Paul Kelly (criminal)
| Paul Kelly | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli December 23, 1876 Naples, Italy |
| Died | April 3, 1936 (aged 63) New York City |
| Occupation | Boxer, criminal |
| Conviction(s) | Assault and robbery |
Paul Kelly (born Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli; December 23, 1876 – April 3, 1936) was an Italian immigrant who founded the Five Points Gang in New York City after starting some brothels with prize monies earned in boxing. It was one of the last dominant street gangs in New York history; Kelly recruited young men who later became prominent criminals of the early 20th century, including Johnny Torrio, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel and Frankie Yale. Kelly was said to support election of Democratic Tammany Hall politicians with his gang's activities at elections.
After open street warfare with Monk Eastman's gang, Kelly and Eastman were ordered by Tammany Hall officials to end their competition with a boxing match. It ended in a draw, but the politicians finally withdrew protection for Eastman, who went to jail for robbery. After years as top dog, Kelly lost support when politicians wanted to clean up the Bowery. Gradually he became involved in rackets of the longshoremen's union. He died a natural death.
Born Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli, he adopted the name Paul Kelly when he began professional boxing after emigrating to New York in the early 1890s. Using money gained from prizefighting, Kelly began operating several bordellos in the Italian immigrant district east of the Bowery. He later opened several athletic clubs, which became fronts for the local street gangs which he began to control.
Offering his services to Tammany Hall politician "Big" Tim Sullivan, Kelly was alleged to have used his gang to help elect Tom Foley against Tammany Hall incumbent Paddy Divver. The latter was a local saloon owner campaigning to keep the red-light districts out of the Fourth Ward during the 1901 Second Assembly District primary elections. On the day of the primary on September 17, Kelly's gang of over 1,500 men assaulted Divver supporters, blocked polling booths, and committed numerous acts of voter fraud to win the election for Foley, such as voting several times during the day; one gang member claimed that "I got in 53 votes." Foley was the challenger, not the incumbent; the Second already had numerous houses of prostitution as Divver, a judge and longtime Tammany leader, was aware. Not one newspaper noted Kelly's gang or Kelly that day, although there was extensive coverage of the election. Divver was reported to have drawn a pistol on a personal enemy. Kelly later gained control of the vice districts of the Fourth and Sixth Wards, including prostitution, and controlled a virtual monopoly in the Five Points.
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