Classical Gas

William Lysaght was a member of the Gas House gang and was killed in an internecine feud by fellow gang member Scotty Jones. Jones in turn was found guilty of the murder after another gang member aided the District Attorney in his prosecution.
Back in 1911 the Gas House gang had a rule stipulating that none of the members were allowed to bring a woman into their hangout, Pickett's saloon, but Jones did just that 97-years ago today and was confronted by fellow gang members Lysaght, John Tivnan and John Stevens. The trio asked him to step into a side room and when he did they frisked him to see if he was carrying a gun. When they didn't find one they told him to go out into the street to get "what was coming to him". The men started to fight and Jones pulled out a gun that he had hidden on his inside pant leg. He fired first at Tivnan and hit him in the shoulder, then he aimed his gun at Lysaght, who turned to run away, and shot him in the back, the bullet passing through his lung. He then fired at Stevens but missed.
Jones was picked up by the police and brought to the hospital so Lysaght could identify him but the police really didn't need any help because Jones couldn't contain his disdain for his fellow gang members. When standing next to the wounded man's cot he turned to the nurse and said, "See the dog suffer." Then back at the police station he saw Tivnan and said, "If I could have gotten you I'd have been satisfied."
Jones incriminated himself even worse by writing a letter to a fellow gang member from the Tombs that read in part, "…I'm only sorry I didn't drop a few more. It wasn't my fault. I tried hard enough. I don't know how I missed." His friend however was more loyal to Lysaght and turned the letters over to the D.A. to be used as evidence. Jones was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to between twenty years and life. After his conviction he told reporters, "I killed the only man in the gang that had any nerve. I'd like to be out for awhile just to get that dog that I thought was my friend and who gave my letters to the District Attorney."