 "History Today: The FBI released its first Top 10 'most wanted fugitives' list")
March 14 has been a significant date in American history. It was on this day that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made a major move by releasing its first-ever “wanted list,” naming the top 10 most dangerous fugitives. This marked a turning point in the way the agency publicised high-profile criminals.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
March 14 also gave the world one of its greatest scientific minds. In 1879, Albert Einstein was born in the southern German city of Ulm, forever changing the course of physics with his groundbreaking theories.
This day also holds significance in American financial history. On March 14, 1923, President Warren G Harding became the first US President to file an income tax return. He reported earnings from his presidential salary of $75,000 (Rs 64 lakh today) and paid approximately $17,000 (Rs 14.8 lakh) in taxes.
Here’s a look at everything that happened on this day in history.
FBI releases its first top 10 ‘most wanted’ list
On 14 March 1950, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took a major step in crime fighting by publicly releasing its first-ever “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. The move was designed to enlist the public’s help in capturing particularly dangerous criminals who had evaded law enforcement.
The idea for the list stemmed from a conversation between then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and a journalist who had asked Hoover about the “toughest guys” the FBI was pursuing, and the discussion sparked the idea of a dedicated list to draw national attention to these fugitives.
The first-ever list, released in 1950, featured criminals wanted for a range of serious crimes, including murder, robbery, and espionage. Among them was Thomas James Holden, a notorious bank robber and escape artist who had been on the run after killing his wife and her two brothers. Thanks to the publicity, Holden was captured within a year.
Since then, the list has proven to be an effective tool. Over the decades, hundreds of criminals featured on it have been arrested or located, with more than 150 captures directly credited to tips from the public.
“It is a force multiplier. So, where you can’t have a tremendous amount of people in one place to look for somebody, you can use this list to go after … who the government or the FBI believes [are] the most dangerous,” former FBI special agent and Navy SEAL Jonathan Gillam told Fox News Digital.
How does the FBI pick its top 10? The process is straightforward.
The FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division (CID) invites all 56 field offices to nominate candidates. The CID, along with the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs, then shortlists finalists for approval by the FBI’s Deputy Director.
To make it onto the list, a fugitive must have a long criminal record with outstanding charges that make them particularly dangerous. The FBI must also believe that public awareness will significantly aid in their capture.
Once added, fugitives typically remain on the list until they are caught or confirmed dead. In rare cases, names have been removed if the person no longer poses a serious threat. Interestingly, only ten women have ever made it onto the list, with Ruth Eisemann-Schier becoming the first in 1968.
The birth of a science genius: Albert Einstein
On 14 March 1879, one of the greatest scientific minds in history, Albert Einstein, was born in the southern German city of Ulm.
Einstein was born into a middle-class Jewish family. His father, Hermann Einstein, was an engineer and businessman, while his mother, Pauline, nurtured his early curiosity for music and learning. As a child, Einstein showed a deep fascination with science and mathematics, though he was often perceived as a slow learner due to his quiet nature and delayed speech development.
In 1894, Einstein dropped out of school and moved to Switzerland, where he resumed his education. He later gained admission to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich. While working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office in Bern, he developed the first of his groundbreaking theories.
One of his most significant discoveries was the Special Theory of Relativity, which introduced the famous equation E = mc², proving that mass and energy are interchangeable. This discovery played a crucial role in the development of nuclear energy and weaponry.
Einstein gained worldwide fame for his General Theory of Relativity, which revolutionised the way we understand gravity. In 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, a discovery that contributed to the foundation of quantum mechanics.
A strong advocate for peace, Einstein was also publicly associated with the Zionist movement. When the Nazis rose to power in Germany before World War II, he emigrated to the United States. He spent the rest of his life living and working in Princeton, New Jersey.
A US president paid income tax for the first time
On 14 March 1923, President Warren G Harding made history by becoming the first sitting US president to file an income tax return. He paid approximately $17,000 in taxes on his $75,000 presidential salary for the year 1922.
At the time, the Revenue Act of 1921 required all Americans, including the president, to pay taxes on their earnings. While previous presidents had been subject to taxation, Harding was the first to formally file a return under the newly established federal income tax system. His public filing was seen as a move to promote transparency and civic responsibility among American citizens.
The foundation for federal income tax had been laid in 1913 with the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution. However, the courts later ruled that taxing a sitting president’s salary could be unconstitutional, as it might violate Article II, Section 1, which states:
“The president shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected …”
This ruling meant that Harding’s predecessor, Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921), had been exempt from paying income tax while in office. Harding’s decision to file his tax return, despite this legal debate, set a precedent for future presidents of the United States.
This Day, That Year
1. Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte becomes the first Native American woman to graduate from medical school
2. Mikhail Gorbachev elected president of the Soviet Union
3. John “Jack” Mack, who co-founded Mack Trucks, Inc.—then known as the Mack Brothers Company was found killed in a car crash
With input from agencies
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