New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
Found in Union Square
With 5 Bullet Wounds
in Body, He Dies After
Being Taken to Hospital
Trailed Six Months;
Threatened to Kill
Empty Pistol Near Sub.
way Entrance; Round
Up of Suspects Is Begun

Monk" Eastman, called New
York's most notorious and fearless
gang leader-the man who came
back from the World War a hero
and promised to go straight and
make good when Governor Smith re-
stored him to full citizenship, came
to his death early yesterday, pre-
sumably at the hands of rival gum
men.
When picked up near the subway
at Fourth Avenue and Fourteenth
Street Eastman, whose real name
was William Delaney, was dying
from five bullet wounds, one of
which was just below the heart.
Monk" had stepped from the nar-
row path long enough to threaten to
kill, and so, evidently, had forfeited
the protection that was his during
the time he remained away from the
gangs, private citizen.
Just what occurred is a mystery.
When the identity Of the gangster
was learned after the body had been
taken from st. Vincent's Hospital
to the Mercer Street police station,
Lieutenant Funston, in command of
detectives in that district, took
charge of the case and notified Police
Headquarters. Assistant District
Attorney Hennis was assigned to the
case and score of detectives or
dered on the job.
Police Round Up Gunmen
Realizing the danger of gang out
break during the present wave Of
crime, every effort was made to round
up those responsible for the killing
and any others who might have any in
formation regarding monks" fall from,
grace. Detectives in Manhattan and
Brooklyn were searching the gathering
places. of known gunmen last night in
an effort TO learn how Eastman could
be shot five times at place as public
as Union Square, even 1T o'clock in
the morning, without some one having
seen the murder.
That he might have been killed else
where and thrown from a taxicab is
one theory. This is strengthened some
what by the fact that a pistol with five
of the chambers empty was found on
the stairway of the B. r. T. subway
entrance near where the body was
found. This, too, might have been
thrown from the cab.
1t became known last night that
Brooklyn police, who knew that East
man had "broken out" Fix months ago,
had been ira ling him, and it is be-
lieved this vigilance made the killing,
which had been expected Tor some time,
impossible in Brooklyn. The police in
that borough had learned that Monk
during drunk last summer had
threatened to kill another "reformed'
gang leader. Ever since detectives had
been on monks" trail.
Police Expected Gang Battle
In the surveillance of Eastman the
police learned trat the followers of the
other gang leader were arming them
selves. and close watch was kept on
the various tangouts in Brooklyn,
where the former East Siders were
making their headquarters, to prevent.
or at least check, the battle that was
expected at ary moment. That the
killing apparently took place in Man
haitian, in public square, is something
the Brooklyn police were unable to
understand.
Eastman WIS found at a. III. by
po1; A1ot. nd o$
Mercer Street police station. AS fain.
heartbeats were distinguishable, he
was rushed t. ST. Vincent's Hospital.
but he was dead when taken to the
operating room. There we're two bull
let wounds II the left arm, another
through the left hand and two through
the chest, one of which was just below
the heart.
Finger Prints Aid Identification
At the Mercer Street station, v,here
the body was taken, Detectives John
Bottle and Joseph Gilkingon, who were
assigned to the case. recognizeu the
victim of the shooting, but to make al
Identification positive finger prints
were taken to Police Headquarters.
Search of the clothing of the dead
gang leader and war hero showed that
the suit he wore was of good quality
and was made by Witte Brothers, so
Eloridge Street. In the coat pocket
was label on which was written "E
Eastman, Oct 90. 1s1e-No. 17.434--
w B."
Henry Witte, a member of the
ta''oi ng firm. when asked who the
suit was made for, said:
Monk" Eastman, the old time gang
leader, whose address Is 1874 Penn
Street, Brooklyn. We have made
clothes for him for nineteen years. Tia
last suit we made for him was de-
livered October 81, this year"
No Immediate Prospect of Arrest
At the Brooklyn address it was said
that Eastman had not lived there dur
irg the last year and half Tenants os
the place said they had been there dur
ing that time and that 'hey had NJ
information regarding Eastman.
Detectives discovered late last nfrys
that Eastman did not live at the Pc
Street address but in furnished rooJ
house at sol briggs Avenue, Brooklyn
The room was thoroughly searched 70!
AleWa Whirh raipkf laaI