Monk Eastman (c. 1873-1920) was a New York brawler who founded and led one of the most powerful street gangs in New York City at the turn of the Twentieth Century, the Eastman Gang. Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The Eastman Gang was the last of New York's street gangs which dominated the city's underworld during the late 1890s until early 1910s Eastman's real name was Edward Osterman. His other aliases included Joseph "Joe" Morris, Joe Marvin, William "Bill" Delaney, and Edward "Eddie" Delaney. Eastman is considered to be one of the last of the nineteenth-century New York gangsters who preceded the rise of Arnold Rothstein and more sophisticated organized criminal enterprises such as Cosa Nostra. Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein ( January 17, 1882 - November 4, 1928) was a New York businessman and gambler who The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century [1]
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Early life
Eastman was born in Brooklyn around 1873 into a family of Jewish restaurateurs. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. When Eastman reached maturity, his father set him up in a pet store. However, seeking more excitement and job opportunities, Eastman relocated to the New Irving Hall area of Lower Manhattan in 1895 and became a so-called "sheriff". Lower Manhattan (or downtown Manhattan) is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the The "Sheriffs" were actually bouncers responsible for maintaining order in the neighborhood clubs and saloons owned by gangsters/politicians. Eastman soon established a reputation as a formidable and ruthless brawler. While on duty, he carried a large wooden club for bashing unruly customers. Every time Eastman clubbed someone, he later carved a new notch in the club. According to lore, he had 49 notches on his club.
Criminal career
Eventually, Eastman decided to leave the life of a "sheriff" and start his own gang. His top lieutenants included thugs such as Max Zwerbach, aka Kid Twist, Richie Fitzpatrick, and Jack Zelig. Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach born as Maxwell Zwerbach or Zweifach ( March 14, 1884 - May 14, 1908) was an American Richard "Richie" Fitzpatrick (1880-1904 was a top gunman in the Monk Eastman gang as well as a former member of the Five Points Gang, during the late 1890s "Big" Jack Zelig ( May 13, 1888 - October 5, 1912) was a New York gangster and one of the last leaders of the Monk Eastman Gang Within a short period of time, the Eastman Gang included as many as 1200 members. The Tammany Hall Democratic Party political machine in New York came to rely on the Eastman Gang to mobilize its voters during elections. Tammany Hall was the Democratic Party Political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably
Eastman's greatest rival was Paul Kelly, leader of the Five Points Gang. Paul Kelly (1876 - 1936 was a New York criminal who founded the Five Points Gang, one of the last dominant street gangs in New York history and recruited The Five Points Gang was a 19th-century Criminal organization based in the Sixth Ward ( The Five Points) of New York City. The warfare between these two gangs reached a fever pitch on September 17, 1903, with a protracted gun battle on Rivington Street involving dozens of gangsters. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting Two men were killed and numerous innocent civilians were injured.
Prison
On February 3, 1904, Eastman was sent to Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, for attempting to rob a man on the West Side of Manhattan. Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security Prison in Ossining, New York, USA. In 1909, Eastman was released after serving five years in prison. During his absence, the Eastman Gang had shattered into several factions; one of his top men, Zwerbach, was dead. Since none of the surviving gang factions wanted Eastman as their leader, he was effectively out of power. For several years, Eastman reverted to petty thievery. During this period, he became addicted to opium and served short jail terms.
Military service
After the United States entered World War I in 1917, the 44-year old Eastman decided to join the Army. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All During his military physical, the doctor observed all the knife and bullet scars on Eastman's body and asked him which wars he had been in; Eastman replied, "Oh! A lot of little wars around New York. " [2]. Eastman ended up serving in France with "O'Ryan's Roughnecks", the 106th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 27th Division. The 27th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. After Eastman's discharge in 1919, the Governor of New York, Al Smith, recognized Eastman's honorable service by restoring his U. Alfred Emanuel Smith Jr, known in private and public life as Al Smith, ( December 30, 1873 - October 4, 1944) was elected Governor S. citizenship.
Final years
After his discharge from the Army, Eastman quickly fell back into a life of petty crime. One of his partners in crime was a corrupt prohibition agent named Jerry Bohan. On the morning of December 26, 1920, Eastman met Bohan at the Bluebird Cafe in Lower Manhattan. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Lower Manhattan (or downtown Manhattan) is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the Both drunk, the two men started arguing about one of their criminal ventures. Finally, around 3:43 a. m. Eastman stalked out of the Cafe. Bohan then followed him to the entrance of the 14th Street subway station and shot him dead.
Monk Eastman was buried with full military honors in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Cypress Hills Cemetery was the first nonsectarian cemetery corporation organized in the Brooklyn / Queens area of New York City. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Bohan was later convicted of Eastman's murder and served three years in prison.
Eastman in Literature and Film
- Eastman is featured in a 1933 short story by Jorge Luis Borges called Monk Eastman: Purveyor of Iniquities and in Kevin Baker's 1999 novel Dreamland. A Universal History of Infamy, or A Universal History of Iniquity, (original Spanish title Historia universal de la infamia Kevin Baker (born 1958 is an American novelist and Journalist.
- In the P.G. Wodehouse novel, Psmith, Journalist, the fictional character "Bat Jarvis" is largely based on Eastman and shares his kindhearted streak for animals. Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975 (ˈwʊdhaʊs was an English Comic novelist who enjoyed enormous popular success Psmith Journalist is a Novel by PG Wodehouse, first released in the U
- In the 1988 film Eight Men Out Monk Eastman is referred to as one of Arnold Rothstein's enforcers and collection agents. Eight Men Out is an American dramatic sports film released in 1988 based on 8 Men Out, published in 1963 by Eliot Asinof. "Yeah, that's right, I'm collecting for Mr. Rothstein now," said Abe "Lil Champ" Attell, played by Michael Mantell. "Would you rather deal with Monk Eastman!?" Stephen Mendillo, who played Monk in the movie, had a couple lines in the train station when Rothstein sends him to let Sport Sullivan know the fix is on: "If anyone connects Mr. Rothstein to this, I come see you again. You don't want that!"
- The film Gangs of New York features a character called "Walter 'Monk" McGwin" (played by actor Brendan Gleeson) who is loosely based on Eastman and carries a club with notches carved into it. Gangs of New York is a 2002 Bildungsroman film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. Brendan Gleeson (born 29 March 1955 is an Irish Actor who has starred in many high profile Irish American and British films However, the story in this film takes place several decades before Eastman became a "sheriff", or bouncer.
- In the book, "The Notorious Izzy Fink," Monk was powerful gang leader.
External links
- Monk Eastman at FindAGrave.com
- Monk Eastman:The Terror of Lower East Side
- The Five Points & Eastman Gang
- Monk Eastman & the Lower Eastside Gangster City
References
- ^ Cohen, Rick (1999)). Tough Jews : Fathers, Sons, and Gangster Dreams.
- ^ Ashbury, Herbert (1928)). The Gangs of New York.
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