it.”
Ida stepped back, and she shoved Riley into the center of the floor. Smiling broadly, the four Gophers pumped four bullets into Riley's torso. Then Ida's former boyfriend stepped forward, and he put one final bullet into Riley's brain.
Proud of their accomplishments, the four Gophers strode out of the Maryland Cafe, followed closely by Ida the Goose, glowing with pride that such a battle had been fought over her affections.
As a result, Ida the Goose was again the exclusive property of the Gophers, never to stray from their embrace.
J ohnson, Ellsworth (Bumpy)
Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson was known as a murderous policy numbers baron in Harlem during the 1930's, but he was, in addition, the conduit between the Italian Mob and the Harlem rackets for almost three decades.
Ellsworth Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 31, 1905. He got the nickname “Bumpy” because as a child he had received a huge dump on the back of his head. Johnson was a brilliant youth, and by the time he was eight years old, he had already skipped two grades.
When Johnson was 10, his brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Knowing a lynch mob was looking for Willie, Johnson's parents sent Willie to live up north.
Growing toward adulthood, Bumpy Johnson was a proud black man, defiant of the segregation and the violence perpetrated against blacks in the deep south. Johnson's parents were worried Johnson, who had a violent temper, would follow in his brother Willie's footsteps. So, in 1919, they sent Johnson to Harlem to stay with his Aunt Mabel.
After graduating from Boys High in Brooklyn and attending City College for a few semesters, Johnson got involved with a wild element in Harlem. As a result, he made several trips to prison, for such crimes as armed robbery and burglary. In a 10-year stretch of prison life, Johnson, because of his penchant for violence, spent a full three years in solitary confinement. When he was released in 1932, Johnson had spent more than half of his life behind bars.
Back on the streets causing mayhem, Johnson caught the eye of Stephanie St. Clair, called “Madame Queen” in Harlem. Johnson became chief lieutenant to St. Clair. But it was rumored they were also lovers, even though St. Clair was 20 years Johnson's elder.
St. Clair was a numbers baron, who was being squeezed out of the rackets by crazed gangster Dutch Schultz. Schultz used every trick in the book to drive St. Clair out of Harlem, including killing her numbers runners and paying off the cops to arrest St. Clair's numbers runners on sight.
Johnson, knowing Schultz was not a reasonable man, went to Italian mob boss Lucky Luciano, and he asked Luciano to intercede on St. Clair's behalf. Luciano was impressed with Johnson's gumption and intelligence. But he told Johnson there was not much he could do as far as Schultz was concerned, since he and Schultz were partners in several other illegal activities. Johnson decided to take the war to Schultz, and for the next three years, the two gangs shot each other on sight, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.
In 1935, Johnson and St. Clair caught a break, when Luciano, tired of the murderous Schultz's unpredictable violence, had Schultz gunned down in a New Jersey steakhouse. Luciano gave Schultz's numbers rackets to “Trigger” Mike Coppola, a captain in what was later to be called the “Genovese Crime Family.”
However, Luciano, remembering Johnson's capabilities, cut a deal with Johnson, allowing Johnson and St. Clair to keep their independent Harlem numbers business intact. This made Johnson an instant hero to the black people in Harlem, and it also gave Johnson respect and credibility with the Italian mob. Soon, St. Clair opted for retirement, and she turned over her number business to Johnson.
With the backing of the Italian mob, Johnson became “The Man” in Harlem. Johnson rubbed elbows with many Harlem celebrities, including Bill "
Ida stepped back, and she shoved Riley into the center of the floor. Smiling broadly, the four Gophers pumped four bullets into Riley's torso. Then Ida's former boyfriend stepped forward, and he put one final bullet into Riley's brain.
Proud of their accomplishments, the four Gophers strode out of the Maryland Cafe, followed closely by Ida the Goose, glowing with pride that such a battle had been fought over her affections.
As a result, Ida the Goose was again the exclusive property of the Gophers, never to stray from their embrace.
J ohnson, Ellsworth (Bumpy)
Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson was known as a murderous policy numbers baron in Harlem during the 1930's, but he was, in addition, the conduit between the Italian Mob and the Harlem rackets for almost three decades.
Ellsworth Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 31, 1905. He got the nickname “Bumpy” because as a child he had received a huge dump on the back of his head. Johnson was a brilliant youth, and by the time he was eight years old, he had already skipped two grades.
When Johnson was 10, his brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Knowing a lynch mob was looking for Willie, Johnson's parents sent Willie to live up north.
Growing toward adulthood, Bumpy Johnson was a proud black man, defiant of the segregation and the violence perpetrated against blacks in the deep south. Johnson's parents were worried Johnson, who had a violent temper, would follow in his brother Willie's footsteps. So, in 1919, they sent Johnson to Harlem to stay with his Aunt Mabel.
After graduating from Boys High in Brooklyn and attending City College for a few semesters, Johnson got involved with a wild element in Harlem. As a result, he made several trips to prison, for such crimes as armed robbery and burglary. In a 10-year stretch of prison life, Johnson, because of his penchant for violence, spent a full three years in solitary confinement. When he was released in 1932, Johnson had spent more than half of his life behind bars.
Back on the streets causing mayhem, Johnson caught the eye of Stephanie St. Clair, called “Madame Queen” in Harlem. Johnson became chief lieutenant to St. Clair. But it was rumored they were also lovers, even though St. Clair was 20 years Johnson's elder.
St. Clair was a numbers baron, who was being squeezed out of the rackets by crazed gangster Dutch Schultz. Schultz used every trick in the book to drive St. Clair out of Harlem, including killing her numbers runners and paying off the cops to arrest St. Clair's numbers runners on sight.
Johnson, knowing Schultz was not a reasonable man, went to Italian mob boss Lucky Luciano, and he asked Luciano to intercede on St. Clair's behalf. Luciano was impressed with Johnson's gumption and intelligence. But he told Johnson there was not much he could do as far as Schultz was concerned, since he and Schultz were partners in several other illegal activities. Johnson decided to take the war to Schultz, and for the next three years, the two gangs shot each other on sight, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.
In 1935, Johnson and St. Clair caught a break, when Luciano, tired of the murderous Schultz's unpredictable violence, had Schultz gunned down in a New Jersey steakhouse. Luciano gave Schultz's numbers rackets to “Trigger” Mike Coppola, a captain in what was later to be called the “Genovese Crime Family.”
However, Luciano, remembering Johnson's capabilities, cut a deal with Johnson, allowing Johnson and St. Clair to keep their independent Harlem numbers business intact. This made Johnson an instant hero to the black people in Harlem, and it also gave Johnson respect and credibility with the Italian mob. Soon, St. Clair opted for retirement, and she turned over her number business to Johnson.
With the backing of the Italian mob, Johnson became “The Man” in Harlem. Johnson rubbed elbows with many Harlem celebrities, including Bill "
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