Stories
Prohibition Era
Spike O’Donnell – The Southside O’Donnells
James Edward O’Donnell or better known as “Spike” O’Donnell he was born on November 29,1889, O’Donnell was one of the few gangsters from the Capone era to retire from the rackets, pioneer the Chicago paving of streets, maintain his political clout and die of natural...
Thomas Snake Kinney
Thomas Snake Kinney was a Missouri state senator, he was one of the founding members of the infamous Egan's Rats, a St. Louis organized crime gang in the early part of the 20th Century. Thomas Snake Kinney was born and raised in St. Louis's "Kerry Patch" neighborhood...
Larry Fay Nightclub Owner
Larry Fay was the owner of one of the most famous clubs throughout the entire Prohibition Era, the El Fey Club but would meet his demise in 1932 at another ones of his speakeasy clubs, the Casa Blanca Club. Not much is known about Larry Fay's early life, he was born...
Mad Dog Coll v Borrelli
February 12, 1930, the Schultz-Coll war began with the shooting of Carmine Borelli, one of Dutch Schultz’s top lieutenants, and Mayme Layton aka Mary Smith, on Inwood Ave, the Bronx. Apparently Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll believed Borelli knew of Coll’s war plans against...
Red Kane kills the Yellow Kid in court – Egans Rats St. Louis
Red Kane or Thomas Kane as he was known as, was a leading figure in one of the most vindictive gang wars to have ever happened in St. Louis. Red Kane was sentenced to serve a 12 year term in prison for the murder of Fred “Yellow Kid” Mohrle, who Kane had shot and...
William “Big Bill” Dwyer – Bootlegger
William Vincent "Big Bill" Dwyer was born and raised Hell’s Kitchen, although he would avoid the temptations of quick money and the gangster lifestyle. Bill Dwyer was a hard-working young man. He finished school and then went to work for a time as an usher before...
Lucky Luciano & The Rothstein Questioning
November 19, 1928, just thirteen days after Arnold Rothstein’s murder, “Charlie Lucky” Lucania aka Charles Luciano was arrested along with George Uffner, a narcotic associate of Charlie and Rothstein, and Thomas “Fatty” Walsh. They were accused of a payroll robbery of...
Mad Dog Coll’s Final Phone Call
February 8, 1932, Vincent Coll and his unidentified bodyguard took a short stroll from the Cornish Arms, where Coll was staying to the London Chemist drugstore, both on West 23rd Street, with the two men wanting to make phone calls. Coll walked into one of the booths...
Easy Money for Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll
With the police, media and his enemies all looking for him, Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll had been hiding in Upstate New York, around Albany with rumors that he was working on an alliance with none other than Jack "Legs" Diamond, who himself had run into legal difficulties...