Johnny Walsh (gang member)

Johnny Walsh
Born	John S. Walsh February 8, 1852(1852-02-08)
Died	October 16, 1883(1883-10-16) (aged 31) Manhattan, New York
Cause of death	Murdered
Nationality	Irish-American
Other names	John S. Walch Johnny the Mick Jonnie the Mick
Occupation	Criminal
Known for	New York gang leader and founder of the Walsh Gang.
Religion	Catholic

For other people named John Walsh, see John Walsh (disambiguation).

John "Johnny the Mick" Walsh (February 8, 1852-October 16, 1883) was an early New York City gangster and leader of the Walsh Gang. Forming the Walshers in the late 1870s, Walsh's violent tactics would dominate the Bowery in several years. Walsh would soon become involved in what would become a long a bitter feud with Johnny Irving's Dutch Mob during the early 1880s as the two fought over the Bowery. On three separate occasions the two gang leaders fought each other in knife fights although these proved inconclusive. The police refused to interfere in the gang war, as was general policy of the time, preferring the gangs to wipe each other out.

The final showdown between Walsh and Irving occurred on October 16, 1883 when, as Walsh was drinking in Shang Draper's saloon on Sixth Avenue, Irving and Billy Porter entered and confronted Walsh. After an altercation between the two, Walsh shot and killed Irving. Porter in turn killed Walsh and was then shot by Draper. Although Porter survived, neither he or Draper were charged with either Walsh or Irving's death.

Further reading

• Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1927. ISBN 1-56025-275-8
• Sifakis, Carl. The Encyclopedia of American Crime. New York: Facts on File Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-8160-4040-0

External links

• Our Police Protectors: History of New York Police - Chapter 16, Part 3 by Holice B. Young

Persondata
Name	Walsh, Johnny
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	February 8, 1852
Place of birth
Date of death	October 16, 1883
Place of death	Manhattan, New York