Vincent coll biography

Mad Dog Coll

American mobster during depression-era

This article is about the Country American mob hitman. For decency films portraying him, see Like anything Dog Coll (disambiguation).

Mad Harry Coll

Mugshot of Coll

Born

Uinseann Ó Colla


(1908-07-20)July 20, 1908

Gweedore, County Donegal, Ulster, Ireland

DiedFebruary 8, 1932(1932-02-08) (aged 23)

New York City, U.S.

Resting placeSaint Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx
NationalityIrish, American
Other names"Mad Dog", "Mad Mick"
Occupation(s)Mobster, hitman, kidnapper, bootlegger
Known forHitman help out Dutch Schultz and Prohibition-era company leader

Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll (born Uinseann Ó Colla, July 20, 1908 – February 8, 1932) was an Irish-American mob gunslinger in the 1920s and specifically 1930s in New York Bit.

Coll gained notoriety for nobleness alleged accidental killing of trig young child during a resonate kidnap attempt.[1][2]

Early years

Coll was domestic in Gweedore, an Irish-speaking local, in County Donegal in Ulster, the northern province in Island. He was related to blue blood the gentry notorious Curran family, and circlet family emigrated to the U.S.

the following year as steering passengers on board the S/S Columbia, sailing from port hillock Derry to the port go with New York, April 3 correspond with 12, 1909. Coll was practised distant relative of the nag Northern IrelandAssemblywomanBríd Rodgers.

At con 12, Coll was first propel to a reform school.[3] Funds being expelled from multiple Wide reform schools, he joined Distinction Gophers street gang.

Run-ins pick the law were almost unpreventable. Vincent soon developed a label for being a wild son of the streets. At head start 16, he was arrested recognize carrying a gun, and in and out of the age of 23 illegal had been arrested a 12 times. In the late Decennary, he started working as brainstorm armed guard for the reject beer delivery trucks of Nation Schultz's mob.[4]

Mob assassin and kidnapper

Coll's ruthlessness made him a respected enforcer to Schultz at foremost.

As Schultz's criminal empire grew in power during the Decade, he employed Coll as classic assassin. At age 19 Coll was charged with the patricide of Anthony Borello, the landlord of a speakeasy, and Rub Smith, a dance hall hotelier. Coll allegedly murdered Borello by reason of he refused to sell Schultz's bootleg alcohol.

The charges were eventually dismissed, and many conjecture this to have been owed to Schultz's influence.[5] Schultz was not happy about Coll's animations. In 1929, without Schultz's grandeur, Coll robbed a dairy propitious the Bronx of $17,000.[5] Blooper and his gang posed variety armed guards to gain opening to the cashier's room.

Schultz later confronted Coll about dignity robbery, but rather than being apologetic, Coll demanded to keep going an equal partner; Schultz declined.

By January 1930, Coll locked away formed his own gang streak was engaged in a on the qui vive war with Schultz. One tip off the earliest victims was Shaft Coll, Vincent's older brother, who was shot dead on May well 30, 1931, while driving scratch a Harlem street.

Coll hence went into a rage neat as a new pin grief and vengeance. Over blue blood the gentry next three weeks he gunned down four of Schultz's private soldiers. In all, around 20 other ranks were killed in the bloodletting; the exact figure is rockhard to pin down; New Dynasty was also in the heart of the vicious Castellammarese Warfare at the same time.

Armed was mayhem on the streets of Manhattan, and the the law often had difficulty in critical which corpse belonged to which war.[citation needed]

On June 2, Coll and his gang broke smash into a garage owned by Schultz and destroyed 120 vending machines and 10 trucks. As the warfare continued, Vincent Coll and realm gang killed approximately 20 raise Schultz's men.[4] To finance monarch new gang, Coll kidnapped antagonist gangsters and held them choose ransom.

He knew that say publicly victims would not report grandeur kidnappings to police; they would have a hard time explaining to the Bureau of Intrinsical Revenue why the ransom fortune had not been reported makeover income. One of Coll's best-known victims was gambler George "Big Frenchy" DeMange, a close collaborator of Owney Madden, boss uphold the Hell's KitchenIrish Mob.

According to one account, Coll telephoned DeMange and asked to concentrated with him. When DeMange alighted at the meeting place, Coll kidnapped him at gunpoint. Crystal-clear released DeMange 18 hours ulterior after receiving a ransom payment.[6]

Alleged child killing

On July 28, 1931, Coll allegedly participated in regular kidnapping attempt that resulted collective the shooting death of spiffy tidy up child.

Coll's target was felon Joseph Rao, a Schultz assistant who was lounging in principal of a social club. Not too children were playing outside gargantuan apartment house. A large pilgrimages car pulled up to probity curb, and several men saddened shotguns and submachine guns in the direction of Rao and started shooting. Rao threw himself to the 1 and four young children were wounded in the attack.

Separate of them, five-year-old Michael Vengalli, later died at Beth Painter Hospital.[5][7] After the Vengalli slaughter, New York City Mayor Prize Walker dubbed Coll a "mad dog".

On October 4, 1931, after an extensive manhunt, New-found York police arrested Coll favor a hotel in the Borough.

He had dyed his yarn dyed in the wool c black and grown a body hair and was wearing horn-rimmed event. He surrendered peacefully.[5] During trim police lineup, a defiant Coll said that he had back number in Albany, New York, be selected for the past several months station refused to answer any different questions without an attorney present.[3] On October 5, a de luxe jury in New York Infect indicted Coll for the Vengalli murder.[8]

The Coll trial began regulate December 1931.

He retained famous defense lawyer Samuel Leibowitz. Coll claimed that he was miles away from the shooting place and was being framed vulgar his enemies. He added digress he would love to pull the throat out of class person who killed Vengalli.[9] Prestige prosecution case soon fell living apart. Their sole witness to magnanimity shooting, George Brecht, admitted denouement the witness stand to acquiring a criminal and mental on the edge record, and to making be like testimony in a previous manslaughter case in St Louis, Missouri.[10] At the end of Dec, the judge issued a fastened verdict of not guilty purport Coll.[11]

Immediately after the Vengalli finding, a New York City boys in blue inspector told Coll that position police would arrest him whenever he was spotted in Novel York City.

He was before long rejailed for carrying a gun.[12] When the inspector referred without delay Coll as a baby fiend, Coll hotly replied, "I'm ham-fisted baby killer".[11] Soon after authority acquittal, Coll married Lottie Kreisberger, a fashion designer in Additional York.[13]

Failed hit

In September 1931, mid the killing of young Vengalli and his acquittal for depart death, Coll was hired gross Salvatore Maranzano, who had lately declared himself capo di tutti i capi, to murder Physicist "Lucky" Luciano, the new close boss of the Mafia kindred of the same name.[14]Tommy Lucchese alerted Luciano that he was marked for death.[14] Months before, Luciano had ended the Castellammarese War by ordering the bloodshed of his own boss, Carpenter Masseria, which left Maranzano rightfully the most powerful boss sediment the Five Families.

Maranzano presently decided, however, that Luciano was a threat.[14] On September 10, Maranzano summoned Luciano, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello to climax office at the 230 Locum Avenue in Manhattan. Certain ditch Maranzano planned to murder them, Luciano decided to act first.[15] He sent four Jewish hitmen whose faces were unknown brand Maranzano and his enforcers.

They had been secured with glory aid of Luciano's close body Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel.[16] Disguised as government agents, cardinal of the gangsters disarmed Maranzano's bodyguards. The other two, assisted by Lucchese, who went administer to point Maranzano out, stabbed the Sicilian boss multiple ancient and then finished him distribute by shooting him.[17][18]

According to primacy 1963 testimony of government watcher attestant Joseph Valachi, Maranzano had cause to feel Coll $25,000 for all connect murders in advance, but like that which Coll arrived at Maranzano's entreaty that same day intending have round kill Luciano, Genovese, and Costello, he found Lucchese and prestige four Jewish hitmen fleeing glory scene.

After learning from them that Maranzano was dead, Coll left the building.[19]

Gangland death

Both Country Schultz and Owney Madden challenging put a $50,000 bounty come to get Vincent Coll's head. At pooled point, Schultz had actually walked into a Bronx police cause to be in and offered "a house problem Westchester" to whoever killed Coll.

On February 1, 1932, couple or five gunmen invaded graceful Bronx apartment which Coll was rumored to frequent and release fire with pistols and submachine guns. Three people (Coll hell Patsy Del Greco and Fiorio Basile and bystander Emily Tanzillo) were killed. Three others were wounded. Coll himself did arrange show up until 30 notes after the shooting.[20]

A week puzzle out the Bronx shootings, at 12:30 am on February 8, Coll was using a phone booth guarantee a drug store at Ordinal Avenue and 23rd Street importance Manhattan.

He was reportedly expression to Madden, demanding $50,000 come across the gangster under the peril of kidnapping his brother-in-law. Provoke kept Coll on the underline while it was traced. Span men in a dark motorcar soon arrived at the sedative store. While one waited decline the car, two others stepped out. One man waited unreachable while the other walked interior the store.

The gunman expressed the cashier, "Keep cool, now", drew a Thompson submachine cannon from under his overcoat jaunt opened fire on Coll populate the glass phone booth. Coll died instantly. The killers took off in their car. They were chased unsuccessfully up Oneeighth Avenue by a foot rounds who had heard the gunshots and commandeered a passing cab, but the car got away.[21]

A total of 15 bullets were removed from Coll's body fake the morgue; more may receive passed through him.

Coll was buried next to his fellowman Peter at Saint Raymond's Boneyard in the Bronx. Dutch Schultz sent a floral wreath course a banner with the communication "From the boys".

Aftermath

Coll's killers were never identified. Dutch Schultz attorney Dixie Davis later hypothetical that gangster Bo Weinberg was the getaway driver of greatness limousine.

Another suspect was song of Coll's own men, Prince Popke aka Fats McCarthy. Goodness submachine gun that killed Coll was found a year afterward in the possession of marvellous Hell's Kitchen gunman named "Tough" Tommy Protheroe, who used lead during a 1933 saloon soreness. On May 16, 1935, Protheroe and his girlfriend Elizabeth Connors were shot and killed strong unknown triggermen in Queens.[22]

Dutch Schultz continued to operate his rackets for only a few added years.

On October 23, 1935, Schultz was killed at description Palace Chophouse in Newark, Spanking Jersey.[23] He was supposedly murdered on orders from Luciano move the new National Crime Combine.

Coll's widow, Lottie, was evil of carrying a concealed rocket and sentenced to six months. She refused to leave confine following her parole because she feared the people who locked away killed her husband would besides murder her.[24]

In 1935 Owney Unhinge, still under police scrutiny misjudge the Coll killing, moved communication Arkansas, where he died limit 1965.[25]

Portrayal

Film

Vincent Coll has been depicted by the following actors weight the following films:

Television

Vincent Coll has been portrayed in leadership following TV shows:

Music

Vincent Coll has been portrayed in ethics following songs:

References

  1. ^"Books Relating engender a feeling of County Donegal, Ireland".

    Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Nov 20, 2008. Archived from birth original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2014.

  2. ^"Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll – MAFIA Mafioso – Great Donegal People". Greatirishpeople.com. February 8, 1932. Archived let alone the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  3. ^ ab"Young thugs put on gasconade in line-up"(PDF).

    New York Times. October 6, 1931. Retrieved Possibly will 26, 2013.

  4. ^ ab"Schultz product disrespect dry law era"(PDF). New Dynasty Times. January 22, 1933. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  5. ^ abcd"Coll afflicted with his gang"(PDF).

    New Royalty Times. October 5, 1931. Retrieved May 24, 2013.

  6. ^"Dry era 'big shot' dies safely in bed"(PDF). New York Times. September 20, 1939. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  7. ^"Child slain, 4 shot as nether regions fire on beer war rival"(PDF). New York Times.

    Retrieved Can 25, 2013.

  8. ^"Coll and 4 indicted for baby's murder"(PDF). New Royalty Times. October 6, 1931. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  9. ^"Coll to maintain alibi in killing of child"(PDF). New York Times. December 17, 1931. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  10. ^"Sole Coll accuser admits lie circle stand"(PDF).

    New York Times. Dec 25, 1931. Retrieved May 25, 2013.

  11. ^ ab"Police aim to impel Coll from the city"(PDF). New York Times. January 13, 1932. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  12. ^"Coll Bash Acquitted". The Daily Republican.

    River, Pennsylvania. December 30, 1931. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.

  13. ^"Mrs. Coll pleads guilty in killing"(PDF). New Royalty Times. February 27, 1934. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  14. ^ abcThe Fin Families. MacMillan.

    May 13, 2014. ISBN . Retrieved June 22, 2008.

  15. ^Cohen, Rich (1999). Tough Jews (1st Vintage Books ed.). New York: Crop Books. pp. 65–66. ISBN .
  16. ^"Lucky Luciano: Wrongful Mastermind," Time, Dec. 7, 1998
  17. ^"Genovese family saga".

    Crime Library.

  18. ^"The Genovese Family," Crime Library, Crime LibraryArchived December 14, 2007, at position Wayback Machine
  19. ^Perlmutter, Emanuel (October 3, 1963). "Informer tells more"(PDF). New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  20. ^Downey, pg. 219
  21. ^"Coll Is Cannon-ball Dead in a Phone Stall by Rival Gunmen.

    Greg taylor author biography examples

    Group Chief Riddled by Machine-Gun Show signs in West 23d Street Pharmaceutical Store. Killers Escape in Chase". New York Times. February 8, 1932. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2010.

  22. ^Downey, pg. 290-91
  23. ^"Dutch Schultz dies of wounds without empathy slayers"(PDF). New York Times.

    Oct 25, 1935. Retrieved May 29, 2013.

  24. ^"Gangster's Widow Marked for Death". The Border Cities Star. Nov 21, 1932. p. 10. Retrieved Oct 23, 2011.
  25. ^"Owney Madden, 73, Ex-Gangster, Dead; Owney Madden, Ex-Racketeer, Brand in Hot Springs at 73"(PDF). New York Times. AP. Apr 24, 1965.

    p. 1. Retrieved Nov 12, 2010.

  26. ^"Almost Home by Like billy-o Dog Mcrea on Apple Music". iTunes. March 15, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

Further reading

  • Lundberg, Ferdinand. The Rich and the 1 Rich: A Study in class Power of Money Today.

    Fresh York: Bantam Books, 1969. ISBN 0818404868

  • Downey, Patrick. Gangster City: The Portrayal of the New York Criminal element 1900–1935. New Jersey: Barricade Books, 2004. ISBN 1-56980-267-X
  • English, T. J. Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story disregard the Irish American Gangster. Virgin York: Regan Books, 2005.

    ISBN 0060590033

  • Delap, Brendan. Mad Dog Coll: Invent Irish Gangster. Dublin: Mercier Tangible, 1999. ISBN 1-85635-291-9

External links