The sun., 1912-07-20
the police grabbed him. But nothing

the police grabbed him. But nothing
came Of It.
His biggest bit OF notoriety came &c
Big Jack a day after he had been mixed
up In q Chinatown shooting and ConeN
Island slashlng all in one night. While
out on bail charged for the second time
with carrying a revolver Big Jack him
self was shot In the head by revcngcful
members Of the Jack Sirocco gang. This
took place across the street from the
Criminal Courts Building, with uni.
formed police and plain clothes men all
about.
1t was thought Jack would die then
The story lately has been sent out that
while he is recupe.ating from that
wound he has been resting quietly In
the country; but happenings OF the
past week indicate. some think. that
he has been active about Manhattan
They all go the same set route.
Capt. faurot put IL yesterday when
talking OF the East Side dips who de-
veiop into gangsters. and he pointed
to small boy p!ckpockets who had just
been brought in There are two po.
,ential Jack Zeligs. First they go Ia
the House Of Refuge. next to Elmira
and finally to State prison.
One Of those boys over there Is
just out of the public school. So was
Big Jack Zel!g when the police began
TO arrest him."
The trouble all begins in the East
Side pool and billiard rooms. where
the East Side boys of depravcd ten.
dencies hang out after school hours or
during hours when they should be al
school. Here the older piclspockets
despite denials OF this by many good
folk get the youngsters By the ear and
teach them simple things, such as open.
ing and robbing women's purses. jack
Zellg came right from the school room
to the poolfoom years ago and was
taught In this very way.
And lie was not a bad boy at all
not tough guy mean" a detective
who knows Jack vf old said yesterday
during the davs even when we were
picking him up for picking pockets
Lots of the pickpockets are very
'eentl. manly In fact aside from their
thieving. and Jack as a youngster was
OF that kind. There was time moi
very long ago when Jacks fearful lit
tie face and nice manners often got
him OF after pinch. Later on. say
when Jack was about IS years old, q
girl used to come in the court room
whenever Jack was arraigned and cry
and plead with the Magistrate:
"'Oh, Judge. for Gods sake dom,
send my boy husband. the father OF
my baby. to Jail
And her tears helped some until
Jack got before Recorder Goff Gor
gently ordered her removed from the
court room end hten gave Jack his frs
Sing Sing sentence and the girl dropped
out OF sight"
From acting as a "stall' who blocked
off interference while n skilful pick.
pocket was working. Jack developed
int, an opener Of w"men's purses ant
IN time 20 perhaps the most deft pick
pocket In town. When Kid Twist
leader Of the old Monk Eastman gang
| passed out. Jack Zelig. now tall ant
laniy. was the natural successor L
the homer Of leading the gang that I,
at enmity eternal with tile Jack ST.
rocco gang.
When Herman Eosenthal began t.
scare even the owners Of the bigSes
and richest gambling houses in the Ten
derioin there was fear and trembling
down among tho little stuss players, tn,
dealers. stcerers and other outside men
too. There was bitterness among thes,
small fry also because poverty stare,
them In the face, or. more horrible still
they would have TO do regular work fol
living II Eoscnthars revelations pu
stop to gambling for time altogether
In the gang ruled b. Jack Zelig, who Il
friend Of Jack Rose. who Is Lieut.
Becker's friend. are the gambling hous,
hangers on whose livelihood Rosenthal,
revelations threatened. Also in Bi,
Jacks gang there Is a crowd OF guerrilla
who early in life accepted the invitatio,
displayed In large letters in front O
Bowery galleries. step Inside ant
Learn to Shoot
II Is these guerrillas who. so It Is main
tained. are hired by the week to protec
the cash drawers belonging to the man,
petty gambling house owners on tn,
East Side. When the more importan
East Side gamblers decided about thre,
years ago that with the end OF raclnl
Broadway and the renderloin Offered
better plckings. those of them wht
packed up their wheels and moved VI
town remembered the gangs that wcr,
being left behind.
when rough work was needed thcss
gamblers could count upon their OLE
friends among the gang murdcrcrs ol
bomb throwcrs who still haunt tn,
Bowery ncighborhood to ride up towr
In an automobile and do any midnigh
or early morning work needed Will
proper artistry and ncatness. Away.
OF course one must make an appoint
ment. because the Kid Twists and tn,
Slroccos and the rest OF the gangs ma,
be all sewed up with an order to shoe
up each other down on the East Side
at Concy or in Harlem and so be bus,
at the time.
Big Jack zelis gets credit for sla 81,
Ing the checks Of a man down in
Coney Island saloon last juno because
the story goes. the man. who Is pro
prietor Of a Coney saloon. didn't Civ,
one Of Big Jacks friends q job.
They used to do more siashing an,
stabbing in the old days" said one higl
official in the Police Department yestcr
day. than they do now. Nowadays the,
shoot. And the department will not bt
able to do much with the gangs tyo,
until a Judge or two has been shot"
until Judge or two has been shot"
The automobiles and the garage:
owned and run by crooks were boor
to the gangs Tho rauUstcrs I'm