if you want to support the channel, we have multiple options for you. Jimmy Coonan (1977-1986)- Jimmy Coonan led the most violent Irish gang Hell's Kitchen and New York has ever seen. Among other members of the Westies arrested were Jimmy McElroy, a top enforcer, who was sentenced to 60 years and Richard Ritter, a loan shark and drug dealer, who was sentenced to 40 years. A Westie named John Bokun went to Hollys bar and shot him. All Rights Reserved. Explore. His younger brother is Richard Coonan. Jimmy on the left & Larry Sessa, a Colombo Crime Family mobster. Instead of a cross, she hid an inverted pentagram in a flower engraved into the stone. Coonan authorized the hit of Michael Holly while Billy Bokun was dressed as Mickey Featherstone. He went on trial with Coonan for the killing of Harold Whitehead, and they were acquitted in December 1979 after one witness killed himself and another refused to testify. James Coonan was a baby boomer born December 21, 1946. Pinterest. Frankos also fingers Chuckie. Jimmie Grayson Coan (Bobba to her family) was born on January 2, 1935 in Charleston, Arkansas to Joseph and Rena Pritchett. Maybe Amato. Westies Part 2 Jimmy Coonan goes down - Gangland Wire Gmail. He set up a numbers game and quickly started raking in the big bucks$200,000 a week, with $3000 finding its way into the pockets of corrupt cops that allowed Eto to prosper. After Danny Grillo and Jimmy Coonan clipped Ruby Stein, Big Paul and Funzi Tieri had a mini sit down to discuss the volatile 'West Side Irish Mob'. Coonan and Cummiskey soon became known associates, as Cummiskey taught Coonan the "tricks of the trade". Then, it was finally time to begin building the Jacob Javits Center in Hell's Kitchen, which would turn into a tremendous money maker. The key prosecution witness, former No. In 1966, Coonan fired a machine gun at Spillane and his associates from atop a Hell's Kitchen tenement building. he is the son of the notorious gangster Jimmy Coonan of the Westies, the Irish Mob in New York. Any resident of Hells Kitchen who who took Spillanes side were subject to beatings, kidnappings, store vandalism, and robberies. During the early 1970s, Cummiskey took on a young protg by the name of James "Jimmy C" Coonan, a violent younger generation Irish hoodlum who wanted to take out the old-timer Mickey Spillane. To rent Gangland Wire, the documentary,click here. he is the son of the notorious gangster Jimmy Coonan of the Westies, the Irish Mob in New York. To subscribe on iTunesclick here,give me a review and I will send you a link to see the film for free. Well, whatever the correct Japanese terminology, Chicago-based mobster Ken Eto blabbed to the feds about the Chicago Outfit. The son of an accountant for famous mobsters, Coonan was no stranger to the criminal lifestyle. Here is one of the recent photos of Westie's boss Jimmy Coonan, taken in 2015 in prison. 3.0 out of 5 . Hell's Kitchen ~ West Manhatten Mickey Spillane, known as "the last of the gentleman gangsters," and Jimmy Coonan, who led the much-feared Westies.The Westie. McCarthy founded production-financing company Blue Engine to focus on developing crime stories for film and TV. What Happened To Jimmy Hoffa? 7 Theories As 'The Irishman' Comes Out They have captains and each of the captains have their own crew. Organised Crime is a dangerous game. Coonan, looking for a more feared and respected gangster like Cummiskey on his side, decided to use Dugan to lure in Cummiskey. He and the others dismember Steins corpse and dumped it in the Hudson River. At thirty-nine years old, he had already been convicted of assault and robbery and had been sent to Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York and at 37 was witness to the Attica Prison riot September 9, 1971 during his incarceration. His father was an accountant and not involved in criminal activity. Eddie Cummiskey was among those unhappy about this killing. Coonan decided to remove his gangs debt by murdering Stein. Jimmy Coonan (@jimmy_coonan) | Twitter Humphries quickly falling into to the favourite pastimes of early twentieth century kids in Chicagofist fighting and burglary. James Michael Coonan (born December 21, 1946), nicknamed "Jimmy C", is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer from Manhattan, New York who, served as the boss of the Westies gang, an Irish mob group based in Hell's Kitchen, from approximately 1977 to 1988. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Dont tell me to shush 3/8 John Bokun angrily told a marshal. In September 1986, Judge Alvin Schlesinger overturned Featherstones conviction in the murder of Michael Holly. Feb 9, 2019 - Rare pic of Club 596 / Jimmy Coonan (The Westies) headquarters. When Mickey returned to the notoriously violent, Irish dominated Hells Kitchen area of New York, his violent tendencies continued. The gang then tipped the cops thatFeatherstone killed Holly. The hit was probably ordered by his greatest rival, famous Florida gangster Santo Trafficante Sr.[10]. Mickey Featherstone was a complete nut case. The hit-squad killed 68 members of Spillanes gang with most of them killed by being gunned down. They are reputed to have said that "Although he fucked up, he was still a good Irishman". James Coonan was born December 21, 1946 in Manhattan, New York. During this incarceration Featherstone was injected with Thorazine. 1991)", "7 Westies Given Sentences Of Up to 75 Years in Prison", "Prosecutor Says Gang Terrorized Hell's Kitchen", James and Edna Coonan's 1989 appeal brief, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Coonan&oldid=1151269070, 75 years' imprisonment and a $1 million fine, This page was last edited on 22 April 2023, at 23:47. The body, Frankos said, was. Like. Eto survived three gunshots to the head due to the bullets being hand-loaded with an insufficient amount of gunpowder (a method designed to stop investigators tracking the shooters via the spent ammo), the underpowered round grazing Etos skull as opposed to blowing off his head. Report abuse Permalink. this awesome character was inspired by one of the most fascinating men in 20th century African American history: Casper Holstein. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. After his release he resumed power, but in 1988 was convicted of racketeering under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and sentenced to 75 years in prison with the judge's recommendation of denying parole. Jimmy C. purchased a machine gun and got on top of a Hells Kitchen tenement building waited for Micky Spillane. ", Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, "Ex-Westies Member Says Gang Boss Cut Off Murder Victim's Head", "Westies Trial: Gruesome Testimony Not For The Squeamish", "United States of America, Appellee, v. James Coonan, Kevin Kelly, James Mcelroy, Kenneth Shannon,william Bokun, John Halo, Edna Coonan, Richardritter, Thomas Collins, Florencecollins, Defendants,kevin Kelly, Defendant-appellant, 938 F.2d 1553 (2d Cir. He left for England and acquired an English accent years ago. A year after his release in 2010, Engs wife Lori was murdered by another Flying Dragon member, David Chea, who killed himself (probably in order to avoid Johnny Engs retribution).[9]. According to lore, the carton contained Dugan's penis, which was later rumored to have been placed in a pickle jar and kept in a refrigerator. This dismembering method of disposing of his victims was used by Coonan many times. He was released from the mental hospital 4 years later. ! Is this the same man I know? Unable to make a decent living, Birns family moved to Cleveland, Ohio where his mother set up an illegal alcohol still in their apartment during Prohibition. Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2008. His wife, Edna, 44, was convicted of loansharking and tax charges. Although reportedly on good relations with both Spillane and Coonan (despite rumors of Cummiskey defecting to the Westies), he was shot at point blank range and killed by Joseph "Mad Dog" Sullivan while drinking at the Sunbrite bar on August 20, 1976. He was a habituate of the Sunbrite Bar on 10th Avenue and 50th in Chelsea, Manhattan and The Market Diner in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. The association between Italian Americans and the Mafia is as strong as the association between Italian Americans and pizza. In May 1977, Jimmy Coonan owed a substantial amount of money to loan shark Ruby Stein and decided to forgive his own debt by murdering Stein. A trial on any single act in this indictment would have resulted in an acquittal, said Coonans lawyer, Gerald Shargel. In retaliation and to set Mickey Featherstone up to take the fall, Billy Bokun, Johns brother got a car identical to Mickey Featherstones and put on a long haired wig and fake mustache to look like Featherstone. Coonan forged a strong alliance with the Gambino crime family in the late 70s, and became their hit-squad and enforcement arm for the next 10 years. The younger Bokun, 30, of Manhattan, who was convicted of drug dealing as well as racketeering, tried to comfort his weeping, cursing father. The son of an accountant for famous mobsters, Coonan was no stranger to the criminal lifestyle. James Coonan is currently serving his 60 year sentence in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania. [5], Chelsais Bouras piloted the Greek mob of Philadelphia through the turbulent 70s, forging a close tie with Raymond Martorano (pictured), a soldier for the citys longstanding crime family the Scarfos, and overseeing loan sharking, gambling and methamphetamine operations. In 1988, he and his wife went into a witness protection program. /r/Mafia features stories, interviews, documentary and news articles about organized crime around the world. When he was . Cummiskey would further himself from the Spillane-led faction of the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob known as The Spillane Gang and become more and more a member and follower of the young Jimmy Coonan. Coonan and Ryan will never see the light of day (Sean Ryan wasn't a Westies anyways). In order to clear his name Featherstone recorded conversations between the Westies and Coonan so that he would be cleared of the murder charge and he could use the evidence he had to put Coonan behind bars. [5] Coonan wanted more, and several West Side neighborhood thugs gathered around him, including Francis "Mickey" Featherstone. The house in Hazlet, New Jersey is the last small cottage at the end of a dead end street. The judge sentenced Featherstone to 6 years and he did time in the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield Missouri in the psychiatric ward. With Robert Spillane, Jim McManus, T.J. English, Joseph Coffey. The Westies went on to kidnap, torture, and murder members of Hells Kitchen until Spillane had to go into hiding and turn over power of Hells Kitchen to Coonan. [2] When Coonan was a young man, his father John was kidnapped, pistol-whipped and severely beaten by Mickey Spillane, a well-known mobster who frequently employed the kidnap-for-ransom racket of local merchants to their families. Featherstone achieved neighborhood fame for single-handedly running a group of toughs from New Jersey out of a Hells Kitchen bar with a rifle. The following day, Coonan and Cummiskey went out for a drink with Billie Beattie at the Sunbrite Bar. [8][9] Coonan was first eligible for parole in 1998. Shondor Birns managed to survive the 'golden age' of gangster historythe 20s and 30sand succeeded in the equally violent 50s and 60s. Thats when the Westies, a ruthless gang of Irish American extortionists, racketeers and contract killers, took in the violent young Featherstone and put him to work. He left for England and acquired an English accent years ago. Jimmy was ashamed that his father was treated like this and he swore revenge against Mickey Spillane. He passed out and when he awoke, he found they had given him a circumcision. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Jimmy Coonan Recent Photo - The Irish Mob An eighth defendant was acquitted of all charges as the five-month trial ended. The verdict came on the eighth day of jury deliberations. Jimmy Coonan's son? Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. THE LORD'S OF HELL'S KITCHEN - The New York Times Dash cam tour of Hells Kitchen Manhattan, taking you to the murder site of infamous New York City mob loanshark Ruby Stein and headquarters of the westies Irish mob that rivaled the Italian mafia, While explaining the gruesome details of the murder and dismemberment. His gang soon outgrew the old Irish mob led by Spillane. Watch. Tools Edward "Eddie The Butcher" Cummiskey Jr. ( 1934 Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan to August 20, 1976 Chelsea, Manhattan) was a New York mobster who served as a mentor to Jimmy Coonan, leader of the Westies. This page is not available in other languages. Edna put out a family memorial, about their family being chained together in hell in the afterlife. The Westies- Hells Kitchen, NY - IRISHORGANISEDCRIMEFORUM In 1920, the still blew up as Birns mother was near it and killed her, leaving young Shondor to first have to live in a Jewish orphanage before eventually being taken in by his grandmother. Engs brutal reign came to an end in 1993 when he was sentenced to 24 years in jail, having to pony up $3.5 million in fines and giving up his massive Pennsylvania estate as further punishment. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. In Japanese, the word is nezumi but that also means mouse in English. and our Growing up in Hell's Kitchen he played hockey with many future Westies-aligned criminals at Hell's Kitchen Park and boxed at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and eventually started burglarizing commercial buildings in Lower East Side, Manhattan and cargo from warehouses in West Side, Manhattan. 10 Fruits, Nuts, And Vegetables You Did Not Know, 10 People Who Were Completely Right But Were Ignored, 10 Worst Massacres Of African-Americans [DISTURBING IMAGES], 10 Things You May Not Have Known About The Land Of Pangaea, 10 Things You May Not Have Known About The Center Of, 10 Things You Might Not Know About The Incas, 10 Things You May Not Have Known About Guns, Top 10 Churches Where God Is Not Worshiped, 10 Historical Shoe Rituals and Superstitions You Might Not Know About, 10 Unusual and Incredible Reinterpretations of Classic Artworks, 10 Ancient Fertility Treatments You Wouldnt Want to Use Today, 10 Inventive Ways People Survived Winter Before Electricity, 10 Bleak Facts about Victorian Workhouses, 10 Amazing Archeological Discoveries Made by Dogs, Top 10 Terrible Facts About Ghislaine Maxwell. Jimmy Coonan brought the Westies into the 20th Century and presided over the most bloody and violent gang in New York City history. Coonan, 41, was found guilty of attempted murder, murder conspiracy, loansharking, extortion and income tax evasion among other crimes. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. He was raised in a five-room walk-up apartment on West 49th Street. James Michael Coonan (born December 21, 1946), nicknamed "Jimmy C", is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer from Manhattan, New York who, served as the boss of the Westies gang, an Irish mob group based in Hell's Kitchen, from approximately 1977 to 1988. After many years on the run in Peru, Battle was indicted back in the US on racketeering charges, having amassed more than $1 billion from drug trafficking, illegal gambling and loan sharking. By his teenage years, Coonan stood five feet, seven inches tall and had a stocky build, with broad shoulders and a thick neck. You can contact the show to be a guest or to interview me!For general business inquiries: bloodontherazorwire@gmail.comIn today's video, I talk about the exp. The Irishman: Who Really Killed Jimmy Hoffa? | Den of Geek Holstein lived it largehe owned many luxury cars, had two swanky apartments in New Yorks Harlem area, a house on Long Island and thousands of acres of land in the state of Virginia. He testified against Jimmy Coonan and other gang members. He was the brother of Margaret Kagabines, Elaine McCue, Joan Ferrick, Patricia Baeza, Bernard, Robert, Lawrence and Paul. Mickey Featherstone - Wikipedia He now lives under an assumed name somewhere in the USA.[2]. His wife Edna was given 15 years. A member of the Westies forgot to deflate the lungs before throwing the torso in and Steins torso washed up on shore and was found a few days later. Westie Eddie "The Butcher" Kaminsky and Jimmy Coonan murdered a druggie who killed one of their fellow members and carried the man's body across the rooftops from one tenement building to the. Turn on post notifications so you dont miss a video! Coonan is serving his time at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. Coonan now was getting national attention. Jimmy Coonan brought the Westies into the 20th Century and presided over the most bloody and violent gang in New York City history James Coonan was a baby boomer born December 21, 1946. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. "The Irish Mob" Mickey Spillane: The Gentleman Gangster/Jimmy Coonan Islam Comes to Britain. However, the two soon proceeded with their real plan by brutally murdering and butchering Dugan. Jimmy Coonan, John Moe, Robert Herman, Kevin Kelly, Sean Ryan, and who else? Spillane went to Coonan's father, slapped him around and told him to get his son under control. Proud father of a son that went into military and served in Afghanistan/Iraq. A longtime gangster of the Manhattan's Westside ghetto known as Hell's Kitchen, Cummiskey served under Mickey Spillane following his release from prison. Related Posts: Richie Ryan; Rudy Giulliani Quote; Cadillac Frank; A Rare Photo of Egan's Rats Leaders; His son, Pavle (pictured), followed in his fathers criminal and journalistic footsteps, spending 16 years in jail over two stints and now covering criminal stories for publications such as The Washington Post and online work with The Daily Beast.[7]. There was also testimony by several witnesses that the Westies had forged an alliance with the Gambino organized crime family, said to be the largest and most powerful Mafia group in the country. In addition to the racketeering convictions, some of the defendants, including reputed Westies boss James Jimmy Coonan, were found guilty of crimes ranging from attempted murder and loansharking to drug dealing and tax evasion. This Serbian mobster turned journo was an arch opportunist, driven in part by the love he held for his native Serbia, (along with his love of stealing shiny objects). In addition, the jury found Coonan participated in most of the racketeering acts charged against him, including seven murders. On Feb. 11, 1984, two Westies drove Leone to New Jersey, pulled over to offer him a hit of cocaine, and shot him in the head. Humphries decided that fighting fire with fire was the best plan, hijacking a Capone truck at gunpoint. Mr Anonymous Jul 01, 2010 #2 Kevin Kelly is out now. Birns was born in Czechoslovakia in 1907. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Francis T. "Mickey" Featherstone (born September 2, 1948) is a former Irish American mobster and member of the Westies, an organized crime syndicate from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in New York City, led by James Coonan. The Irish-American gang led by Jimmy Coonan and Francis (Mickey) Featherstone aligned itself with the Gambino crime family and enforced its racketeering schemes with a campaign of murder and dismemberment until the NYPDs Intelligence Division brought them down. Mickey Spillane, known as "the last of the gentleman gangsters,' and Jimmy Coonan, who led the much-feared Westies.