The Bottler
Encyclopedia
The Bottler was the pseudonym
of an Egyptian-born American gambler and underworld figure in New York. He ran a highly popular stuss parlor
in the Five Points district
during the turn of the century
, one which was considered the most successful in the East Side
, until his death when he confronted Kid Twist
and the Eastman Gang
from taking over his gambling establishment. It was his death, according to gangland lore, that resulted in the murder of Kid Twist and his bodyguard Cyclone Louie
by Louie the Lump
in 1908.
empire based around his Glonconda stuss parlor
on Suffolk Street. The Bottler's success soon attracted Kid Twist
, then leader of the Eastman Gang
, who took advantage of The Bottler's affiliation with the rival Five Points Gang
and sought to take over his operation by forcing The Bottler to take on Kid Dahl as his partner. Unsure that the Five Pointers could protect him, especially in the midst of their gang war with the Eastmans, The Bottler was forced to agree to Kid Twist's terms. He and Kid Dahl split the profits equally for six weeks until Kid Dahl brought in The Nailer and ordered The Bottler to leave. Although he considered going to the police, The Bottler decided against it and instead barred his doors to Dahl and sent word to the Five Pointers in preparation to make a stand against the Eastmans.
At this time, a police detective from Central Office was tracking down a lush worker when he stumbled upon the scene between the desperate gambler and Kid Dahl both brandishing firearms at each other. The detective managed to relieve both men of their weapons and took them into custody whereupon he marched them both to the local police precinct where the two were changed with disturbance of the peace
. Both were tried and Kid Dahl, who repeatedly threatened the life of The Bottler, was fined $5 and released. It was soon after this incident that Kid Dahl allegedly began planning the murder of The Bottler. A few days later, while The Bottler was at his place, a stranger entered the stuss parlor, shot him in the chest twice and left. Despite there being at least twenty people in the room at the time of the shooting, the resort was empty by the time police arrived. Both shots had struck The Bottler's heart and he had died at the scene. An inquest was held, however with Kid Twist being at the Delancy station house arguing over the release of an Eastman member and Kid Dahl seen arguing with the owner of a Houston Street restaurant, both men were released due to lack of evidence. Some time after that, a young member of the Five Points Gang known as Louie the Lump
ambushed Kid Twist and his bodyguard Cyclone Louie
at a Coney Island
dance hall and gunned down the two men. The argument had been over a showgirl, Carroll Terry, however it was widely speculated that this had been the Five Pointers retribution for The Bottler's murder.
The Bottler was portrayed in the 1999 historical novel
Dreamland by Kevin Baker
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of an Egyptian-born American gambler and underworld figure in New York. He ran a highly popular stuss parlor
Stuss
Stuss is a card game, a variant of faro. In this version the cards are dealt from the dealer's hand, not from a shoe. Also, the house won all the money when drawing two equal cards, as opposed to half in traditional faro...
in the Five Points district
Five Points, Manhattan
Five Points was a neighborhood in central lower Manhattan in New York City. The neighborhood was generally defined as being bound by Centre Street in the west, The Bowery in the east, Canal Street in the north and Park Row in the south...
during the turn of the century
Turn of the century
Turn of the century, in its broadest sense, refers to the transition from one century to another. The term is most often used to indicate a non-specific time period either before or after the beginning of a century....
, one which was considered the most successful in the East Side
East Side (Manhattan)
The East Side of Manhattan refers to the side of Manhattan Island which abuts the East River and faces Brooklyn and Queens. Fifth Avenue, Central Park, and lower Broadway separate it from the West Side....
, until his death when he confronted Kid Twist
Max Zwerbach
Max "Kid Twist" Zweifach occasionally referred to as Zwerbach was an American gangster who, during the turn of the century, belonged to the Eastman Gang and later succeeded the New York gang leader following his arrest in 1904.-Biography:Born Maxwell Zweifach in Austria on March 14, 1884, to...
and the Eastman Gang
Eastman Gang
The Eastman Gang was the last of New York's street gangs which dominated the city's underworld during the late 1890s until early 1910s. Along with the Five Points Gang under Paul Kelly, the Eastmans succeeded the long dominant Whyos as the first non-Irish street gang to gain prominence in the...
from taking over his gambling establishment. It was his death, according to gangland lore, that resulted in the murder of Kid Twist and his bodyguard Cyclone Louie
Vach Lewis
Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis was an early New York gangster and member of the Eastman Gang under Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach.-Biography:...
by Louie the Lump
Louis Pioggi
Louis "Louie the Lump" Pioggi was a New York criminal and member of the Five Points Gang, known most prominently for the murder of Eastman Gang leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach and Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis...
in 1908.
Biography
Little is known of his life prior to his arrival in New York, except only that he was of Egyptian origin, and was described as "round, inoffensive, well-dressed and affable". He soon gained a reputation as a "money maker" in the underworld, specifically for his clever methods for cheating, and began building up a successful illegal gamblingGaming law
Gaming law can be described as the set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming or gambling industry. Gaming law is not a branch of law in the traditional sense but rather is a collection of several areas of law that include criminal law, regulatory law, constitutional law, administrative...
empire based around his Glonconda stuss parlor
Stuss
Stuss is a card game, a variant of faro. In this version the cards are dealt from the dealer's hand, not from a shoe. Also, the house won all the money when drawing two equal cards, as opposed to half in traditional faro...
on Suffolk Street. The Bottler's success soon attracted Kid Twist
Max Zwerbach
Max "Kid Twist" Zweifach occasionally referred to as Zwerbach was an American gangster who, during the turn of the century, belonged to the Eastman Gang and later succeeded the New York gang leader following his arrest in 1904.-Biography:Born Maxwell Zweifach in Austria on March 14, 1884, to...
, then leader of the Eastman Gang
Eastman Gang
The Eastman Gang was the last of New York's street gangs which dominated the city's underworld during the late 1890s until early 1910s. Along with the Five Points Gang under Paul Kelly, the Eastmans succeeded the long dominant Whyos as the first non-Irish street gang to gain prominence in the...
, who took advantage of The Bottler's affiliation with the rival Five Points Gang
Five Points Gang
Five Points Gang was a 19th-century and early 20th-century criminal organization, primarily of Italian-American origins, based in the Sixth Ward of Manhattan, New York City. Since the early 19th century, the area was first known for gangs of Irish immigrants...
and sought to take over his operation by forcing The Bottler to take on Kid Dahl as his partner. Unsure that the Five Pointers could protect him, especially in the midst of their gang war with the Eastmans, The Bottler was forced to agree to Kid Twist's terms. He and Kid Dahl split the profits equally for six weeks until Kid Dahl brought in The Nailer and ordered The Bottler to leave. Although he considered going to the police, The Bottler decided against it and instead barred his doors to Dahl and sent word to the Five Pointers in preparation to make a stand against the Eastmans.
At this time, a police detective from Central Office was tracking down a lush worker when he stumbled upon the scene between the desperate gambler and Kid Dahl both brandishing firearms at each other. The detective managed to relieve both men of their weapons and took them into custody whereupon he marched them both to the local police precinct where the two were changed with disturbance of the peace
Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed Video, can be found on the fictional radio station, V-Rock, on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Weeks on Chart: 7, Peak: #133...
. Both were tried and Kid Dahl, who repeatedly threatened the life of The Bottler, was fined $5 and released. It was soon after this incident that Kid Dahl allegedly began planning the murder of The Bottler. A few days later, while The Bottler was at his place, a stranger entered the stuss parlor, shot him in the chest twice and left. Despite there being at least twenty people in the room at the time of the shooting, the resort was empty by the time police arrived. Both shots had struck The Bottler's heart and he had died at the scene. An inquest was held, however with Kid Twist being at the Delancy station house arguing over the release of an Eastman member and Kid Dahl seen arguing with the owner of a Houston Street restaurant, both men were released due to lack of evidence. Some time after that, a young member of the Five Points Gang known as Louie the Lump
Louis Pioggi
Louis "Louie the Lump" Pioggi was a New York criminal and member of the Five Points Gang, known most prominently for the murder of Eastman Gang leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach and Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis...
ambushed Kid Twist and his bodyguard Cyclone Louie
Vach Lewis
Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis was an early New York gangster and member of the Eastman Gang under Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach.-Biography:...
at a Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
dance hall and gunned down the two men. The argument had been over a showgirl, Carroll Terry, however it was widely speculated that this had been the Five Pointers retribution for The Bottler's murder.
The Bottler was portrayed in the 1999 historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
Dreamland by Kevin Baker
Kevin Baker
Kevin Baker is an American novelist and journalist. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey and grew up in New Jersey and Rockport, Massachusetts....
.
Further reading
- Pilat, Oliver and Jo Ranson. Sodom by the Sea: An Affectionate History of Coney Island. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Co., 1941.