Gangsters, Murderers & Weirdos - THE WALKING TOUR Gangsters, Murderers & Weirdos - THE BOOK
 
Header image walking tour
 
Some of the most influential criminals in history got their start on the Lower East Side of New York City...

GANGSTER PROFILES
Listed by (in some cases estimated) date of birth; these are just a few of the thousands of men, women, and children who's criminal career was associated with the Lower East Side.

Scroll down, or use the following links:
 
william poole Birth Name:
WILLIAM POOLE
AKA:
"BILL THE BUTCHER"
Background:
English, Protestant
Born:
July 24, 1821 - Sussex County, New Jersey
Died:
March 8, 1855 - Lower East Side, NYC - age 34
Buried:
Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Affiliations:
Washington Street Gang, Bowery Boys
Arch Rival:
John Morrisey
Fate:
Shot by John Morrisey associate Lew Baker at the Stanwix Bar on Broadway. Poole died of his wounds just days later in his home on Christopher St.
Fast fact:
The character William Cutting from the motion picture Gangs Of New York was loosely based on William Poole.
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
JOHN MORRISSEY
AKA:
"OLD SMOKE"
Background:
Irish, Catholic
Born:
February 12, 1831 - Templemore, Ireland
Died:
May 1, 1878 - Troy, NY - age 47
Buried:
St. Peter's Cemetery, Troy NY
Affiliations:
Dead rabbits, State Senate, US Congress
Arch Rival:
William Poole
Fate:
After a successful stint in pro boxing and a long run in politics, Morrissey died of pneumonia in his home in upstate New York.
Fast fact:
In 1853, Poole defeated bare-knuckle champion Yankee Sullivan in a 37-round fight in upstate New York.
   
 
< top >
 
maranzano Birth Name:
SALVATORE MARANZANO
AKA:
N/A
Background:
Sicilian, Catholic
Born:
1868 - Sicily
Died:
1936 - New York City - age 68
Buried:
St. John's Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Castallammarese Mafia, Boss of American Mafia
Arch Rival:
Joe Massaria
Fate:
Shot and stabbed to death on Luciano's orders
Fast fact:
Maranzano was highly educated, was trained as a priest, and has owned legitimate businesses.
 
< top >
 
maranzano Birth Name:
EDWARD OSTERMAN
AKA:
MONK EASTMAN
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
1873 - Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Died:
December 26, 1920 - Lower East Side - age 47
Buried:
Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY
Affiliations:
Eastman Gang founder and leader
Arch Rival:
Paul Kelly
Fate:
Shot and killed by associate Jerry Bohan on 14th St after a heated business dispute.
Fast fact:
Eastman bravely volunteered, and served, in the 106th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 27th Division of the US Army fighting in France during WWI.
 
< top >
 
becker Birth Name:
CHARLES BECKER
AKA:
N/A
Background:
German-American
Born:
July 26, 1873 - Sullivan County, NY
Died:
July 30, 1915 - Sing Sing Prison - age 42
Buried:
Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx, NY
Affiliations:
NYPD
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Executed in electric chair.
Fast fact:
Though not formally a "gangster", Becker was a crooked police officer who was convicted of hiring Jack Zelig's men to kill a local merchant who complained of Becker's harsh shake-downs. This also led to Zelig's murder.
 
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
PAOLO VACCARELLI
AKA:
PAUL KELLY
Background:
Sicilian, Catholic
Born:
1876 - Sicily
Died:
1936 - Location unknown - age 60
Buried:
Calvary Cemetery, Woodside Queens
Affiliations:
Founder and leader of the 5 Points Gang
Arch Rival:
Monk Eastman
Fate:
Died of natural causes
Fast fact:
Paul Kelly spoke English, Spanish, French, and Italian fluently.
 
< top >
 
zwerbach Birth Name:
MAX ZWERBACH
AKA:
"KID TWIST"
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
c.1880 - Brooklyn, NY
Died:
May 14, 1908 - Coney Island - age ?
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang, Eastman Gang leader 
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Gunned down along with Vach Lewis, by Louis Pioggi, by order of Paul Kelly.
Fast fact:
Zwerbach (along with Vach Lewis) went to a Coney Island bar to taunt Loius Pioggi about a girl who just broke up with him in favor of Zwerbach. That didn't work out well for Mr. Twist.
 
< top >
 
zwerbach Birth Name:
SAM TIETCH
AKA:
VACH "CYCLONE LOUIS" LEWIS
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
c.1880 - Brooklyn, NY
Died:
May 14, 1908 - Coney Island - age ?
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
Eastman Gang
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Gunned down along with Zwerbach, by Louis Pioggi, by order of Paul Kelly.
Fast fact:
Cyclone Louis got his nickname, and earned his reputation, as a strongman in the Coney Island Side Show before he was recruited by Zwerbach. Legend has it that Louie would bend steel bars with his teeth and around his neck during performances.
 
< top >
 
fitzpatrick Birth Name:
RICHARD FITZPATRICK
AKA:
"RITCHIE" FITZPATRICK
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
1880 - Brooklyn, NY?
Died:
November 1, 1904 - Lower East Side - age 24
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang, Eastman Gang
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Gunned down along by a Zwerbach associate in a saloon on what used to be Sheriff St.
Fast fact:
Fitzpatrick fought for control of the Eastman Gang in 1904, but Zwerbach's associates ended up killing Fitzpatrick and all of his supporters.
 
< top >
 
rothstein Birth Name:
ARNOLD ROTHSTEIN
AKA:
"MR. BIG", "THE FIXER"
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
January 17, 1882 - Lower East Side
Died:
November 4, 1928 - New York City - age 46
Buried:
Union Field Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Independent
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Rothstein was shot and killed by an unknown gunman, in a mid-town hotel room.
Fast fact:
Rothstein is arguably the father of modern day Organized Crime. He turned street crime into a multimillion dollar business, run like any other legal corporation, and was the first to capitalize on the bootlegging industry in the 1920s.
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
GIOVANNI TORRIO
AKA:
JOHNNY "THE FOX" TORRIO
Background:
Italian, Catholic
Born:
1882 - Irsina, Italy
Died:
April 6, 1957 - New York City - age 75
Buried:
Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Affiliations:
James street Gang, 5 Points, The Chicago Outfit, National Crime Syndicate, Genovese Crime Family
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Died of a heart attack
Fast fact:
Once a Liutenant in Paul Kelly's 5 Points Gang, Torrio was young Al Capone's mentor on the Lower East Side and was eventually responsible for luring Capone out to Chicago.
 
< top >
 
sirocco Birth Name:
JACK SIROCCO
AKA:
N/A
Background:
Italian-American
Born:
1882 - ?
Died:
April 6, 1957 - ?
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang, Eastman Gang, Sirocco Gang
Arch Rival:
Benny Fein, Jack Zelig
Fate:
?
Fast fact:
Sirocco was Johnny Torrio's boss while a leader in the 5 Points gang. Sirocco survived a point-blank-range ambush by the Benny Fein gang in 1914.
 
< top >
 
sirocco Birth Name:
N/A
AKA:
CHICK TRICKLER
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
c.1882 - ?
Died:
?
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
Eastman Gang leader
Arch Rival:
Benny Fein, Jack Zelig
Fate:
?
Fast fact:
In 1911, Trickler and Sirocco tried to assume control of the Eastman Gang by leaving leader Jack Zelig behind during a robbery, and refusing to post bail.
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
GIUSEPPE MASSERIA
AKA:
JOE "THE BOSS"
Background:
Sicilian
Born:
1887 - Sicily
Died:
April 15, 1931 - Coney Island - age 44
Buried:
Calvary Cemetery, Brooklyn
Affiliations:
Morello Gang, Masseria Crime Family
Arch Rival:
Sal Maranzano
Fate:
Gunned down by Bugsy Siegel, Vito Genovese, and Joe Adonis, as ordered by Luciano
Fast fact:
In 1922, Masseria survived a brazen, point-blank-range hit attempt in front of his home on 2nd Avenue. He escaped unharmed, with two bullet holes through his straw hat.
 
< top >
 
fein Birth Name:
BENJAMIN FEIN
AKA:
"DOPEY" BENNY FEIN
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
1887 - Lower East Side
Died:
?
Buried:
Unknown
Affiliations:
Eastman Gang, Benny Fein gang
Arch Rival:
Jack Sirocco
Fate:
Unknown
Fast fact:
Benny Fein was not "Dopey"; he had a medical condition which made his eyes always appear drowsy.
 
< top >
 
fein Birth Name:
ZELIG ALBERTS
AKA:
"BIG" JACK ZELIG
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
May 13, 1888 - Lower East Side
Died:
October 5, 1912 - Lower East Side
Buried:
Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY
Affiliations:
Crazy Butch Gang, Eastman Gang leader, Zelig Gang
Arch Rival:
Jack Sirocco
Fate:
Shot behind the ear by Phil Davidson while riding a trolley car on 2nd Ave and 13th St.
Fast fact:
A notorious street fighter, Zelig was branded "Most feared man in New York" by the news papers. In one incident in a bar, he single-handedly beat-up and put in the hospital 3 Italian gangsters. He was also known as Harry Lefkowitz.
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
LOIUS PIOGGI
AKA:
LOIUE "THE LUMP"
Background:
Italian
Born:
1889
Died:
Unknown
Buried:
Unknown
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang
Arch Rival:
Fate:
Unknown
Fast fact:
Pioggi, a 5 Points Gang member, was dating a girl who was also dating Max Zwerbach, arch rival Eastman Gang leader. This led to Zwerbach's death, and a broken ankle for Pioggi.
 
< top >
 
spanish Birth Name:
JOHN WEYLER
AKA:
JOHNNY SPANISH
Background:
Spanish-American Jew
Born:
1891 - Lower East Side
Died:
July 29, 1919 - Lower East Side - age 28
Buried:
?
Affiliations:
Five Points, Eastman Gang, Johnny Spanish Gang
Arch Rival:
Nathan Kaplan
Fate:
Gunned down by rival (and former partner in the Eastman Gang), Nathan Kaplan's gang.
Fast fact:
Spanish sold cocaine out of the restaurant he was killed in front of, at 19 2nd Ave (now the site of a luxury apartment building)
 
< top >
 
kaplan Birth Name:
NATHAN KAPLAN
AKA:
"KID DROPPER"
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
1891 - Lower East Side
Died:
August 28, 1923 - Lower East Side - age 32
Buried:
Mount Hebron Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
5 Points gang, Eastman Gang, Kaplan Gang
Arch Rival:
Johnny Spanish
Fate:
While under police escort on Essex St., Kaplan was gunned down while getting into a car, by a rival Jacob Orgen Gang gunman.
Fast fact:
Spanish sold cocaine out of the restaurant he was killed in front of, at 19 2nd Ave (now the site of a luxury condo)
 
< top >
 
costello Birth Name:
FRANCESCO CASTIGLIA
AKA:
FRANK COSTELLO
Background:
Italian
Born:
January 26, 1891 - Italy
Died:
February 18, 1973 - New York City - age 82
Buried:
St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Luciano Crime Family, Genovese Crime Family Boss
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Died of heart attack in a NYC hospital.
Fast fact:
Marlon Brando's character, Vito Corleone, from the God Father series, was based on Frank Costello, who was known as "Prime Minister of the Underworld".
 
< top >
 
william poole Birth Name:
FRANCESCO LOELE
AKA:
FRANKIE YALE
Background:
Italian
Born:
1893 - Italy
Died:
1928 - Brooklyn, NY - age 35
Buried:
New York
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang, Brooklyn Mafia leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Gunned down on Al Capone's orders
Fast fact:
A young Al Capone worked in Yales's night club in Coney Island as a waiter. This was Capone's first job, and where he got his famous scar during a fight with a patron.
 
< top >
 
buchalter Birth Name:
LOUIS BUCHALTER
AKA:
"LEPKE"
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
February 12, 1897 - Lower East Side
Died:
March 4, 1944 - Sing Sing Prison - age 47
Buried:
Mount Hebron Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Murder Inc. leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Executed in electric chair
Fast fact:
Buchalter remains the only major mob boss to ever have been executed by state or federal authorities.
 
< top >
 
luciano Birth Name:
SALVATORE LUCIANA
AKA:
CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO
Background:
Italian
Born:
November 24, 1897 - Sicily
Died:
January 26, 1962 - Naples, Italy - age 65
Buried:
Saint John's Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
5 Points Gang, Masseria Gang, Genovese Crime Family leader, American Mafia Commission leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Heart Attack
Fast fact:
As a child, Luciano survived a serious bout of small pox which scarred his face for life.
 
< top >
 
genovese Birth Name:
VITO GENOVESE
AKA:
"DON VITONE"
Background:
Italian
Born:
November 27, 1897 - Naples, Italy
Died:
February 14 1969 - Springfield, Missouri - age 72
Buried:
Saint John's Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Masseria Gang, Genovese Crime Family leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Suffered a fatal heart attack in prison
Fast fact:
Luciano and Lansky set Genovese up on a drug deal, which led to a 15 year prison term in 1959.
 
< top >
 
capone Birth Name:
ALPHONSE GABRIEL CAPONE
AKA:
"SCARFACE"
Background:
Italian-American
Born:
January 17, 1899 - Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Died:
January 25, 1947 - Chicago - age 48
Buried:
Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois
Affiliations:
Brooklyn Rippers, Fourty Thieves Juniors, 5 Points Gang, The Chicago Outfit leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Suffered a stroke brought on by pneumonia and other ailments.
Fast fact:
Al Capone never made it past 6th grade. He was expelled at 14 years old for punching a teacher at P.S. 133 in Brooklyn, and he never returned.
 
< top >
 
genovese Birth Name:
GAETANO LUCCHESE
AKA:
THOMAS LUCCHESE
Background:
Sicilian
Born:
December 1, 1899 - Palermo, Sicily
Died:
July 13, 1967 - Lido Beach, NY - age 67
Buried:
Calvary Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Masseria Gang, Luciano Crime Family
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Suffered a brain tumor and died in his home in Long island.
Fast fact:
Lucchese gained the nickname "Three-Finger Brown" in reference to his deformed hand, which was mangled in an industrial accident as a teen.
 
< top >
 
oren Birth Name:
JACOB ORGEN
AKA:
"LITTLE AUGIE"
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
c.1901 - New York City
Died:
October 16, 1927 - New York City - age 28
Buried:
Mount Judah Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Dopey Fein Gang, Jacob Orgen Gang
Arch Rival:
Nathan Kaplan
Fate:
Gunned down by Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro
Fast fact:
Jacob's father, a strict Orthodox Jew, disowned Jacob in 1919 after learning about his criminal activities.
 
< top >
 
lansky Birth Name:
MAJER SCHOWLINSKI
AKA:
MEYER LANSKY
Background:
Polish-Jew
Born:
July 4, 1902 - Grodno, Russia
Died:
January 15, 1983 - New York City - age 83
Buried:
Mount Nebo Memorial Gardens, Miami, Florida
Affiliations:
Bugs and Meyer Mob, Luciano Crime Family
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Succumbed to lung cancer
Fast fact:
Young Lansky was bullied and extorted by a young Salvatore Luciano while school mates at PS 19 on the Lower East Side. Around this time, Lanksy began a lifelong friendship with Bugsy Siegel. (The characters Hyman Roth and Moe Greene from the Godfather series are based on Lansky and Siegel).
 
< top >
 
anastasia Birth Name:
UMBERTO ANASTASIO
AKA:
ALBERT ANASTASIA
Background:
Italian
Born:
September 26, 1902 - Tropea, Italy
Died:
October 25, 1957 - New York City - age 55
Buried:
Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Affiliations:
Masseria Gang, Luciano Crime Family, Murder Inc. leader
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Shot to death by an unidentified gunman in a barbershop in midtown.
Fast fact:
Luciano put Anastasia (along side Louis Buchalter) in charge of the enforcement arm of the National Crime Syndicate, Murder Inc.
 
< top >
 
adonis Birth Name:
GIUSEPPE ANTONIO DOTO
AKA:
JOE ADONIS
Background:
Italian
Born:
November 22, 1902 - Italy
Died:
November 26, 1971 - Springfield, Missouri - age 69
Buried:
Madonna Cemetery, Fort Lee, NJ
Affiliations:
Frankie Yale Gang, Masseria Gang, Luciano Crime Family
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Suffered a fatal heart attack while being questioned by Italian police while in exile.
Fast fact:
Joe Adonis and Al Capone worked together under Frankie Yale.
 
 
< top >
 
cohen Birth Name:
LOUIS KERZNER
AKA:
LOIUS COHEN
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
January 1, 1904 - Lower East Side
Died:
January 28, 1939 - New York City - age 38
Buried:
Mount Hebron Cemetery, Queens, NY
Affiliations:
Jacob Orgen Gang
Arch Rival:
n/a
Fate:
Gunned down by orders of Louis Buchalter while on parole for the murder of Nathan Kaplan.
Fast fact:
Joe Adonis and Al Capone worked together under Frankie Yale.
 
< top >
 
siegel Birth Name:
BENJAMIN SIEGEL
AKA:
"BUGSY" SIEGEL
Background:
Jewish-American
Born:
February 28, 1906 - Brownsville, Brooklyn
Di