The social life of the 19th century, usually seen as a romantic and safe era, was in reality a chancy and hazardous time, filled with gangs, poor police, and a corrupt government. Many will argue that gangs and gangsters have little to no influence on our nation. This is an outrageous opinion that will be put to rest throughout this essay, for better or worse, these gangs were being heard. Every time you went out at night to a hot spot such as the Five Points in New York, you knew you were in danger. One of the primary reasons you would need to be careful, was the fact that these criminals didn’t have the revenue source which gangs have today, drugs. This left the only source of available income being; prostitution, assassinations, political favors, and the easiest way, mugging of ordinary citizens. Thus creating a perilous environment for anybody brave enough to take a stroll down gang banger alley. As a result, the 19th century which has long been viewed as a contented time, was in fact one of the most dangerous periods in America.
What made this era truly alarming, were the gangs and gangsters that ran the streets, and Wild West of America. The Butcher, Monk Eastman, Sadie the goat, Billy the Kid, the list goes on. All of these men, and women, were killers. Nothing fazed them. Knowing that a crazy cattle thief by the name of Billy the Kid whose killed a man for every year for that he has lived, could be outside of your house left farmers fairly fearful. Or perhaps being an immigrant fresh off the boat, hearing rumors that, “Bill the Butcher” is out looking for an Irish immigrant to gore with his always sharp butcher’s knife. Maybe your new in town and your getting a little too crazy at the saloon, Monk Eastman would gladly bash your brains in with his notorious wooden club. The point is, these people were crazy. And who was there to stop them? That brings me to my next point, the lack of Fire and Police Enforcement during the age.
The reason that these psychopathic killers were running rampant, and for the most part getting away with it, was the lack of Police and Fire Departments during the time. The Police force was split into two different groups the Metropolitan, and Municipal. The old Municipals were told by the Government that they were to be disbanded, and a new police force, The Metropolitan, would be taking over. This did not sit well with the Mayor, Fernando Wood, or with the old Municipal Police Force who didn’t want to lose their job. So, what happened? Two police forces were left neither knowing who had full jurisdiction of the city. This left constant battles between criminals, and the two police forces.

Thesis and Analysis

Thesis: The influence of gang related activity in America from the 19th century to present day has shaped the nation's politics, social life, and culture.

I-People

• Monk Eastman
• Sadie the Goat
• The Butcher
• Butch Cassidy
• Jesse James

II-Gangs

• Dead Rabbits
• Bowery Boys
• Eastman Gang
• The Wild Bunch
• The Honeymoon Gang

III-Politics

• Fernando Wood
• Police Department
• Fire Department
• Know-Nothing
• Racism
• Religious Discrimination
• Ethnic Discrimination
• Draft Riots

IV-Evolution

• Latin King’s Disciples
• Crips
• Bloods
• Aryan Brotherhood
• Yakuza
• Mafia Irish/Italian

Thesis, Strengths, Weakness's

Thesis: The influence of gang related activity in America has shaped the nation's culture, social life, and

Hell-Cat Maggie

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

The Honeymoon Gang

The Honeymoon Gang of the mid 1800’s has been said to be one of the most brutal of all gangs in the era. This gang was so brutal and violent that even the corrupt Tammany Hall politicians who often hired gangs to get votes and give protection denied their use. The gang operated in the 18th ward of New York City, and was notorious for its brutal attacks on unsuspecting civilians. Every night the chieftain of the honeymooners would station a thug at each street corner, having him beat and mug any well dressed man that he saw. For years this gang operated with little to no resistance from authorities, knowing that it was a large risk crossing on to their turf. Therefore the neighborhood the gang resided in was labeled unsafe and was truly ruled by The Honeymooners. Their reign did end, however, when a new police chief was put in place of the district. Officers called the “Strong Arm” unit were dressed up as civilians and hid clubs under their coats looking for any gang members to pounce on their innocent prey, which would be followed by a ruthless beating, and sometimes killing of the gang member. Police continued these methods and the gang disbanded within two weeks.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ceY_ISKGRIsC&pg=PA95&lpg=PA95&dq=the+honeymoon+gang&source=bl&ots=qlOipnblg8&sig=RxS6zI5HF0AfJzkF_i2z5oSBMhY&hl=en&ei=OS9wS7yUEdPf8QbUwemNBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=the%20honeymoon%20gang&f=false

The Eastman Gang

The Eastman Gang of New York was one of the last of the 19th century. The Eastman’s succeeded the Whyos, and was the first dominant Jewish gang of New York. The gang was lead by notorious thug Monk Eastman, and gained money from petty crimes, gambling, working as hit men, and most importantly prostitution. The Eastman were the pimps of the era being called the, “Allen Street Cadets”(Cadets was slang for a pimp). The Eastman’s rivals were the Yakey Yakes and Five Points Gang, who were constantly battling for territory, and work as hit men for Tammany Hall, a democratic party in NY. The Eastman’s dominated their counterparts in all street fights that occurred, which caused many members of the rival gangs to switch sides including Richie Fitzpatrick and Max “Kid Twist” Zwerbach. Later on Monk Eastman was arrested for a mugging in 1896, which left the gang facing disintegration. The two new members Kid Twist and Richie Fitzpatrick would end up battling for leadership of the gang. This caused the gang to take sides, and when the gang was about to launch civil war Fitzpatrick and Kid Twist decided to make a peace treaty. However when the two met for this treaty Kid Twist planted a gun in the bathroom restaurant that the two agreed to meet in. Fitzpatrick was then of course shot and Twist took over the gang, this murder was the inspiration for the scene in The Godfather where the same act is committed. Kid Twist’s reign was short, for he was ambushed by rival Five Pointers shortly after his takeover. This incident resulted in the gang’s collapse and marked the end of the Eastman’s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_Eastman_Gang

Monk Eastman

Butch Cassidy

Robert LeRoy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy was a notorious train robber, bank robber, and leader of the Hole in the Wall Gang in the late 1800’s. Butch grew up in a Mormon family in Utah and was the first of 13 children. Butch ran away from home in his early teens and met up with a horse thief by the name of Mike Cassidy. Along his quest for money Cassidy became a butcher giving him the nickname “Butch” and taking his partners last name “Cassidy” thus creating the name of Butch Cassidy. In around 1880 Butch wandered into a clothier store to get a pair of jeans and a pie, leaving an IOU for the owner. The owner however wasn’t having it and pressed charges against Butch, and his life of crime began. Next a trio consisting of Matthew Warner, Butch, and an unknown assailant robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride where they stole about $21,000. The trio escaped to a remote farm but was shortly hunted down in 1894. Butch was again released in 1896 and his streak of robbing was only going to get larger. He formed a new gang called the Wild Bunch which was a circle of criminals and close friends. The Wild Bunch over the years has been said to be nonviolent but in actuality was responsible for many killings. One in particular was a train robbery where Butch and his bunch were confronted by a Sherrif and two Deputy’s. All three of those men died and that’s when the hunt was on for the Wild Bunch. Knowing America was too dangerous in 1905 the outlaws went on a boat to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Upon arrival and robbed Banco de Tarapacá y Argentino for what would be $100,000 today. Somehow the bunch escaped to Chile. Eventually the bandits were found and their house surrounded by the Chilean army, where an epic standoff took place in a cabin. Eventually however the two were outmatched and at the verge of death Butch seeing his only bunch member left Longabaugh having bullets all through his arms and legs, put him out of his misery. The two bodies were found after the gunfight seeing Longabaugh with a bullet in his head from Butch and a bullet in Butch’s temple from killing himself.

George "Big Nose" Parrot

A rather unknown westerner by the name of George Parrot AKA, “Big Nose” was a cattle rustler during the late 1800’s. In 1878 Parrot and his fellow gangster murdered two law enforcers while escaping from a train robbery. These murders did not go unchecked and the government gave a $20,000 dollar reward to their killer. However in 1880 when Big Nose and his accomplice Dutch Charley were captured in Montana. Whilst in prison, Parrot tried a dangerous escape after learning he was sentenced to be hung. News of this attempted escape was spread through the town and a large lynch mob took Parrot out of his cell at gunpoint and hung him from a telegraph pole. Dutch Charley faced a similar fate when he was found hiding in a baggage compartment on a train. Crude doctors in Wyoming decided to take Parrot’s body for the research of,”criminality” in his brain. The doctor even made a pair of shoes out of Parrot’s stomach and thighs and wore them to his inaugural ball after being elected governor of Wyoming. Legends have cumulated that Big Nose was involved in the infamous James gang which I talked about earlier, and was said to have been a member of “Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch.” These legends have all been ruled out however with most historians agreeing that he was more of a highwayman then an organized gangster. The legend of Big Nose’s skin feet and brain checking have been proven correct. Parrot’s remnants were found in an old whiskey barrel which included the skin shoes, which now reside in a Wyoming museum, and the sawed off head where his brain had been checked.

Dead Rabbits Riot

The Dead Rabbits Riot of 1857 was one of the largest street fights of the 19th century. Originally this was a common brawl between the Dead Rabbits and Bowery Boys. With the states police force in shambles due to the Municipal and Metropolitan police conflict, this fighting would result in widespread looting and damage courtesy of the criminals of the Five Points. It is said that 800-1,000 gang members were involved in the riots. This was the biggest display of gang violence displayed in America at the time. This was fueled by the democratic and Tammany Hall loving Irish Catholics against the nativist Know Nothing Party. These two gangs were the Bloods and Crips of their time, their hate for each other was grand and they were incredibly ruthless towards each other. After this incredible battle only 8 men died with 100-200 seriously wounded. In this time that was a lot, few of either gang had guns and most of the fighting was with bricks, bats, steel poles, and stones which would leave each gangbanger with a great deal of scars to remember what their foe has done. These two gangs stopped their fighting only when the gangs had withered away during the post Civil War era.

http://urbanography.com/1857/gangs3.html

Jesse James

Jesse James is one of the most notorious gun-slingers of the wild west. Born in Clay County, Missouri on September 5, 1847 Jesse had two sibling his older brother Alex Franklin, and his younger sister Susan James. His father died when Jesse was just 3 and his mother remarried twice. During the Civil War Jesse was a guerilla fighter for the south. He went through a lot seeing massacres of woman and children and the scalping of prisoners. Jesse was also shot in the chest twice and the arm once. Recovering from his chest wounds at his uncles house Jesse fell for his cousin which resulted in the two of them marrying. Jesse began robbing banks with his brother Frank. He started with small non national banks in Missouri and slowly progressed. In 1867 Jesse and Frank robbed a bank in which they killed the mayer and two other bystanders. Jesse James name however wasn’t known until 1869 when him and Frank robbed the Daviess County Savings Association, where Jesse shot and killed the cashier mistaking him for an officer who killed his friend “Bloody Bill” Anderson in the Civil War. This one got in the paper and soon Jesse became infamous for his ruthlessness. James also turned to rain robbery where he stole $3,000(51,000 today) but never robbed a passenger giving him a Robin Hood figure in the papers. James continued his shenanigans for several years until his gang was annihilated and he was assassinated with his back turned by Bob Ford James’ sworn enemy.

http://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/history/jessejames.cfm

The Plug Uglies

The Plug Uglies were a street gang that conducted operations from 1854-1860 in the westside of Baltimore. Their name came from the giant plug hats that they wore(see flattering man below). The leaders of the Plug Uglies were John English and James Morgan who like the Bowery Boys were involved in the Know Nothings American Party, which was based on the fears that the country would be overwhelmed with German and Irish Catholic immigrants who were believed to be completely controlled by The Pope. The Plug Uglies influence on the street was very valued by politicians who would often times pay to have them influence the polls. In the Know Nothing Riot word spread of the gangs influence which resulted in the fighting of this gang. President Buchanan was forced to intervene sending marines in to quell the fighting. These marines however killed one gang member and 10 civilians making the president look like quite the fool. Luckily for Buchanan the event was soon lost, being overshadowed by the slavery controversy. The Plug Uglies were also involved in the murder of a Baltimore police officer in 1858 which resulted in deadly violence and was one of the most heinous crimes of the era.

http://en.allexperts.com/e/p/pl/plug_uglies.htm

The Dead Rabbits

The Dead Rabbits were one of the main gangs of New York in the 1850’s. This odd name was taken from the Irish word raibead which meant, “man to be feared” dead came from the slang that stood for “very” i.e. dead serious. Thus came the Dead Rabbits. The gangs commander was the notorious Priest Valon known for his organization of Irish Catholics along with thieving and thugging. This gang would often times bring a dead rabbit impaled by a spear to gang wars to act as a flag. They also wore a red stripe on their pants to signify who they were, like wearing a red bandana if your a blood. The enemies of the Dead Rabbits included the Roach Guards, the other rival Irish gang, and the infamous Bowery Boys who were out to destroy the Irish Catholic race. These three would often have bloody battles most largely in the Dead Rabbits riot which I will blog about later. When these hooligans weren’t in a street fight they were often times pick pocketing and stealing which was their main source of income.

http://www.gripe4rkids.org/his.html

http://www.knowgangs.com/gang_resources/gangs101/info_002.htm