Dunn "Sweetback" Purnsley (died 1924) was the second-in-command of African-American mob boss Chalky White in Atlantic City, New Jersey during Prohibition. Purnsley later betrayed White in favor of working for his rival, Valentin Narcisse, and he was killed during a failed hit on White.
Biography[]
Jail time[]
Purnsley in prison
Dunn Purnsley was born in Baltimore, Maryland to a poor African-American family. He worked as a cook at one of the kitchens at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and he was subjected to poor living conditions, being served disgusting food for lunch by the white management; he was angered when he saw delicious leftovers being thrown away. Purnsley was arrested in 1921 for getting into a knife fight, and he met imprisoned mob boss Chalky White in prison. Purnsley did not like White because of his marriage to a light-skinned African-American woman, for his pretense of knowing how to read, and for his ego, and Purnsley tore the book David Copperfield (which White had claimed was Tom Sawyer) from his hands to make a point. White had the other cell mates stand up for him, and they restrained Purnsley and beat him to a pulp when Purnsley attempted to attack White. When the cell mates were released from prison, Purnsley would decide to work for White.
General strike[]
Purnsley at the Onyx Club
In the summer of 1921, Purnsley decided to encourage his fellow kitchen workers to start a strike, saying that the oppressive white businessmen would be put out of business if all of the workers refused to work. The boss fired Purnsley after he complained about his food, but other men stood up next to Purnsley, and they also refused to do work. They proceeded to throw food at the boss and ransack the kitchen, beginning the 1921 Atlantic City general strike. When 50 white men with billy clubs moved to attack the strikers on the boardwalk, Purnsley told the strikers to hold the line, and they fought back against the mob. Purnsley was later present when White and Jimmy Darmody agreed to a deal; White would end the strike, and Darmody would respond by paying the families of the four victims of a Ku Klux Klan attack, handing over the Klansmen who murdered them, and having his murder charges dismissed. Purnsley would continue to work as an ally of White, becoming his second-in-command.
Dr. Narcisse[]
Purnsley and Narcisse in 1924
In 1923, Purnsley slashed the throat of talent manager Dickie Pastor after he racially insulted Purnsley as he had sex with his wife Alma, and he was forced to bury the body by Chalky, who was angered by Purnsley's poor decision. Chalky had Purnsley do menial tasks and used him as a servant, angering Purnsley. When he was introduced to Valentin Narcisse, Purnsley decided to work for him, and he sold heroin on Narcisse's behalf, telling Chalky that he was visiting his sick mother in Baltimore. Purnsley would plot against his former boss, as he was sick and tired of White mistreating him. He murdered Deacon Lemuel Cuffy for his opposition to Narcisse's takeover of Atlantic City, as Cuffy opposed the introduction of heroin to the city. When White discovered that a heroin den had opened in the city, White, Purnsley, and a few other gangsters headed to attack the drug addicts and remind them who ran the city. Purnsley rushed to kill Moses, the man in charge of the den, as he did not want Moses to reveal his involvement with Narcisse. Purnsley planted a shotgun next to Moses, and he claimed that Moses had attempted to kill him.
Death[]
Purnsley's death
Purnsley was ordered to murder White after White burnt Narcisse's heroin in front of a crowd of people, an act that led to war between White and Narcisse. Pursley was let into White's room by Daughter Maitland, who was spending time with him. Purnsley told White that Narcisse was responsible for the killing of Deacon Cuffy and for the spread of the heroin, and White, who was already suspicious of Purnsley, sarcastically asked him how much Narcisse had paid him to betray him. Purnsley and White then engaged in a brawl, and Daughter Maitland - who was in the kitchen to prepare some food for Purnsley - returned and stabbed Purnsley in the back with a butcher knife as he attempted to choke White to death. Purnsley died of his wounds, and Maitland helped White in recovering.