Public Enemies: 5 True Crime Gangster Stories from the Roaring Twenties: Public Enemies, #1

By Guy Hadleigh

Public Enemies – True Crime Gangster Stories from the Roaring Twenties

From the era of gangsters, molls and prohibition, almost (but not quite), lost in the mists of time, these tales romp along with plenty of action and recreate the atmosphere of this exciting and dangerous era using the vernacular of the times.

You’ll have heard of most of these notorious criminals, but possibly not so much about one or two of them. All of them were real, ruthless hoodlums, and all had their "15 minutes of fame", leaving trails of death and mayhem behind them. Most did not live to an old age, and those that did were probably in jail.

Their escapades were daring and reckless and many paid the ultimate price in the end.

Volume 1 contains

• Lucky Luciano –From Streetwise Kid to the Father of Organized Crime
Leaving poverty ravaged Sicily for New York with his family at the age of 10; Lucky was running his own protection racket and making a name for himself whilst still in his teens. Inevitably, he moved on to become the undisputed boss of organized crime in the USA, but it was his own ‘family’s’ involvement in prostitution which landed him a jail sentence of 30 to 50 years. It didn’t end there however as he continued to run the family affairs from prison where Lady Luck visited him with an offer he couldn’t refuse.

• Bugsy Siegel and “The Flamingo Hotel”
Through his gambling and bootlegging operations, plus numerous ruthless contract murders, Bugsy Siegel established himself as a key member of “The Syndicate” in New York. Relocating to Las Vegas with the blessing of Lucky Luciano in 1945 to expand the organizations activities, he built the famous Flamingo Club and Casino in the desert of Las Vegas using money provided by the East Coast mobsters. The hopelessly mismanaged project went way over budget, implicating Bugsy in the ‘misappropriation’ of funds and enraging his bosses – Bugsy’s day were numbered.

• Dutch Schultz – Beer Baron and Vicious Killer
From the slums of New York, Dutch Schultz rose through the ranks of crime to be named “the nation’s top gangster” by the FBI. Claiming to be a good guy simply supplying people with the beer they wanted, (illegally of course), he was also responsible for killing at least two of his own men he suspected of ‘skimming’ more of the proceeds than was due to them.

• Hymies Weiss - The Man Al Capone Feared
Earl Wojciechowski was born on Jan 25th 1898 in Chicago, but over time became known as Hymie Weiss, eventually teaming up with Dean O'Banion the leader of the North Side Gang who he succeeded after his murder in 1924. Hymie swore to avenge his friends death and waged wore on the Torrio-Capone criminal empire, even attempting to assassinate Capone himself. Violent gun battles on the streets of Chicago were regular occurrences during this period as the gangs fought for control of the lucrative bootlegging and other rackets - things had to come to a head sooner or later.

• Wilbur Underhill – The Tri-State Terror
It took a 24 man task force to bring down Mad Dog Wilbur Underhill in the end. During 12 years of rampaging through the Southwest he was sentenced to life for a murder in Oklahoma, and received another life sentence in Kansas after escaping jail in a ten man breakout and murdering a policeman. Suspected of involvement in the famous Kansas City Massacre, Wilbur began his life of crime as a burglar, and quickly moved on to armed robbery and murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Guy Hadleigh
• Release date: Mar 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781533707406

Guy Hadleigh

I was born in the UK and moved to Thailand over 19 years ago - the food is great. As for my career, well most of it is behind me now, but I've spent time in the military and traveled extensively - can't say more or I'll have to kill you :-) Although still working for a living I have plenty of spare time and energy. What do to with it I pondered for a while? It's too hot to work out, and I don't like alcohol enough to become an expert drinker (although I admit to trying occasionally). Become a writer I mused. Why not? Sounds easy enough, but where to start? All the good advice says to write about something you're passionate about. OK here goes - I love movies, reading, travel, music, the internet, TV, blah, blah, etc. What about gangsters, bad guys and ruthless women I hear you ask? Yep, love them, so I'll write about those and see if anybody likes my stories. I hope you do. 

Book preview

Lucky Luciano –From Streetwise Kid to the Father of Organized Crime

Description: Lucky Luciano

The crowded streets of the lower east side babbled with voices and dark alleyways moved with shadows; mostly vermin, both human and animal. Salvatore stayed close to his mother as the family searched the numbers along the street for the address that would be home. This place was very different from Sicily, as Salvatore watched the movement of the crowds and listened to the voices, he felt invisible, not a bad feeling really, melting into the mixing pot and becoming invisible made his heart race.

Salvatore Lucania was a slender, average size ten-year-old boy when his family emigrated from Sicily to the lower east side of New York City.  He could not speak English, but his quick mind picked up words and phrases from the broken Italian/English accents that floated on the air in the bakery where his mother purchased bread for the evening meal.

Ten-year-old Salvatore went to school with neighborhood children and ignored the lessons.  He was not interested in learning, he could not follow along or read the books; on the streets, he could learn more, on the streets, the people spoke Italian and English.  Soon Salvatore found himself in alleyways playing dice instead of sitting in a classroom.  He won money and a new nickname in the alleyways of the lower east side; Lucky.

Between lucrative games of dice, he took a job delivering hats for $7.00 a week; not much but it was a respectable way to explain the gambling money to his parents.  Playing dice and delivering hats provided Lucky with extra cash, the cash made him popular; everyone knew him, even the lowest of the low knew his name.

It was late afternoon, almost quitting time when he heard the muffled shouts leaking from the alley next to the bakery.  Lucky recognized the voices, the one pleading was Meyer Lansky; the others were punks who lost money to him throwing dice.  Lucky threw open the door to the bakery and tossed the last of his hats on the counter, I’ll be right back Sal, keep an eye on these for me he was gone before Sal could say no.

Is this how you bums get the pennies you gamble with? Lucky grumbled as he stepped between Meyer and the others.

What gives Lucky? one of the boys said as he glared into his eyes.  Meyer here is a pal of mine and you two ain’t, so I guess you wise guys are gonna have to give. Lucky leaned in close and pushed the boy to the ground.

He ain’t nobody to us Lucky, and if ya were smart you’d find a new pal. The other boy said as he watched Lucky reach into his pocket. 

Remember his name the next time you punks think about startin’ trouble.  Lucky smirked as he pulled a blade from his pocket and flicked the edge open. 

Yeah, we got it, Lansky...sorry about that Lansky, we thought you was someone else.

If you two plan on throwin’ the dice tonight ya better bring bills; no more pennies.  Lucky closed the blade and he and Meyer Lansky left the two bums in the alley. 

Meyer Lansky was not Italian and that was a problem in the neighborhood; a problem for Lansky and a few others.  The gangs that ran the streets were Italian; Jewish guys were not welcome or respected.  Lucky could care less about heritage...money, respect, and power fueled his ambition.

As Lucky grew older, his gambling and neighborhood associations began to grow into something different.  He began taking money for protection; the Jewish gangs needed protection and Lucky wanted the money.  Those who wouldn’t pay for protection with cash, paid for it with a beating.  Lucky and Lansky worked together; Lansky facilitated the negotiations and Lucky sealed the deals.

Time went by and Lucky’s racket turned into a gang of its own