New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-23
The Zeligs and Tortis, the
"Kids," "Plugs" and "Runts,"
Lazy and Vicious, Band
to Prey on Vice.

IN the last three weeks the people OF
New York City have been made TO
Il realize sharply that there are in their
midst o haif dozen gangs Of reckless crlm-
mails as dangerous as those which dis
rraced the frontier towns in the widest
and woolliest days of the West. Several
persons have been shot, and casual pas
serby who got in the way OF the gangsters
was killed by a bullet
"Thesc cangsters," said George s. Dough
crty. Second Deputy Police Commissioner,
the other day, ARE the vilest and meanest
type Of criminal we have to deal with.
They are vicious. cowardly and rcpulsive;
fellows who rob the poor, unfortunate
women Of the street, and who-but YOU
know them too They're disgusting lot
They are. Their bittcrcst fights are
among Themselves. They never fight in the
omen. They shoot, cut and stab in the
night, and always attack from behind, or
from ambush But they are up TO date as
well. using taXicabs in their attacks on
one another
All this was forcibly illustrated in the
recent war Of the gangs led by Jack
Sirocco on one hand, and Big Jack Ielg
on the other Three gambling houses were
partially destroyed by bombs, and there
were over a dozen assaults and slirmishes
I'm which several hundred shots were fired
before this private war was checked by
the detectives under the direct guidance
Of Police Commissioner Waldo and his sec
ond deputy. More than twenty actual
gangsters. with a few hangers-on, were
arrested in and around the dives in China
town and the mean resorts of the lower
East Side frequented by the followers Of
Sirocco and Zelig.
And it looks this time as if the admins
tration of justice would not be blocked by
the political sponsors Of these thugs. In
the past these gangsters have been able
10 escape prosecution for all sorts Of Of
fences. from disorderly conduct to murder
Zelig twice escaped a murder charge after
generation in the Coroner's Court. one Of
the two who had been slain was member
OF the SirOcco gang, and the other mad
once been Of the same crowd. hut had
drifted into the game on his own account.
The second murder investigation in which
Zelig figured was that of Julie Morell, VINO
was shot as he entered Stuyvesant Hall
on December last. The gathering was
one of many full dress balls given by
Zelig under various names. On this occa-
sion 1t was the grand annual full dress
ball and reception Of the Boys of Avenue
A" Every one Of the thirty-five followers
OF Zelig was present. So was nearly every
unfortunate woman of the BOwery and
Chinatown districts and the miserable
males who live on their earnings. The
many East Side storekeepers who had been
intimidated into buying blocks of tickets
for the ball" were conspicuous by their
absence.
Zelig and two Of his trusted Heutenants,
'Tke the Plug" and Joe the Runt," did
not take part in any of the little pleas
antries of the evening. They had some
thing more important to think about. Ike
the Plug had brought word that he had
met Julie Morell and that Julie with
lurid display of profanity, had declared
he was going to meet Zelig before the night
was over and get him"
At / O'Clock in the morning Julie Morell'
whose approach had been heraldcd, en-
tered the dance hail with a revolver in
his hand and an oath on his lips. The