From the Desk of Larry D. Thompson
Early American Gangs
10th Ave. Gang
New York(1860s -1870s)
Hells Kitchen Gang
New York(1870's)
The Tenth Ave Gang operated throughout Manhattan inthe 1860s. They
were just robbers. The Gang was absorbed into The Hells Kitchen Gang in the
1870s. The Hells Kitchen leader was "Dutch" Heinrich.
Nineteenth St. Gang
New York (1875 - 1880's)
The gang was juveniles who were led by "Little Mike" an unholy terror. They were sneak thieves and pickpockets who operated in the area about East 34th St and Second Ave. in N. York City. This teeming tenement section was known as Misery Row and Poverty Lane. "Little Mike" preyed on storekeepers, cripples and other children, stealing what he could from them. The gang disappeared by the early 1880's.
The BlackHand Gang
(Joseph Petrosino)
New York(1899 to 1920s)
In 1899 The BlackHand Gang emerged. Its leader was Ignazio "Lypo the Wolf" Saietta. He arrived from Sicily and thats when the terror erupted.
The Mafia in the US had taken roots long before "Lupo the Wolf" arrived. The Mafia was run by people like, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria, Ciro "The Artichoke King " Terranova, Francesco "Frankie Yale" Yale, Salvatore Maranzano.
Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino, The Head of the N.York City Police Departments Special Station Squad, went after The BlackHand Gang on his own. The First was a man who sent a BlackHand Note to a famous tenor and good friend of Petrosino's, Enrico Caruso. He tracked the man down and broke his arms. He then threw him on a ship back to Sicily and told him not to come back or he would blow his brains out. Petrosino next tracked down Enrico Alfan, a member of the Camorra Brothers.
Petrosino personally went to Sicily in 1909. He was getting to close to Don Paulo Marchese(Boss of all Bosses) Head of the Mafia Grand Council in Sicily. Petrosino was given a tip that an informer would meet him at the base of the Garibaldi Statue in the large Piazza Marina in the very center of Palermo. He was killed by more than 100 shots from the darkness on March 12, 1909. Don Paulo Marchese fled Sicily and went to N. York City under the name Paul Di Cristina. He then went to New Orleans where he plied The BlackHand Gang trade.
All of Petrosinos personal belongings were shipped to his wife Adelina. She was given a $1,000 a year pension from the NYPD and $10,000 from friends for the care of her young son. His personal belongings consisted of one gold watch and chain, pair of gold cuff links, can, two dress suitcases containing a package of letters and a check for $12.40. This was Joseph Petrosinos legacy.
The Bowery Boys
New York(1830-1900)
The Bowery Boys who operated illegal rackets and administered political drubbings in the lower east side of New York for seven decades from 1830-1900.
William"Bill the Butcher"Poole(died 3-11-1855) was a brawler and a strong arm slugger who took particular delight in bashing in the heads of any member of the * political group. Poole was a former butcher. He stood six foot, weighted 200 pounds and dispatched many foes with a carving knife. Poole along with Tom Hyer(one time American Heavyweight Boxing Champion), worked for and was paid handsomely by the Know-Nothing Party.
Bill the Butcher headed a gang on N. Yorks West Side by 1855. He had close to 200 professional criminals along Christopher Street under his command.
On Feb. 24, 1855, Poole entered Stanwix Hall, a new and splendidly gilded bar in the hub of Manhattans night life at Prince Street and Broadway across from the old Metropolitan Hotel. Moments after entering, Poole, in the company of Charly Shay and Charley Lozier, two of his minions.
They began to argue with three * toughs, Lew Baker, Jim Turner, Pauden McLaughlin(Paudens nose had been bitten off in a to the death fight with the Five Points Gang). McLaughlin threw a drink into Pooles face and called him a black-muzzeled bastard. Turner threw off his coat and pulled a pistol, but his draw was poor, he shot himself in the elbow, whereupon he screamed horribly and fainted. Someone threw a drink in his face. He revived and fired a shot at Poole who was advancing toward him, and hit the giant in the leg.
Lew Baker then drew a pistol and said "I guess I'll take you anyhow", and fired twice. One shot hit Poole in the abdomen and the other went through his heart. The powerfully built man, though mortally wounded, got up from the floor, grabbed Baker, and hurled him across the bar, breaking his arm. Poole, in a daze grabbed a carving knife from the free lunch service area and shouted at the terrified Baker, "I'll cut out your heart!". He then collapsed as his assassins fled. Fourteen days later, Poole died, with his gang members at his bedside.
Pooles death marked the first of the lavish gangster funerals in the US. Because of his strong affiliation with the Know-Nothings, 5,000 of his cronies and political associates marched behind hid flower bedecked hearse. ten brass bands heralded his approach to Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Poole emerged triumphant in Death.
Baker tried to escape, but the law nabbed him. He was tried, but was acquitted.
The BlackHand
The Camorra
(New York) 1417-1900's
A criminal organization that dated back to the Bourbons. The Camorra was inaugurated about 1417 in Spain and was imported to Naples, Italy and some parts of Sicily. This secret brotherhood flourished over the years in Southern Italy and became over the years a Neapolitan organization unlike its Sicilian counterparts, 'The Mafia', The Camorra did not begin as a high-minded Nationalistic movement.
The Camorra became so powerful in Naples at one time, it controlled most of the Government. The Camorra's fled Italy and came to America to the Black Hand rackets. The Camorra and Mafia battled openly on the streets of New York City.
Alessandro Vollero was the most prominent Comorraistas in New York City. He was sent to Sing-Sing in 1918(for the murder of a Mafia Lieutenant) for life. His cell mate was Joseph Valachi.
The war between the Comorra and the Mafia was touched off when a leading Camorrisa, Nick Del Gaudio, was killed by Mafia hoodlums in Harlem in 1916. His close friends were Pelligrino Morano, owner of a restaurant in Coney Island and a gambling czar, along with the "Don" of Brooklyn and "Boss of Bosses" Alessandro Vollero, head of the Camorra in this county.
The Camorra held a summit meeting at the Pelligrino Morano's big Saint Lucia Restaurant.
Andrea Ricca(Boss in Philadelphia)
Out of Towners- Eugenio Bizzaro, Albert Esposito, Leopoldo Lauritano, Salvatore Costa, Salvatore Coppolo, Albert Altieri, Tom Corillo, Luigi Turruse
Top Gun- Sniello Peretti, Alfonso "The Butch" Sgeroi, Tony "The Shoemaker"Paretti, Tony Nolaro
These men hold a council of war and decide on trapping top Mafia members in a cafe Vollero owned in Manhattan.Their plan was aimed at the Morello Brothers(Nicholas Morello(top Mafia leader in Manhattan), Vincent Morello, Ciro"Ciro Terranooa" Morello.)
It took six months before Nick Morello and his Lieutenant Charles Umbrraco were cornered and shot to death. Pelligrino Morano(Boss of Brooklyn) did the killing. Dozen more on both sides followed.(Vincent Paragallo-second to the Boss of Brooklyn)
Torpedo Tony Notaro was trapped by the law and indited for one of the shootings. He then became an informer. He was introduced into The Camorra in the home of John Mancini on 15th Street in Manhattan on Easter, 1916.
Tony"The Shoemaker"Paretti died in 1929 when he went to the electric chair for murdering a Mafia gunman. His last visitor in Sing-Sing was an aggressive ambitious immigrant from Naples, Vito Genovese. Torpedo Tony Notaro was released from jail for his informing and was never seen again.
The Camorra- Mafia war was over by then with both sides joining hands. The Camorra just faded away.
Car Barn Gang
(1911-1915)New York
William "Big Bill" Lingley and Freddie "The Kid" Muehfeldt organized the Car Barn Gang in 1911 to 1915, which controlled a huge territory that ran from 90th to 100th streets and from Third Avenue to the East River. They had 30 to 40 men, most of the awesome deck fighters and killers in the city. They posted a notice on a pole near the old car barn at second avenue and 97th St. The gang desolved in 1915. "Big Bill and "The Kid" were sent to the electiric chair at SingSing in 1915.
DayBreak Boys
New York(1850-1900)
The Daybreak Boys started in New Yorks Fourth Ward in 1850. They were the most fearsome. The leader was Nicholas Saul(b.1833,d.1/28/1853) and his sidekick William Howlett(b.1834, d.1/28/1853).
The Daybreak Boys (include, Jim 'Slobbery Jim', 'Sow' Madden, and Patsy'The Barber') got their name from when most members were most active, at dawn. Saul lead the gang for two years. In those two years they commited at least forty murders and stoled $200,000 in cash and goods. The gang operated on the docks on the Hudson and East Rivers. Pete Williams "SlaughterHouse Inn was their hangout.
On August 25, 1852, Saul, Howlett and Bill Johnson went aboard the brig William Watson anchored in the East River between Olive St. and James Slip. While they looted it, they killed night watchmen Charles Baker. They were caught and convicted(Tombs Prison). They were executed on Jan. 28, 1853. Bill Johnson was not convicted because he didn't help kill Charles Baxter.
Dead Rabbits
(New York 1850-1870)
The Dead Rabbits began in 1850 and ran until 1870. Their symbol was a rabbit impaled on a spear or a stake. The Dead Rabbits members were made up of Irish and Welsh immigrants who specialized in muggings, pick pocketing, and robbery. in the criminal argot of the day a "dead rabbit" was a fearless and strong hooligan who could not be tamed.
The Dead Rabbits gave way to the succeeding gangs within two decades.
Dopey Benny Gang(New York)
The Dopey Benny Gang operated on the lower east side.
"Monk Eastman"
(New York)
William M. "Boss" Tweed and Richard Croker ran the Democratic machine in New York. Charly Murphy, Tim "Big Tim" Sullivan, and Edward "Monk Eastman" Osterman(B.1873,D.12/26/1920 by gunshot wounds) struck an arrangement with Tweed and Croker at the end of the nineteenth century.
Edward Osterman was born in 1873 in Brooklyn in the Jewish Ghetto. "Monk's" father had set up shop as a Kosher restaurateur. Monk in his early stage of his career was known as Eddie Delaney, Bill Delaney,Joe Marvin, and Joe Marrio. Monk opened a pet store on Broome Street in lower Manhattan, but it was for most of his 100 cats and 500 pigeons.
Monk lead a gang of 1200 hoodlums called "The Eastmans". The gang even had a youth branch called " The Eastman Juniors".
Monk divided his time between his gang and Tommy Hall. Monks territory on the lower East Side was around Chrystie Street and Broome Street, and between the Bowery and The East River, Monroe and 14th St,
Monk controlled all the robberies, burglaries, protection, assaults, muggings and murders. Most of the prostitution, gambling dens, some of the freelance streetwalkers and the hoodlums.
The Five Points Gang a Paul A. Kelly Association was run by Paolo "Paul Kelly" Vaccarelli. It was the downfall of The Eastman Gang. The Five Points was Italian dominated. Kelly's control was the lower east side, taking in Chatham Square, The Bowery, and part of Chinatown. Kelly's territory ran right next to Monks.
General war broke out between the gangs. Monk was shot twice in the stomach by a Five-Point member in 1901 while strolling through Chatham Square, this started the war which ran for the next two years. The end came in August 1903 on Rivington Street when around 100 gunmen from both sides had a Big shootout. It left three dead and seven seriously wounded.
After the battle Tom Farley, Manhattan Sheriff, District Leader, and Major aid to "Big Tom" Sullivan arranged a peace conference between the gangs to end the war. They agreed to a truce which lasted several months. It was interrupted shortly before the Sheriff once again stepped in. Kelly and Eastman would fight it out together. Whoever won the fight had the other as a servant. Neither man won and it seemed like the fighting was going to start again. The law stepped in with a ten year sentence for Eastman after an arrest and conviction for assault and robbery on Feb.2, 1904. When Monk was released his power was gone. He enlisted and fought in WW1 in France. He served his term and returned to New York to be found dead on Dec 26, 1920 outside a back alley door to the BlueBird Cafe.
Dead by five bullet holes in his old neighbor ended the life of Edward "Monk Eastman" Osterman.
Forty Thieves Gang
New York
(1820-1861)
The Forty Thieves Gang was a group of pickpockets and professional muggers. The gang operated in the lower east side of Manhattanas early as 1820.
Like many other gangs, they encouraged a sub-mob made up of juvenile delinquents dubbed, "Forty Little Theives Gang" from which the older gangs new recuits came. The gang disappeared from view shortly before the civil war in 1861.