"Kid Dropper" Nathan Caplin or Kaplan [Caplan] (1891 - August 28, 1923), also known as Jack the Dropper, was an American gangster controlling labor racketeering and extortion in New York City during the post-World War I period into the early years of Prohibition in the early 1920s. Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Extortion, outwresting, or exaction is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person Unlawfully obtains either money property or services The City of New York World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, also known as Noble Experiment, refers to a Sumptuary law which prohibits Alcohol The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada
One of seven children, Kaplan was born in New York's Lower East Side around 1891. The Lower East Side is a Neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Kaplan began committing petty theft at an early age and later becoming a skilled sneak thief and pushcart extortionist, later becoming known for the "drop swindle". The Drop Swindle was a Con game commonly used during the 19th and 20th centuries Around 1910, Kaplan had formed his own gang (associated with the Five Points Gang) briefly feuding with rival gang member Johnny Spanish until his arrest the following year for robbery and sentenced to seven years in Sing Sing prison. The Five Points Gang was a 19th-century Criminal organization based in the Sixth Ward ( The Five Points) of New York City. Johnny Spanish ( 1891 - July 29, 1919) was an American gangster who was a rival of former partner "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan Robbery is the Crime of seizing Property through Violence or Intimidation.
Upon his release in 1918 Kaplan became involved in "labor slugging", providing muscle to either side in the strikes common in New York in that era. Kaplan quickly filled the void left by "Dopey" Benny Fein and Joe "The Greaser" Rosenzweig in the aftermath of the internecine battles between gangsters, organizing former Five Points members, including Johnny Spanish. Benjamin "Dopey Benny" Fein (c 1889-1962 was an early Jewish American Gangster who dominated New York labor Racketeering Joseph "Joe The Greaser" Rosenzweig (c 1891-19?? was a Jewish American and New York labor racketeer in the early 1900s as an ally of "Dopey" Johnny Spanish ( 1891 - July 29, 1919) was an American gangster who was a rival of former partner "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan
Kaplan and Spanish, who had previously reconciled from an argument over a woman from their days in the Five Points Gang, soon began feuding again as Spanish split from Kaplan's gang. A violent war between the two soon began; fighting, particularly in the garment district, continued until Johnny Spanish was killed while leaving a Manhattan restaurant by three men, most likely including Kaplan, on July 29, 1919. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
After Johnny Spanish's death Kaplan controlled all of labor slugging operations in New York. While Kaplan worked primarily for labor unions, he occasionally provided services for employers. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming
By the beginning of 1923, however, Kaplan began to face increasing competition from rival newcomers Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen, Jack "Legs" Diamond, Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, and Gurrah Shapiro. Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen ( 1901 - October 16, 1927) was a New York gangster involved in bootlegging and labor racketeering during Prohibition Jack Diamond may refer to Jack Diamond (architect Jack Diamond (Canadian businessman Jack Diamond (gangster Louis "Lepke" Buchalter ( 6 February 1897 &ndash 4 March 1944) was a Jewish-American mobster of the 1930s Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro ( May 5, 1899 - June 9, 1947) was a New York mobster who with his partner Louis "Lepke" Buchalter Kaplan and Orgen soon began fighting over protection of wet wash laundry workers in violent shootouts around New York.
On August 28, 1923, Kaplan was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and arraigned at Essex Market Court. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. News of the arrest attracted a large crowd of reporters and bystanders. As Kaplan was being transferred to another court, led by a police escort, he was shot and killed by Orgen gunman Louis Kerzner just after he entered a police car. Louis Cohen ( January 1, 1904 - January 28, 1939) was a New York mobster who murdered labor racketeer "Kid Dropper" Nathan Orgen gained control of Kaplan's operations until his death in 1927, possibly by Buchalter and Shapiro. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Further reading
- Sifakis, Carl, The Encyclopedia of American Crime: Second Edition Vol. II (K-Z), Facts On File Inc. , New York, 2001.
External links
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