G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover And Melvin Purvis | Carolina Stories - Episode 3

John Edgar Hoover was born in 1895 in Washington D.C. His mother instilled within him and his siblings a strong work ethic. His first job was as a clerk in the Library of Congress, and worked his way through law school. In 1923, a scandal in the justice department known as “The Teapot Dome Scandal” propelled his career.  The Attorney General resigned, and J. Edgar Hoover was assigned to replace him, at only 29 years old. Hoover revolutionized the FBI, and Melvin Purvis fit Hoover’s vision of the ‘ideal agent.’ However, with Purvis running the Cincinnati office, the cause of friction between Hoover and Purvis was Purvis’ resistance to Hoover’s strict regulations. Even in light of these professional differences between the two, they remained good friends. This friendship would eventually lead Melvin Purvis to the then capital city of crime: Chicago. Chicago was a hot-bed of corruption, boot-legging, and organized crime.