Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-17
Breaking the New York Gangs
II. The Gang Squad In Action
BY Frederic j. Haskin

| New York, Nov. Is. The gangster
is the professional murderer of the
town and it is safe to say that the
great majority of homicidal killings
are his work. The number of these is
therefore pretty fair index to his ac-
tivitjes. In the first nine months of
, 1915 there were 172 persons murdered
in New York During the same months
of this year, there were 1877 murders.
The present police administration
points to this reduction of nearly 20
per cent in the number of homicides
as the most concrete proof that it's
war on gangland is getting results.
The methods of this war are syste
matte disarmament, incessant effort
to capture the leaders of the gangs
and destroy their prestige; and swift
and relentless prosecution of all hon.
icide cases by the most modern po-
lice and detective methods.
The leader of a gang is the force
that holds 1t together and protects it,
and the brain that directs it's activities.
He is criminal Of more than ordinary
courage and personality, who rises to
his place by might and holds it the
same way against numerous rivals His
followers rely upon him to arrange the
"jobs,' and upon his political influence
to protect them In case they are
caught. The arrest of leader, there
fore, is body blow at the existence OF
the gang-and it is also hard thing
to accomplish.
Owen Madden, one Of the last big
leaders to be put away, now serving
a twenty year penitentiary term, was
a typical gangland chief. He Is des-
cribed as slender handsome young
man with light hair and blue eyes, a
pleasant manner and always faultlessly
dressed. The detectives who spent
their days and nights trying to get evil
dence against him, knew him not only
as most successful criminal but also
as pleasant acquaintance. He was
acknowledged leader of the largest of
the west side gangs-the successor Of
the old Gophers-and had always a
hundred and fifty or two hundred men
at call. The chief activities of this
body of crooks were strike breaking
and theft Madden Is supposed to have
enjoyed an income Of about ten thous-
and year as his share Of their earn
ings and he had considerable capital.
He did little or no rough work him
self and such was the fear of his name
that when he did, it was almost impos.
sible to get witnesses against him.
Thus while his gang was trying to
break strike at soap factory he was
suspected Of killing an employee going
to work but 1t was impossible to get
enough evidence for conviction.
Like many another great man, Owen
Madden tripped and fell in the compli-
cations Of love affair. The lady in
the case was a west side beauty of
famous charm and the property of one
Patsy Doyle, who belonged to the Jer.
heart. Doyle sent Madden word that |
Of affections-in word, that he would |
be "croaked." The challenge angered
the young chief so that he recklessly !
telephoned Doyle to the effect that he
would get his" That was the first !,
step in his undoing. for the police got |
witnesses who had overheard the /
threatening telephone message.
Madden was not satisfied merely to !
send gunman to shoot Doyle. He |
himself went with three of his follow
ers to a saloon where Doyle hung out,
and while the leader sat on the curb
and smoked cigarette his men went
inside and shot Doyle full of holes The
police arrived after it was all over.
The only thing they got was sailor
who had witnessed the shooting and
was not afraid to testify and sundry
other witnesses who had seen the
5angster in the vicinity. Madden's /
angry haste was costing him heavily.
After the killing the three gunner
vent to another cafe. where they met
some Skirts" got drunk and told all
lbout it. The police found the women
md wormed the story out of them
Then they raided the headquarters OF
Iadden's gang, roped in twenty-eight
# his henchmen, identified the muir.
lerers by the sailor and had COM
,lete case. Madden got twenty years
or conspiracy to kill 1t was no
poetic retribution, since the man he
Tiled was no better than he, but it