Hot Springs found itself in the heart of a national scandal when the boss of the notorious Genovese crime family, Charles Lucky Luciano, came seeking asylum - taking up residence at the Arlington Hotel. Back in New York, Luciano was Public Enemy No. 1, but in Hot Springs he immersed himself in the nightlife and entertainment at Oaklawn or his favorite casino, the Southern Club. Luciano's luck ran out on April 1, 1936 when he ran into New York detective John J. Brennen while strolling Bathhouse Row. What followed was a legal battle of epic proportions, ending with Luciano being sentenced on June 18, 1936 to 30-50 years in New York - the longest sentence ever handed down at that time in New York.
Photos courtesy of the Cipollini Collection
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