Page 90 - All About History - Issue 19-14

THE AL-LIFE GANGS OF EW YORK

After the American war life began to get better during the war formed the Whyos gang and ruled
LIVING for the Irish and many of them gradually moved wider Manhattan with an iron fist. The Irish won
away from the United States’ biggest slum and
themselves political influence with resentment
CONDITIONS the cesspit of violence, waste and disease it had against them subsiding to some degree. Violence
become. This wasn’t the end of the Five Points,
and savagery continued, though, with the
or the gangs though; there were plenty more newspapers lapping up each tale, providing the
immigrants to take their place, this time from Italy, middle classes – many of whom had toured the
China and other far-flung European and Eastern Five Points in the 1840s with camphor-soaked
locations. Those who had just stepped off the boat handkerchiefs over their noses – with a running
in New York often didn’t have enough money to soap opera of sorts.
live anywhere apart from the dirtiest, cheapest and The Five Points is no more today; the buildings
most dangerous part of the city; the Five Points. were gradually razed during the 20th century and
When they were there they grouped together to visitors today will see court houses, Chinatown and
survive and exert the political clout they needed to Little Italy now sitting upon the Five Points area.
improve their position. It is a part of Lower Manhattan now better known
The names of the gangs may have been different, for its prosperity than the slums that witnessed a
but the Five Points remained one of the most two-day riot during the nation’s Independence Day.
dangerous parts of the US long after men like Bill Still, the Five Points – where so many immigrants
the Butcher had become myths told by mothers literally fought for a chance at the American Dream
to scare their children into behaving. Members – will forever be a key part of New York and the
of the Five Points gangs that had disbanded United States’ history.

FREQUENT FIRES “ The Metropolitan Police ran into more
There was one thing residents of the Five Points feared
more than even the gangs – fires. Ruffians affiliated trouble and there were even rumours
themselves to fire stations and were paid for turning up at
blazes first. Rivals would arrive at the same time leading to
large-scale fisticuffs over who would put it out while the the militia would be called in”
properties burned.
POORSANITATION
With so many people living cheek to jowl and so few
outhouses, sanitation was incredibly poor. Sewage ran WHYO
down the streets and the air was filled with the stench of
urine and pigs. Disease soon spread, cholera and diphtheria
making life even more miserable. WHY WERE THEY CALLED THAT? Their calling-
card shout sounded like “Why-o.”
CRAMPEDCONDITIONS
Families and groups of people jammed their bodies into MEMBERS: Irish immigrants
tiny, squalid, dank and dark rooms. Some buildings –
notably The Old Brewery – were full to bursting with MAIN ENEMY: Anyone threatening their turf.
hundreds of people jostling for space. Fights were frequent
and murders common as gangs ran amok in carefree, GANG BRUTALITY: The Whyos emerged
lawless chaos. following the Civil War, made up of murderers
and pickpockets from the old Five Points
street gangs. To become a member, a person
SOURCE MATERIAL needed to have killed at least once.
DID YOU KNOW? They were so feared that
Herbert Asbury paints an almost
other gangs asked them for permission to
unbelievable picture of the Five Points operate. They ruled most of Manhattan,
running prostitution, murder and extortion
rackets. One member, Piker Ryan, even had a
price list; for example, two black eyes cost $3.
DOMINANT YEARS: 1865-1890s

Even in the 1870s, these immigrant tenements in Donovan
Lane near Five Points lived in terrible conditions

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