Albert J. Adams
Encyclopedia
Albert J. Adams was known as The Policy King and the Meanest Man in New York. He ran the numbers game
in New York City
from around 1890 to around 1905.
and lived in Rhode Island
before he moved to New York City
in 1871 as a brakeman for the railroad. He married Isabella (1840-?) and had six children: Albert J. Adams, Jr. (1870-?); Lawrence Adams (1874-?); Louis Adams (1875-?); Walter C. Adams (1877-?); Evelyn Adams (1879-?) aka Eveline Adams, who married a Napolean; and Ida Adams (1874-?) or Claudia P. Adams. In 1880 he was living at 236 West 38th Street in Manhattan and he listed himself as a "segar dealer".
He was named by the Lexow Committee
, and was replaced by Peter H. Matthews
when he retired. The anonymous testifier at the Lexow Committee in 1894 said: "[the principal policy backers in this city are] Al Adams. 'Jake' Shipsey, Cornelius C. Parker, 'Billy' Myers, 'Ed' Hogan, [and] Charles Lindauer. ...Al has the most ... sheets, and he is the biggest man, and has the most money, and has the biggest pile. ... He is called the king of the policy dealers. ... Al Adams has from Fourteenth street up on the west side mostly." After a 1901 raid on his gambling operation by F. Norton Goddard
, the police estimated that he was making more than $1 million a year, and after his conviction in 1903 it was revealed that he had been allowed to stay at the Waldorf-Astoria until he was sentenced. He was sentenced on April 21, 1903, to "not less than a year and not more than one year and nine months" in Sing-Sing
.
On April 5, 1904, his application for parole
was denied by the New York State Board of Parole. The board members being C. V. Collins, the Superintendent of Prisons; State Treasurer John G. Wickser
and president of the New York State Prison Commission
John P. Jaeckel
. This meant he was to stay in prison for the maximum time of the sentence.
On October 8, 1905 he wrote to the New York Times that he had quit the policy racket forever.
He committed suicide at the Ansonia Hotel
in 1906 after losing several million dollars by investing in a business venture with his eldest son. The funeral was held at 471 West End, he was 61 years old. His death did not end the policy racket in New York City
.
Numbers game
Numbers game, also known as a numbers racket, policy racket or Italian lottery, is an illegal lottery played mostly in poor neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a bettor attempts to pick three digits to match those that will be randomly drawn the following day...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from around 1890 to around 1905.
Biography
He was born in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and lived in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
before he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1871 as a brakeman for the railroad. He married Isabella (1840-?) and had six children: Albert J. Adams, Jr. (1870-?); Lawrence Adams (1874-?); Louis Adams (1875-?); Walter C. Adams (1877-?); Evelyn Adams (1879-?) aka Eveline Adams, who married a Napolean; and Ida Adams (1874-?) or Claudia P. Adams. In 1880 he was living at 236 West 38th Street in Manhattan and he listed himself as a "segar dealer".
He was named by the Lexow Committee
Lexow Committee
Lexow Committee . The name given to a major New York State Senate probe into police corruption in New York City. The Lexow Committee inquiry, which took its name from the Committee's chairman, State Senator Clarence Lexow, was the widest-ranging of several such commissions empaneled during the...
, and was replaced by Peter H. Matthews
Peter H. Matthews
Peter H. Matthews was an operator of policy games in New York City.-Biography:In 1915, agents of Charles Henry Parkhurst's Society for the Prevention of Crime and 45 police officers raided his gambling operations and rounded up a number of persons connected with this crime. Many were known...
when he retired. The anonymous testifier at the Lexow Committee in 1894 said: "[the principal policy backers in this city are] Al Adams. 'Jake' Shipsey, Cornelius C. Parker, 'Billy' Myers, 'Ed' Hogan, [and] Charles Lindauer. ...Al has the most ... sheets, and he is the biggest man, and has the most money, and has the biggest pile. ... He is called the king of the policy dealers. ... Al Adams has from Fourteenth street up on the west side mostly." After a 1901 raid on his gambling operation by F. Norton Goddard
F. Norton Goddard
Frederick Norton Goddard was a Republican Party politician from New York City.-Biography:...
, the police estimated that he was making more than $1 million a year, and after his conviction in 1903 it was revealed that he had been allowed to stay at the Waldorf-Astoria until he was sentenced. He was sentenced on April 21, 1903, to "not less than a year and not more than one year and nine months" in Sing-Sing
Sing-sing
Sing-sing is a gathering of a few tribes or villages in Papua New Guinea. People arrive to show their distinct culture, dance and music. The aim of these gatherings is to peacefully share traditions. Villagers paint and decorate themselves for sing-sings....
.
On April 5, 1904, his application for parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
was denied by the New York State Board of Parole. The board members being C. V. Collins, the Superintendent of Prisons; State Treasurer John G. Wickser
John G. Wickser
John G. Wickser was an American businessman and politician.-Life:He was a nephew of Philip Becker, Mayor of Buffalo. He was President of the Buffalo German Insurance Company and the Buffalo Commercial Insurance Company.As a Republican, he was New York State Treasurer from 1903 to 1904, elected in...
and president of the New York State Prison Commission
New York State Prison Commission
The New York State Commission of Correction is "empowered to visit and inspect all penal institutions and to promote humane and efficient administration of these institutions."-History:...
John P. Jaeckel
John P. Jaeckel
-Biography:Jaeckel was born on April 22, 1865 to German parents in Syracuse, New York. The family then moved to Auburn, New York. He worked as a money order clerk at the Auburn post office, and later as a clerk and bookkeeper for a coal dealer....
. This meant he was to stay in prison for the maximum time of the sentence.
On October 8, 1905 he wrote to the New York Times that he had quit the policy racket forever.
He committed suicide at the Ansonia Hotel
Ansonia Hotel
The Ansonia is a building on the Upper West Side of New York City, located at 2109 Broadway, between 73rd and 74th Streets. It was originally built as a hotel by William Earle Dodge Stokes, the Phelps-Dodge copper heir and share holder in the Ansonia Clock Company, and it was named for his...
in 1906 after losing several million dollars by investing in a business venture with his eldest son. The funeral was held at 471 West End, he was 61 years old. His death did not end the policy racket in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.