A busy day in old New York

The bullets were flying on this date back in 1915. In Manhattan four members of either the Gophers or Hudson Dusters waited outside of the Miner’s Eighth Avenue Theatre for a guy named Martin Sullivan. See, they wanted to kill Martin. Why? Who knows but when Martin exited, with approximately two hundred other people, the gunmen opened fire hitting their target in the hip and in the thigh. The gunmen took off running but there was a couple of cops nearby who managed to captured two of them (Wm. MacNamara age 16 & Henry Thompson, 17) after a running gunfight. Sullivan was taken to Bellevue Hospital but did not comment on the shooting.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn

There was another shoot out when members of the White Hand gang ambushed members of the Never Come Home Boys. The latter gang was holding a dance and when members, Joseph Martini, James McNealy and Thomas Ryan left the hall, a half dozen White Handers opened fire on them. The three Never Come Home Boys fought back but were all wounded, the New York Herald stated that Ryan would probably die.

It wasn't all Irish that day.

Brooklyn was also the scene of the one sure murder. Frank Solli came walking up to his house when two men opened fire on him. One of the killers was in front of him and used a pistol while the other man came up from behind with a shotgun. Sadly, Solli’s daughter was watching from a window when her father was cut down.

Friday already?

Pulpy goodness

Ladies and Gents, D.B. Cooper's grandpa.

Angie folds

Known as “Angie the controller” twenty-nine year old Angelo Pezzulo worked in the policy racket as a foreman over a staff of number runners and was described by the police as a “petty operator”. Chances are, since Angelo was operating in the Bronx/Harlem territory, he was either working for Dutch Schultz or Ciro Terranova and ripped them off or, if a renegade was visited a few times by ambassadors of the Dutchman and/or Terranova and told that if he knew what was good for him he would turn over his policy business or pay for protection. Either way it appears that Pezzulo didn’t know what was good for him and paid the ultimate price.

The end for “Angie” came on this date back in 1934 in the rear of his brother Fred's candy store. Just before 6:00 am Angelo, brothers Fred and Dominick and two other men were playing their last hand of an all night poker game when two men, one of whom had a gun, entered. “Line up and face the wall.” barked the gunman.  Assuming it was a run of the mill robbery the men dropped their cards and did as they were told. After the men put their noses to the wall the gunman walked the line pulling back each head to inspect the face. When he got to Angelo he fired into the back of his head and his back. When Pezzulo hit the floor the gunman took another look at him, then, satisfied with his work, placed the gun in his pocket and he and his partner walked out.

Gangs of New York

On this date in 1918 Police of the Upper Westside caught wind that there was going to be a battle fought between two mid-town gangs- The West Side Butchers and the San Juan Hill gang. In an attempt to nip the fight in the bud police searched the local saloons for gang members who may have been carrying guns but no arrest were made. Still the violence came. Despite police efforts, the two gangs clashed and a gunfight ensued. when the smoke cleared two gang members William Reddington and Nicholas Moore lay dead in the street.

Loose lips sink snitch

One hundred years ago today Joseph Randazzo was found in an east side saloon with twenty-two stab wounds. Coincidentally (or not) Mr. Randazzo had supplied the police with some information regarding a couple of drug dealers. Police raided the apartment of James Di Lorenzo, said to be the city's top cocaine dealer, and arrested both him and his brother in-law John Gravino, who had a history of selling opium. The former was released on bail. Which leads us back to the east side saloon and twenty-two stab wounds. Police did not feel that it was a coincidence.

Friday already?