Malcom Anderson (1958-1959)
Early History: Dwight Malcolm Anderson, Jr. was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, in 1916. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1937 and followed in the footsteps of his father, a state court judge, earning a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh Law School in 1940, where he was editor-in-chief of the law review. He briefly worked in private practice. Mr. Anderson served as a Captain in the United States Air Force during the Second World War. Following the war, Mr. Anderson returned to Pennsylvania and joined his brother’s law practice. In 1946, he began teaching at the University of Pittsburgh Law School. During his seven years as a professor, Mr. Anderson also worked part-time as an Assistant District Attorney for Washington County.
In July 1953, Mr. Anderson was named First Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania when John McIlvaine, his supervisor at the District Attorney’s Office, was named United States Attorney for that District. Two years later, when Mr. McIlvaine was appointed to the federal bench, Mr. Anderson was named the United States Attorney.
As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Anderson gained acclaim in Pennsylvania for his prosecution of voter fraud cases, including the convictions of several Pennsylvania state election board members for rigging elections. After becoming United States Attorney, Mr. Anderson received national attention for his oversight of multi-city raids against organized crime. Over the course of several months in 1956 and 1957, federal agents working under Mr. Anderson’s supervision arrested dozens of individuals in five cities—including Chicago, Boston, and Fort Worth, Texas—who were part of a “cross country syndicate of gamblers” centered around a bookmaking operation based in Pennsylvania.
Tenure: In 1958, Mr. Anderson was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division. Mr. Anderson once explained that, as Assistant Attorney General, he supervised more than “31,000 cases in 1,000 separate categories ranging from aeronautical offenses to two wool labeling violations.”
Mr. Anderson focused on labor racketeering and perjury cases, expanding the work of the four-year-old Organized Crime and Racketeering Section (now the Organized Crime and Gang Section). During his tenure, prosecutors obtained numerous convictions of high-profile organized crime figures, including Paul “the Waiter” Ricca, a former Al Capone lieutenant and Chicago-area vice kingpin, and Joseph Stacher, a member of the old “Third Ward Gang” of Newark, New Jersey.
Later Career: In 1959, Mr. Anderson returned to private practice in Pittsburgh. He remained active in politics and the legal community. In 1966, he testified before the United States Senate in support of legislation that would establish the federal magistrate system. Upon his retirement in 1983, Mr. Anderson relocated to Bradenton, Florida. He died in 1998.
This material is based on the review of a variety of historical sources and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If you have any corrections or additional information about this individual or about the history of the Criminal Division, please contact the Division.