Penning the
K&A Gang’s tale . . .

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

A white-haired Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth was surprised to learn recently that she had grown up around the corner from two convicted felons — members of the infamous K&A gang, who adopted the name of the neighborhood’s central intersection at Kensington and Allegheny avenues.
The gang members were invited to Holy Family University by the Graduate Criminal Justice program, as part of a lecture by Allen Hornblum, who told their tale in his Confessions of a Second Story Man: Junior Kripplebauer and the K&A Gang.
Hornblum, a Northeast Philadelphia resident and Temple University professor of geography and urban studies, details the true crime story of Kensington’s notorious blue-collar burglars, following them in and out of the wealthiest homes all over the country, into neighborhood taprooms, courtrooms and prisons. The book also covers the city’s first car-bombing, resulting in the murder of K&A’s Richie Blaney outside his Oxford Circle home in 1961.
Professor Leann Owen was happy to host the event.
"It was really interesting and dynamic. Too often lectures come across as very dry," she said.
Far from dry, Hornblum kicked off the lecture with a lighthearted warning to secure valuables, as there were a good number of thieves in the audience.
The author, K&A members Chick Goodroe, Marty Bell, and John L., were joined by the cops that chased them — Robert Shubert and John Del Carlino — in answering questions from the audience such as, "If I were a millionaire, would it be all right to rob me?" to which Bell replied, "Where do you live?"
He told the standing-room only crowd that "production work" burglary got its start in 1950s Kensington.
"Willie Sears wanted the money, the babes and the Cadillacs, but didn’t want to do a nine to five. He wanted the most money in the least amount of time," Hornblum said.
"Willie Sears’ game plan was simple," Hornblum wrote, explaining that a team of four would cruise affluent neighborhoods knocking off six houses or more a night.
For more than 18 months, Hornblum and the subjects of his book have traveled to bookstores, pubs and universities to promote the book. For just as long, Hornblum has been involved in a lawsuit filed against him by former gang member John Berkery because of the book.
Hornblum thought he could relax once he’d completed the arduous task of transforming years of research into book form. Confessions of a Second Story Man was to be Temple University Press’ lead book for its fall catalog. The book was showing good advance-copy sales, received positive press and even stoked some Hollywood interest.
However, just before Hornblum was set to appear at Book Expo 2005, the largest national trade book show in the country, a former gang member who had just a small part in the book threatened to sue. Temple got nervous and put the book on hold.
"It was not pleasing to see my name on a list of prominent authors with a line through it," Hornblum said.
Temple released the book back to Hornblum. Barricade Press soon showed interest and brushed aside those earlier threats of legal action, according to Hornblum. The book was released in January 2006.
According to Hornblum’s attorney Gregory Harvey, Berkery filed suit against Hornblum and others involved with the book in March 2006, asserting that what he told the FBI in 1987 and 1988 was put into a sealed file. When it was moved into an unsealed file, Hornblum copied the information for the book.
Berkery’s motion for summary judgement against the defendants (without a trial) was denied on Oct. 5. On Nov. 2, the New Jersey Superior Court ruled in favor of Hornblum and his co-defendants’ summary judgment against Berkery (without a trial).
"It’s a complete vindication for Allen Hornblum as to all the statements published in the book," Harvey said.
One set of legal claims that remains, however, is based on comments made on the Web Site of Barricade Books by its late publisher Lyle Stuart. Citing costs associated with three libel suits, the company, now run by Stuart’s widow, filed for bankruptcy last month.
Hornblum is also getting ready to promote his latest book Sentenced to Science, which is a sequel to Acres of Skin, detailing the story of Holmesburg inmates who were used as guinea pigs for scientific experimentation. Look for a future story in the Times. ••
To see a clip of the lecture filmed by K&A historian George Holmes, visit www.phillyneighbors.com/PhillyGangsters
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com