Pros And Cons Of Little Mel Purvis

203 Words1 Pages
J. Edgar Hoover’s key addition to the DOI was the hiring of Melvin “Little Mel” Purvis. Although Purvis wasn’t even five feet tall, his demeanor and skills made him a perfect fit for Hoover’s new look of the Department of Investigation. He was full of confidence and an excellent marksman as well. Even Purvis himself stated, “I never doubted that my application would be accepted; I had a complete and ignorant confidence in my abilities.” After a few years of being in charge of the Dallas, Texas DOI office, Purvis was promoted to work at the office in Chicago, Illinois. His promotion allowed him to become the lead man in the Department of Investigation’s hunt for John Dillinger. John Dillinger prospered at a time when banks were very unpopular