Owney Madden Irish Beer Racketeer Of Prohibition Era New York City

By Robert Grey Reynolds, Jr

Owney Madden owned a large stake in the Cotton Club, perhaps the most famous of New York City nightclubs in the 1920s and 1930s. He also controlled the supply of beer distributed to America's largest metropolitan area. These two facts alone make him an important figure in the history of early twentieth century New York City. Madden was born in Leeds, raised in Liverpool, and came to the United States a year after his Irish mother. He was a teenage gang leader in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan's West Side. Known as Owney the Killer, he headed the Gophers, one of several rival gangs, and the one which held predominance over the others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Grey Reynolds, Jr
• Release date: Feb 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310812071

Robert Grey Reynolds, Jr

I am a soon to be retired Duke Medical Center library researcher, who enjoys writing. I have been writing on Wikipedia for years and have begun to writeebooks. My pastimes include selling books on EBay, genealogical research, baseball (Pittsburgh Pirates), collecting antique furniture and coins, and spending time with Kingsley, my cocker spaniel.

Book preview

Owney Madden

Irish Beer Racketeer of

Prohibition Era New York City

Published by Robert Grey Reynolds Jr. at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 Robert Grey Reynolds Jr.

Owen Victor Owney Madden (December 18, 1891-April 24, 1965) was paroled from prison in February 1925. An overlord of New York City racketeers, he owned several nightclubs and was a fixture of the night life from sunset to dawn. Madden served time in the Tombs Prison for a violation of parole after he was charged with murder.

The Phoenix Brewery was closed after it was raided by agents of the Federal Government on Wednesday, July 22, 1931. The establishment extended for a block at 441 West 25th Street in Manhattan. The business was owned by Owney Madden and William Vincent Big Bill Dwyer (1883-1946).

The twenty-five agents involved in the raid were armed with sledgehammers, crowbars, hooks, and jimmies. It was led by Andrew McCampbell (1872-July 10, 1936), a prohibition administrator for the district of New York City. McCampbell succeeded Major Maurice Campbell as Prohibition Administrator of the New York District on June 30, 1930. He was described as a portly gentleman of 57. He was a vociferous dry man who had compiled an accomplished record. McCampbell was slightly balding and had a sandy moustache. His demeanor was intense and sincere.

The beer plant represented a million dollar investment and was five stories tall. Four men were arrested in the federal’s raid. Numerous employees escaped while the agents were