New Britain herald., 1923-08-29
new YORK GUNMAN
KILLED BY YOUTH
Younger Gansster Cuts Career Of
Noted Underworld Leader

New York, Aug. ga STRIPPING
with gun took the law out of tho
hands of the New York police yester'
day and wrote a dramatic fms to tht
career of Jack Kaplan, alias kid
Dropper," notorious gunman and lead
er OF the East Side ''Dropper Gang
Enemy Hidden
The willy gangster chief, on whom
the police had been trying to fasten
something for months, staggered al
noon from Essex Market Court, where
he had just defeated the latest effort
to connect him with the shooting of
two member OF rival gang. Some
of the detectives who had crowded
the court to guard against a rumored
attempt at his rescue, nailed him with
q warrant charging violation of the
Sullivan anti-pistol law.
The Dropper smiled ironically and
stepped cheerfully to the taxicab in
which his captors planned to take
him to another court. His young
wife, who had been awaiting him on
the sidewalk. broke through to his
side, threw her arms around his neck
and kissed him.
Good luck-You'll get out of this
too" she cried hopefully. The Drop
per laughed, patted her arm reasur-
ingly and hoped into the taxicab.
A slim figure, which had been
lurking behind the cab, Strengthened,
drew pistol and blazed away
through the back window Of the cab.
Six Shots Fired
The Dropper slumped down In his
] seat with two bullets in his head. The
ltaxicab driver was laid out with a
gscalp wound. Detective Captain Will
lenses hat was pierced by another
shot. The other shots went wild.
Pandemonium reigned in the court
!. and in the crowded street Pedestrians
fed wildly, seeking doorways and
| other places Of safety. Passing au-
toists stepped on the gas and sped
away. The Dropper's wife tainted on
the sidewalk.
The Dropper's nemesis turned, with
. empty gun, to fee. Detectives pounced
on him and overpowered him. He
and his victim were taken into the
court building.
Gimme water" were the dying
gunman's only words as he awaited
an ambulance to take him to Bellevue
Hospital where he died a few minutes
later.
His assailant, who said he was
Louis Cohen, wet wash laundry
man, only 81 years old, was more
voluble.
Cumming a cigaret from Asst. Dist.
Atty. Wilson, he said:
'An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth. II hadn't gotten him
he would have gotten me. He told
me so. He's been bounding me for
long time. A couple of weeks ago
he told me my life wasn't worth salt |
If l didn't hand over $500.
II met the Kid about eight months
ago." the prisoner went on between |
puffs at his cigaret HE was friendly |
and I thought was friendly with all |
his gang until few weeks ago when
! got note from his bunch saying
the Kid would have to get $500. How
could give 1t to him? I'm a poor
man, working for $25 to $40 week.
when / saw the Kid a couple
weeks ago, ! was afraid he was going
to knock me off then, and ran away.
That's how scared was. When
heard they had got my best pal.
Schwartzman--poor old Louie, he was
the best friend ever had made UP
my mind I'd take no chances.
Last week read in the papers of
the raid on the Kids gang, and how
the case was to come UP today.
knew the police were taking big pre-
cautions to prevent any trouble by the
Kids gang. and I figured had an
outside chance to get him without
being got by the gang.
$50 got a gun and hid in an al
ley beside the court. When / saw
them coming crouched up behind
The cab and when the Dropper got in,
up and gave it to him. No. I'm not
sorry. He had 1t coming to him."
Other Pistols in Crowd !
Cohen's attack on the Dropper may
nave saved the lives of several po- ,
icemen and possibly innocent by
sanders. For in the roundup made by
detectives in the crowd that gathered :
'fter the Staying, a half dozen armed !
members of the Dropper's gang were
aiken. The courtroom had been heavi-
y guarded because of reports that the I
oropper's men were coming to free !
lin. But it had been impossible to
AXE any elaborate measures outside, 4
md 1t was believed the gangster's men
lad planned to effect his release as 4
le was taken away by detectives.
hey quickly scattered. however, after
heir chief had been felled.
Before Cohen was placed in a patrol
wagon to be taken to jail. the hand
uffs which had been placed on him
we're loosened and he re-enacted the
murder, for the benefit of police and u
newspaper camera men. Il
He was not permitted to have even =,
n empty pistol, but he went through
II the motions, crouching behind a :
axicab, getting up and looking toward
man sitting inside. taking aim and
ulling the trigger of an imaginary