The Eastman Gang was the last of New York's street gangs which dominated the cities underworld during the late 1890s until early 1910s. Along with the Five Points Gang under Paul Kelly, the Eastmans succeeded the long dominant Whyos as the first non-Irish street gang to gain prominence in the underworld during the 1890s. The Five Points Gang was a 19th-century criminal organization based in the Sixth Ward (The Five Points) of New York City. ... Paul Kelly was a New York criminal who founded the Five Points Gang, which recruited many of the most prominent criminals of the early 20th century, including Johnny Torrio, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel and Frankie Yale. ... The Whyos, a collection of the various post-Civil War street gangs of New York, was the cities dominant street gang during the late 19th century. ...

Early years

Originally formed under Monk Eastman, a well known bouncer and hired thug, he would spend the next decade establishing a criminal empire in Manhattan's Lower East Side through criminal activities, including prostitution and illegal gambling (specifically operating struss games) as well as later establishing political connections through Tammany Hall. Monk Eastman (ca1873 - 1920) was the best known aliase of Edward Osterman, a New York City gangster. ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ...

Eventually, the gang became involved in a rivalry with the Five Points Gang warring over both territory and work as political sluggers for Tammany Hall. The Eastmans dominated the gang war during the first year as gang members rallied under Monk Eastman in pitched battles in the streets of New York reminisent of the gangs of the previos century. Eastman's charismatic leadership, who often lead his men into battle, caused many members of the Five Pointers to defect to the Eastmans including Richie Fitzpatrick and Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach among others. However, as the gang war began to escalate, the gang leaders were forced by Tammany politicians to agree to a truce before losing control of the situation. The Five Points Gang was a 19th-century criminal organization based in the Sixth Ward (The Five Points) of New York City. ... Richie Fitzpatrick (1880-1905) was a top gunman in the Monk Eastman gang, as well as a former member of the Five Points Gang, during the late 1890s until his death in 1905. ... Max Kid Twist Zwerbach (?-1908) was a gangster in the around the turn of the century who belonged to the Eastman Gang. ...

Reign of Kid Twist

After Monk Eastman's arrest for a street mugging in 1904, the gang threatened to disintegrate among warring factions all looking to assume leadership of the gang. and by the end of the year, the gang was split between former Eastman lieutenants Max Zwerbach and Richie Fitzpatrick.

Threatened by civil war during their war with the Five Pointers, Zwerbach and Fitzpatrick agree to meet for a truce in late 1904. However, possibly while attending a peace conference, Fitzpatrick was found shot to death at a local neighborhood saloon near Sheriff-Chrystie Street on November 1, 1904.

With the elimination of the remaining members of the Fitzpatrick faction by Zwerbach lieutenant Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis several weeks later, would leave the aptly named "Kid Twist" Zwerbach to assume leadership of the Eastmans.

He would continue his war against the Five Points Gang on and off during his four year reign however, Paul Kelly was eventually able to arrange the deaths of Zwerbach and Lewis using an altercation with underling Louis "Louie the Lump" Pioggi to set them up for an ambush on May 14, 1908.

Zelig and the final years

Following the deaths of Zwerbach and Lewis, "Big" Jack Zelig took over what remained of the Eastmans. Dividing the gang into three separate factions, with the other two operating as satellite gangs under saloonkeepers Jack Sirocco and Chick Tricker, the two eventually turned on Zelig leaving him behind for the police during a failed armed robbery. Big Jack Zelig (1882-October 5, 1912) was a New York gangster and one of the last leaders of the Monk Eastman Gang. ... Jack Sirocco (18??-19??) was a New York gangster involved in labor racketeering and strikebreaking. ...

References

• Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. ISBN 1-56025-275-8

Herbert Asbury (September 1, 1889 – February 24, 1963) was an American journalist and writer probably best known for his The Gangs of New York, which Martin Scorsese adapted into a 2002 film. ...

External links

• Gangs of Manhattan
• Mafia-International - The Five Points & Eastman Gangs (Early Gangland in New York)