New-York tribune., 1920-12-27

and his associates. but likewise failed
10. unearth any information which
might help in clearing up the murder.
AT the Mercer Street station las.
night, Lieutenant Funston sal
there was no immediate prospect Of an
arrest. The detectives are seeking
several men who are supposed to have
been with Eastman Saturday night
Lieutenant Funston said
That the killing was the result of q
teud and not for the purpose of rob
berry is borne out by the fact that in
the pockets of the dead mans clothing
were found $l40 in cash, watch and
chain, "a set of keys and two pairs of
gold trimmed eyeglasses.
Drugs and Drink Old Foes
The regeneration of monk" Eastman
might have been complete when he
vas restored to citizenship, as re-
ward for his war record, had it not
ceen for the sinister workings of his
eldest and most powerful enemies
drugs and drink. In two decades he
had fought his way up through the
lower East Side, where he pounded
and shot into submission notorious
gang leaders until he became the
ehieftain of all the 'guerrillas had
crawled through the mud Of the Ger
man lines to save comrades under fire !;
had laughed at the bullets Of the
Boche, just as he had sneered at the
pistols of the Paul Kellys and the
police f New York, and had returned
with the 9th Division 81 hero.
The majority of those who knew
Monk" at all shook their heads and
questioned the wisdom of restoring to
~. dof,
Of law and order had terrorized Man
hattan for years. True, the gangster
had returned from Sing Sing and had
enlisted; had been known as model
prisoner; had won the respect of his
officers and comrades and had been
tried and not found wanting as good
soldier.
Petition Signed by Army Mem
The petition to Governor Smith ask
ing for restoration of full citizenship
TO monk" had been signed by these
officers. comrades and certain promi
nent citizens.
So when the former gang leader
announced that he was going to make
good" in the garage business Governor
Smith was complimented for having
given the gangster a chance, and some
of the police, at least, heaved sigh
of relief. For a few months monk"
appeared to be trying to keep faith
With those who believed in him.
Then he disappeared from his old
haunts. Upon one of his departures
from Sing Sing he had announced he
was going West and get out Of the
East Side forever. When he did not
appear at the garage for several weeks
II was whispered that he had grown
tired OF New York and had departed
for places where he might start fresh
and not be tempted so easily to fail by
the wayside.
Trailed for Last Six Months
But the police could not swallow
this story. Men like Val OFarrell and
other old-time detectives who had fol-
lowed Eastman from the time he was
a bartender in "Silver Dollar" Smiths,
n Essex Street, and bouneer in New
Irving Hall, insisted "Monk" couldn't
get any further away from the Bowery
and Chrystie Street than the police
would take him. He had enlisted and
zone overseas with the 27th Division
only for the privilege of handling a
gun without police restraint. they said
And when Eastman showed up again
on rampage, the police said II told
you so" and got on his trail. They
couldn't understand why he had aban-
doned Cherry Hill and the Bowery un-
less ne had something up his sleeve
and so, for the last six months, men
have been assigned to follow him.
Monk" had appeared suddenly in
the Williams sburg section of Brooklyn.
Years before his parents. respectable
people, had lived in South Third
Street, Brooklyn, having moved there
rem the East Side.
Partnership With Gangster Ends
The first place in which monk" was
secn drunk on his recent outbreak was
IT, the saloon at Broadway and briggs
Avenue. This place was the Old I'm
peIiai. He had a job, which had been
obtained for him by Democratic poll
Fician in Brooklyn.
He was working with another "re-
formed" East Side gangster. Both were
ioading foremen, and truckmen paid
hem so much load. At the end of
each week they split the profits of the
work and Hbooze party" over the
week end was the custom. 1t was dur
ing one OF these profits sharing drunks
hat Eastman lost his temper and
threatened to kill his partner, accord
!ng to information obtained yesterday,
md the result was split in partner
nip.
After that quarrel the other gangster
got nis mob together-they have moved
their headquarters from the East Side
70 Brookli n--and prepared to get East
man. 1t became known to the police.
brooklyn detectives, assigned to watch
for an outbreak, said yesterday that
every moment Eastman was in Brooklyn
he was trailed and watched A battle wa
feared and the death of one or the
other Of the gangsters was expected
Il any moment That the end should
nave come in Manhattan was a surpri Sc
% the Brooklyn police
Fought Under Family Name
Eastman fought for Uncle Sam under
nls own name-Wiliiam Delaney He
mad come Of good family, and could
have mad good education and a prope,
uporlng'hg, but he chose for his schoo
me sidewalks and the education to be
had Tor the asking there.
nile there Is no data at hand which
give the exact birthplace of the gang
ter about forty-seven years ago, his
afst play days were around Third Ave
Huc and Fourteenth Street, block
s"ay from the place his body was
.nahd' IN the shadow of Tammany Hall
""1ee 'eaeers IN years past hired him
itleal activities. 1' p''
literally, of the Sullivan factione ie "'n anl
an election without the for1oer 49,. @m1
s sxs billy and blackjack was a tame
do rom fourteenth Street he noved
syv ~ ehrystie Street and the Bow.
sX, from which point he was bette,
p sts 10 malt the encroachments IF ~ a