Brothers Reunited

A couple months after knocking off his brother Irving in the family foyer, the Combination finally caught up with Meyer Shapiro. Following his brother's demise, Meyer moved into Manhattan for safety. He ventured back into Brooklyn to see a guy called Juey about some weapons. Unfortunately for Meyer, Juey  was loyal to Abe Reles and the Combination, who had informed him that if he saw came across Shapiro he was to shoot on sight.

In the early hours of September 17, 1931, Meyer and Juey were strolling along a Brooklyn street talking business when the latter nonchalantly fell a few steps behind. Producing a pistol, he fired shot into the back of Meyer's head. The job done, Juey  left and returned in truck. He loaded Meyer's body into it and transported it to lower Manhattan where he dumped it in a cellar. 

Meyer Shapiro

Pal Joey

 

Joseph Silverman was known around Brooklyn as Joey Silvers a boxer of some local renown. In addition to his involvement in the sweet science Silvers was also toting a gun for the Shapiro Brothers in during their reign as the slot machine kings of Brownsville. In the summer of 1930 the Shapiros were at war with the Abe Reles and his minions known as the Combination.

Silvers had made an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Ocean Hill gangster and recent Reles confederate Harry "Happy" Maione and on August 26, 1930 Maione struck back. Slightly before midnight, Silvers was driving along when a car containing four men crowded his car to a stop. Maione bound out of the car and jumped on the running board of Silvers' machine. Yelling something to the effect of, "You were gonna put me on the spot, now I'm going to give it to you," he fired a .45 slug into the boxer's chest. Maione leapt from the running board and back into the car that was driving alongside and was whisked away.

The wounded gangster was taken to the hospital where he told authorities that "A guy named Happy." shot him before expiring the following day. Nothing came of Silvers squealing.

 

Joey Silvers

Purple Reign is Over

Twenty-four year old Irving Shapiro was a feared member of Detroit's Purple gang and had the distinction of being the first of that particular gang to go for a one-way ride. Shapiro was adept at shaking down speakeasies, contractors and kidnapping. There were no shortage of enemies that would have liked to seen the man dead. It's possible that his own gang had him taken out.

Three days before Shapiro was erased, four member of the gang Abe Axler, Eddie Flectcher, Irving Millberg and Harry Sutton were sent to Leavenworth for bootlegging. There may have been some power moves by the remaining gang who decided that Shapiro had to go. Purple Gang historian Paul Kavieff states that Shapiro kidnapped a contractor and wanted to get $25,000 in ransom but his confederates settled for $4,000. Apparently Shapiro wasn't happy and told his gang mates that they would be kicking in the difference for his share or else. 

Well aware of their cronies ferocity, the remaining Purple Gang members picked up Shapiro in large grey touring sedan, he was in the front passenger seat. At about 3 o'clock in the morning, someone in the back seat placed a .32 at the left base of his skull and fired. The bull passed through his head and out his left cheek. Two more shots were fired to similar effect. The car pulled over and Shapiro was jettisoned.

 

Irving Shapiro