A very interesting and unique gangster who operated under the Dead Rabbits was the horrific Hell-Cat Maggie, one of the few woman gangsters of the time along with Sadie Farrel. Maggie grew up an orphan and was a fighter at the ripe age of eight years old. This is where she was found by “Gentlemen Jasper” who saw her fighting to older and stronger boys and was beating them pretty well. Jasper being highly ranked in the Dead Rabbit gang decided to let her into the gang where she was turned into a robber and gang banger. Later on Maggie filed her teeth to sharp points, and she wore long artificial nails made out of brass. It is said that she was the most feared of the Dead Rabbits known for screeching her battle cry rushing, biting, and clawing into the midst of opposing gangsters. Maggie was one of the most influential “shoulder-hitter’s” which was slang for the people that were paid to persuade people to vote a certain way. Maggie as you can imagine with her sharpened teeth and nails was very good at nudging a voter to the side that she desired.
Hell-Cat Maggie in "Gangs of New York"
http://www.panhistoria.com/Stacks/Novels/Character_Homes/home.php?CharID=455
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