The Million Dollar Baby of Erie: The Untold Story of Ethel Mae Murphy and the Prohibition Empire

Grandma Ethel Mae Murphy, circa 1923, Erie, Pa. “The Million Dollar Baby” She controlled Rum Running in Erie with her Lifelong friends millionaire Annie Strong who controlled the waterfront and Sara Coyne who controlled access to Presque Isle. She ran a card game across the street from the Erie Police Station until 1954 when the last Irish Mayor of Erie, Thomas Flatley was removed from office for taking kickbacks from Grandma. She drove a gold Cadillac until the day she died in 1979. At her funeral where every Irish hoodlum, cop, City Councilman, Italian Mafioso were paying their respects I met my mentor, Jimmy “JR” Russell, who said “I don’t recomend this for a lifetime, but if you’re going to do this… You’re going to do this right!