Frank J. Loesch

Who was Frank J. Loesch?

Frank Joseph Loesch was a prominent Chicago attorney, reformer and a founder of the Chicago Crime Commission, which attempted to combat the widespread corruption and organized crime related violence during Prohibition.

Loesch was born in Buffalo, New York, on April 9, 1852, the son of Frank and Marie Eva Loesch. His parents had emigrated from Baden, Germany, in 1845. Loesch moved to Chicago in 1870, where he entered Union College of Law while continuing his bookkeeping position with Western Union. He witnessed the 1871 Great Chicago Fire and wrote an extensive first-hand account, "Personal Experiences during the Chicago Fire." He received his LL.B. degree from Northwestern Law School, in 1874.

In his 70-year legal career, Loesch represented numerous corporate and individual clients, including several major railroads and the American Medical Association.

In 1908, Loesch was appointed Special State's Attorney for Cook County. He prosecuted frauds committed during the first direct primary election in Cook County. The experience made him an ardent crusader against what he termed the alliance between crime and politics.

In 1919, Loesch was one of the organizers of the Chicago Crime Commission. He was made an executive member of the commission in 1922, became its president in 1928 and served five terms as commission president. He was named president emeritus of the commission in 1938. Loesch spent much of his career fighting organized crime in the city, particularly against the romantic image of the gangster commonly portrayed by the media of the time. Loesch believed that changing the public's attitude towards organized crime figures such as Dean O'Banion and Al Capone was a crucial part in effective law enforcement; and, Loesch was credited with coining the term, "public enemy," later used by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.