Joe Erich

Joe Erich was an early New York fence and underworld figure during the 1850s. Based from New York's Maiden Lane, Erich associated with many criminals and burglars of the era including Jack Spratt, Jack Adams, Tom Gordon, Tom Kelley, Jim Brady, Bowlegged Moore, Johnny Miller, Jim Painter, Amos Leeds, Bill Smith, Dick Collard, Jack Cooper and others. [Crapsey, Edward. "The Nether Side of New York, Or, the Vice, Crime and Poverty of the Great Metropolis". Sheldon, 1872. (pg. 84)]

By 1855, he had become one of the sought after fences in the United States dealing with professional criminals throughout the country. [Woodiwiss, Michael. "Organized Crime and American Power: A History". Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2001. (pg. 60)] Unlike the later rivalries of his successors John D. "Travelling Mike" Grady and Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum, he often worked with his principal competitor Ephriam Snow who operated a dry goods store on Grand and Allen Streets. [Asbury, Herbert. "The Gangs of New York". New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. ISBN 1-56025-275-8 (pg. 193)]

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