 2002 and provides Corvi’s account of his time served at Eastern Penitentiary, where he befriended James “Botchie” Van Sant and Frederick “The Angel” Tenuto who participated in the 1945 Tunnel Escape along with Willie Sutton. Corvi’s story of the escape provides a different account from that detailed by Sutton.

Willie the Actor is a fictional story written in 2007 by David Barry. Although dramatized, the story is not that far from fact. It is a fun read.

I Rob Banks: That’s Where the Money Is! is classified as “True Crime/Mystery/Expose” on “The story of bank robber Willie “The Actor” Sutton and the killing of Arnold Schuster.” Written by Donald DeSimone, the book follows the story of a young man from the Borough Park section of Brooklyn who interacted with Willie Sutton, Arnold Schuster, Freddy Tenuto, and the prime suspect in the Schuster’s murder in 1952. The book is very interesting, especially when comparing the story to others on the Sutton and Schuster murder. Details of the events outlined have not been verified by other sources. But we are still trying!