Louis Pioggi
Encyclopedia
Louis "Louie the Lump" Pioggi (April 24, 1889 – May 15, 1969) was a New York criminal and member of the Five Points Gang
, known most prominently for the murder of Eastman Gang
leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach
and Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis
. He appears in newspaper accounts and public records as Louis Poggi.
Although newspaper accounts report Pioggi (spelled Poggi) was employed as a clerk in a Coney Island
hospital with no criminal record, Pioggi apparently became associated with members of the Five Points Gang during their decade-long gang war with the Eastman Gang.
On the night of May 14, 1908, Pioggi was confronted by Zwerbach and Vach Lewis over a Coney Island dance hall girl, Carrol Terry, and eventually forced to jump out the first-storey window of a saloon. After returning to rival Five Points Gang leader Paul Kelly
, Pioggi returned to the saloon and lured the two into the street where they were ambushed by members of the Five Points Gang and gunned down.
During his trial, Pioggi claimed Zwerbach and Lewis had confronted him with members of their gang at his hotel with the intention of murdering him. Forced out into the street, he went on to say he then shot both before they were able to get out their pistols. His lawyer, John S. Bennett, issued a statement to the court that for the safety of his client, Pioggi would choose not to stand trial and plead guilty to manslaughter as his testimony might incriminate certain figures of the city's underworld. Bennett's claims were further supported by Edward Reardon, formerly of the District Attorney's office, and Thomas Fitzpatrick, brother of slain gangster Richie Fitzpatrick
, but apparently neither man appeared at the trial.
Pioggi was later sentenced to one year at Elmira Reformatory, and following his release, he was charged with violation of the Sullivan Law in April 1912 and jumped bail. Shortly after this, one of Pioggi's friends, Charley Torti, was accused of shooting arch-rival Jack Zelig
on the steps of the Tombs on Pioggi's orders in June 1912. On the run for three years, Pioggi was eventually arrested in Times Square
by detectives of the District Attorney’s office on July 28, 1915. At his arraignment, he was imprisoned in the Tombs
without bail to await his trial.
His World War I draft registration card from June 1917 shows that Poggi, then living at 910 Jackson Avenue in the Bronx, was employed as a bartender at 8 Baxter Street in the employ of William Casazza.
In June 1923, Poggi and another man were arraigned for the shooting death of Charles Cassazza, in the Poggi's Cafe Royale at 8 Baxter Street.
Poggi's World War II draft registration card, from 1942, shows Poggi listed as an unemployed bartender, and residing at 333 Madison Street, with a mailing address of Manhattan State Hospital on Ward's Island
. He died on May 15, 1969.
Five Points Gang
Five Points Gang was a 19th-century and early 20th-century criminal organization, primarily of Italian-American origins, based in the Sixth Ward of Manhattan, New York City. Since the early 19th century, the area was first known for gangs of Irish immigrants...
, known most prominently for the murder of Eastman Gang
Eastman Gang
The Eastman Gang was the last of New York's street gangs which dominated the city's 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...
leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach
Max Zwerbach
Max "Kid Twist" Zweifach occasionally referred to as Zwerbach was an American gangster who, during the turn of the century, belonged to the Eastman Gang and later succeeded the New York gang leader following his arrest in 1904.-Biography:Born Maxwell Zweifach in Austria on March 14, 1884, to...
and Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis
Vach Lewis
Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis was an early New York gangster and member of the Eastman Gang under Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach.-Biography:...
. He appears in newspaper accounts and public records as Louis Poggi.
Biography
He was born on April 24, 1889.Although newspaper accounts report Pioggi (spelled Poggi) was employed as a clerk in a Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
hospital with no criminal record, Pioggi apparently became associated with members of the Five Points Gang during their decade-long gang war with the Eastman Gang.
On the night of May 14, 1908, Pioggi was confronted by Zwerbach and Vach Lewis over a Coney Island dance hall girl, Carrol Terry, and eventually forced to jump out the first-storey window of a saloon. After returning to rival Five Points Gang leader Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (criminal)
Paul Kelly was an Italian immigrant who founded the Five Points Gang in New York City after starting some brothels with prize monies earned in boxing...
, Pioggi returned to the saloon and lured the two into the street where they were ambushed by members of the Five Points Gang and gunned down.
During his trial, Pioggi claimed Zwerbach and Lewis had confronted him with members of their gang at his hotel with the intention of murdering him. Forced out into the street, he went on to say he then shot both before they were able to get out their pistols. His lawyer, John S. Bennett, issued a statement to the court that for the safety of his client, Pioggi would choose not to stand trial and plead guilty to manslaughter as his testimony might incriminate certain figures of the city's underworld. Bennett's claims were further supported by Edward Reardon, formerly of the District Attorney's office, and Thomas Fitzpatrick, brother of slain gangster Richie Fitzpatrick
Richie Fitzpatrick
Richard "Richie" Fitzpatrick 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 1904...
, but apparently neither man appeared at the trial.
Pioggi was later sentenced to one year at Elmira Reformatory, and following his release, he was charged with violation of the Sullivan Law in April 1912 and jumped bail. Shortly after this, one of Pioggi's friends, Charley Torti, was accused of shooting arch-rival Jack Zelig
Jack Zelig
"Big" Jack Zelig was a Jewish American New York City gangster and one of the last leaders of the Monk Eastman Gang.-Early years & the Eastmans:...
on the steps of the Tombs on Pioggi's orders in June 1912. On the run for three years, Pioggi was eventually arrested in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
by detectives of the District Attorney’s office on July 28, 1915. At his arraignment, he was imprisoned in the Tombs
The Tombs
"The Tombs" is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex, a jail in Lower Manhattan at 125 White Street, as well as the popular name of a series of preceding downtown jails, the first of which was built in 1838 in the Egyptian Revival style of architecture.The nickname has been used...
without bail to await his trial.
His World War I draft registration card from June 1917 shows that Poggi, then living at 910 Jackson Avenue in the Bronx, was employed as a bartender at 8 Baxter Street in the employ of William Casazza.
In June 1923, Poggi and another man were arraigned for the shooting death of Charles Cassazza, in the Poggi's Cafe Royale at 8 Baxter Street.
Poggi's World War II draft registration card, from 1942, shows Poggi listed as an unemployed bartender, and residing at 333 Madison Street, with a mailing address of Manhattan State Hospital on Ward's Island
Ward's Island
Wards Island is situated in the East River in New York City. Administratively it is part of the borough of Manhattan. It is bridged by rail to the borough of Queens by the Hell Gate Bridge and it is joined to Randall's Island to the north by landfill...
. He died on May 15, 1969.