William Vincent Dwyer, known as "Big Bill" Dwyer, was an early Prohibition gangster and bootlegger in New York during the 1920s. Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol. ... Bootlegging is a slang term to describe smuggling. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... It has been suggested that Roaring Twenties be merged into this article or section. ...

Born and raised in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Dwyer became one of the leading bootleggers during the early years of Prohibition. Dwyer was working as a dockyard stevedore (hired by friend George Shevlin) prior to the announcement of the Volstead Act in 1919. With access to company supply trucks, garages, and other valuable resources, Dwyer quickly dominated bootlegging in Manhattan within a year. His network of garages was able to hide large numbers of supply trucks which, accessible only by secret doors and compartments, were known only to Dwyer and several others. Hells Kitchen (also known as Clinton) is a neighborhood of New York City that includes the area between 34th Street and 57th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. ... A stevedore is a person who works at loading or unloading a ship. ... The National Prohibition Act of 1919, more popularly known as the Volstead Act, enforced the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, dealing with the prohibition of alcohol. ... The Borough of Manhattan, highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... A secret passage is a hidden route that is used to travel stealthily. ...

Eventually breaking away from Shevlin, Dwyer had organized a smuggling operation which ran from Europe directly to Manhattan. Forming a partnership with Owney Madden and, later Frank Costello, Dwyer soon began taking on future gangsters such as lieutenant Vannie Higgins and others. Through James J. Hines, Dwyer was able to gain the political protection of Tammany Hall as well as members of the New York police and Coast Guard enabling Dwyer's shipments to be delivered to the coast without interference. Owney The Killer Madden (1892-April 24, 1965) was a leading Irish gangster in Manhattan during Prohibition. ... Frank Costello (January 21, 1891 - February 18, 1973) was an Italian-American gangster who was one of the most powerful and influential Mafia bosses in American history. ... Vannie Higgins (1897-June 18, 1932) was one of the most prominent bootleggers during the Prohibition era. ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that dominated New York City politics from the mayoral victory of Fernando Wood in 1854 through the election of Fiorello LaGuardia in 1934. ...

However in 1926, Dwyer was arrested for attempting to bribe members of the Coast Guard during an undercover operation by the Prohibition Bureau and was sentenced for two years. After thirteen months, Dwyer was released for good behavior and slowly began to withdraw from bootlegging instead investing his money into legitimate businesses including legalized gambling ventures such as casinos and racetracks as well as sports teams owning a football team and two ice hockey teams. By the end of Prohibition in 1932, Dwyer had retired from bootlegging and lived with his wife and five children in Belle Harbor, Queens. Belle Harbor is a neighborhood in southern Queens (in New York City) located along Rockaway Beach. ...

Further reading

• Nash, Jay Robert. Encyclopedia of World Crime (D-J) Vol. II, Crimebooks Inc., Wilmette, 1990