Finding Aid of the Eugene Biscailuz scrapbooks
0216
Finding aid prepared by Rebecca Hirsch
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historic Publications and Records Commission.
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
June 2010
Title: Eugene Biscailuz scrapbooks
Collection number: 0216
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
37.0 Cubic feet
9 Scrapbooks and 9 boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1920-1958
Date (inclusive): 1870-1958
Abstract: This collection contains photograph scrapbooks kept by Eugene Biscailuz during his tenure as Los Angeles County Sheriff, as
well as scrapbooks of newspaper clippings kept by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Biscailuz joined the Sheriff's
Department in 1907 and became Sheriff of Los Angeles County in 1932. He retired from the force in 1958.
Language of Materials: Most of the materials in this collection are in English. Scrapbook #8 contains clippings from Mexican newspapers that are
in both English and Spanish. Translations have been provided for some of the articles. Scrapbook #8 also contains ephemera
in Spanish.
creator:
Biscailuz, Eugene W., 1883-1969
Biographical Note
Eugene Warren Biscailuz (1883-1969), was Los Angeles County Sheriff from 1932 to 1958. Born in Boyle Heights to Martin Biscailuz
and Ida Rose Warren, he received an undergraduate degree from St. Vincent's College (now Loyola Marymount University) and
received a law degree from the University of Southern California. He joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as
a foreclosure clerk in 1907. In 1929, Biscailuz served as the first superintendent of the California Highway Patrol at the
behest of Governor C.C. Young and during World War II, he was called up to active duty as a naval reservist. Upon his retirement
in 1958, Biscailuz was succeeded by Under-Sheriff Peter J. Pitchess.
Biscailuz married his wife, Willette, in 1902. They had a son, Warren Biscailuz, and two daughters, Jean (Mohr) and Carol
(Donovan). Biscailuz died on May 16, 1969.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Eugene Biscailuz scrapbooks, Collection no. 0216, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Conditions Governing Use
The collection contains published materials; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers
on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers
when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish,
quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of nine scrapbooks created by Los Angeles County Sheriff Eugene W. Biscailuz. These scrapbooks contain
photographs, certificates of recognition and newspaper clippings documenting Biscailuz's twenty-five years as the Los Angeles
County Sheriff. Also included in this collection are eight scrapbooks of clippings kept by the Sheriff's Department from 1921-1939.
For more information about Biscailuz's scrapbooks, please see the Scope and Content notes for the individual books.
Acquisition
The Eugene Biscailuz scapbooks were donated to the University of Southern California by Biscailuz in 1963.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Biscailuz, Eugene W., 1883-1969 -- Archives
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office--Archives
Celebrities--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Civic leaders--California, Southern--Archival resources
Clippings
Jails--California--Administration--Archival resources
Law enforcement--California--Los Angeles County--Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.)--Politics and government--Archives
Los Angeles County (Calif.)--Archives
Photographs
Prisons--California--Officials and employees--Archival resources
Scrapbooks
Photograph Scrapbooks
Scope and Content
Series contains scrapbooks of photographs Biscailuz created while serving as Sheriff of Los Angeles County.
Volume 1
Scrapbook #1
1938-1950
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains photographs of Biscailuz with a variety of other people, ranging from movie stars to prison guards and
the annual "Boy Sheriff," of civic events he attended in his capacity as Los Angeles County Sheriff and of law-enforcement
related events, like the 1946 Warner Brothers Studio strike. Also included in this volume are photographs of Biscailuz's activities
as a Lt. Commander in the Naval Reserve during World War II.
Volume 2
Scrapbook #2
1897-1946
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains photographs documenting Eugene Biscailuz's career as the Los Angeles County Sheriff. Notable events and
subjects represented in this volume are the Sheriff's Aero Volunteer Squadron, Biscailuz family photographs, the funeral of
Sheriff and Congressman William Traeger, the Sheriff's Boys' Camps, and USC athletics. Also in this volume are photographs
of Biscailuz with notable people, including Humphrey Bogart and General George S. Patton.
Volume 3
Scrapbook #3
1957
Scope and Content
Scrapbook commemorates Biscailuz's 50th anniversary with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and 25th anniversary
as the department's head. This book contains newspaper clippings, letters and telegrams of congratulations, photographs of
citations issued in honor of Biscailuz, and photographs of the banquet held in his honor on January 7, 1957 and of his celebratory
trip to Honolulu later that year.
Volume 4
Scrapbook #4
Bulk, 1920-1938
1870-1941
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains prints of Los Angeles scenes from the 1870s through the early 1900s and photographs of sites related to
the history of Sheriff Biscailuz's family, including Santa Catalina Island. The bulk of the volume contains photographs from
the 1930s that document Biscailuz's career as sheriff. These include photographs of Los Angeles County Sheriff Substations,
of formal banquets attended by Biscailuz, his mounted "Sheriff's Posse," and the Rancheros Vistadores. Also included in this
volume are photographs of Biscailuz on the sets of various movies and with a number of celebrities, including Shirley Temple,
Mae West, and Jack Dempsey.
Volume 5
Scrapbook #5
Bulk, 1955-1958
1910-1958
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains photographs documenting Biscailuz's career as Los Angeles Sheriff and a few certificates of recognition
he received from Los Angeles organizations. Of note in this volume are an autographed photograph of Biscailuz with Richard
Nixon, photographs of him with Jane Mansfield and with Rita Moreno, and photographs of the Annual Sheriff's Rodeo.
Volume 6
Scrapbook #6
1924-1956
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains autographed photographs from famous people (including Harry Truman and Earl Warren), naval commanders (including
a picture of the USS Los Angeles) and others who sent photographs to Biscailuz in the 1940s and 1950s. Also included in this
scrapbook are certificates of appreciation, honorary membership, and recognition from various California organizations.
Volume 7
Scrapbook #7
Bulk, 1950-1955
1936-1955
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains photographs documenting Eugene Biscailuz's career as the Los Angeles County Sheriff. Notable events represented
in this volume are the Sherriff's attendance at the 1952 inauguration of President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines of Mexico, the Annual
Sheriff's Rodeo and the Los Angeles County Fair. Also in this volume are photographs of Biscailuz with notable people including
Casey Stengel, Budd Abbott and Lou Costello, Joe DiMaggio, General Douglas MacArthur and Kirk Douglas.
Volume 8
Scrapbook #8
1955
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains clippings and photographs from Sheriff Biscailuz's trip with the Whittier industrialist Victor York to
Mexico City, Cuba, Nassau, and New York City between September 14 and October 5, 1955.
Volume 9
Scrapbook #9
1936
Scope and Content
Scrapbook contains photographs, ephemera, and newsclippings from Biscailuz's trip to Mexico City from February 21-March 4,
1936.
Box 1
Papers
Scope and Content
Series contains newspaper clippings and press releases documenting the donation of the Biscailuz Collection to USC in the
1960s, correspondence and clippings pertaining to Peter J. Pitchess's 1958 campaign for Sheriff of Los Angeles County, the
text of a series of biographical articles about Biscailuz that ran in
La Opinion, a biography of Biscailuz by Lindley Bynum and Idwal Jones titled
Biscailuz: Sheriff of the New West, two publications from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and a few miscellaneous photographs of Biscailuz.
Clippings Scrapbooks
Scope and Content
Series contains scrapbooks of newspaper clippings of articles about the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and crime in Los
Angeles County.