During the summer of 1921 there was a notorious case in which some Black Handers kidnapped a young boy named Giuseppi Varotta and killed him after his father didn’t pay the ransom.
In Chinatown a twenty-one year old ship’s steward named Hong Wong followed the story and got the idea that black handing shouldn’t be simply an Italian enterprise so got himself some paper and a pen.
Wong however didn’t really understand the intricacies of black mailing; the three or so anonymous letters telling where to drop the money etc. Instead he wrote a note saying, in effect, “Give Hong Wong $350 or meet instant death.” and hand delivered the note to Kong Chong Wing an importer.
Wing read the note while Wong stood by waiting for the payoff. Wing, not doubt perplexed, didn’t do anything right away so Wong whipped out a knife and started slashing away. Luckily for Wing a cop was nearby and subdued the would be black hander.
On this date back in the summer of ’21 Wong pleaded guilty to felonious assault and was shipped off to Sing Sing for 2.5-5 years.
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
5 comments:
Wow. Could you imagine what the New York Post would do with that story?
"Sing Sing for Winger Wong!" Or maybe just "Wong Gone!"
Yeah, I was tempted with some right and Wong word play myself.
You see the previews for that Boardwalk Empire show on HBO? Looks interesting.
Did see the previews. Does look good. I don't have HBO though so will have hear about it.
I don't have HBO either, so after you hear about it, pass it along.
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