#2: New York’s Vanished Judge

Joseph Force Crater, once a towering figure in early 1900s New York politics and a son to Irish immigrants, made headlines when appointed to the New York State Supreme Court in 1930 amidst rumors of corruption. His name, however, is seldom mentioned today.

Crater, on a 1930 vacation break, returned to New York for dinner with his mistress, Sally Lou Ritzi, and friend, William Klein. That night, after dinner, he disappeared. Despite extensive witness statements and national attention, his whereabouts remained a mystery, with his case closing in 1979.