The picture is of Bill Poole set against his grave in Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Is there a historical parallel with this connection? Bill "The Butcher" Poole (played by Daniel Day Lewis in "Gangs Of New York") despised the mid 1800's new immigrant group in New York, the Irish Catholics. This hatred happens often in history, i.e. the previous immigrant group always has animosity for the next immigrant group, aka the despised become the despisers.
If we jump to the mid 1900's and we talk about how immigrant groups coexisted in the KV area one can look at the Irish (both Catholic and a few Protestant) being the older group and perhaps (in a sequential order) the Italians, Jews, African Americans and Puerto Ricans being the newer. Now I'm painting broad strokes here and obviously doesn't happen all the time or even a majority of the time, so please don't turn me in to the politically correct police. If it's expertise that you want read Philip Foner. When I taught in Crown Heights in the 70's and 80's it was first the West Indians (from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, etc.) who were at odds with the native African Americans. Later these West Indians were at odds with the newer Haitian immigrants. This doesn't even touch upon a larger race problem that was based on color involving the Hasidic Jews of Crown Heights.
Back to my point, there was some friction between Italians and Jews in the old KV era. Also I'm sure each group harbored unsaid prejudiced feelings towards each other, but there was more or less a peaceful coexistence. Irish Teddy Graff was also in many ways an honorary member of our "tribe." However, if there was one kid who was our (Jewish) tormentor it was the Irish Eddie Flannery. So was he a kind of a Bill Poole of the 1950's.
Some info about Bill Poole from Wikipedia, which also dispels the movie version of him.
William Poole (July 24, 1821 – March 8, 1855), also known as Bill the Butcher, was a member of the New York City gang, the Bowery Boys, a bare-knuckle boxer, and a leader of the Know Nothing political movement.
Poole was born in Sussex County, New Jersey to parents of English descent.[1] In 1832, his family moved to New York City to open a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan.
The New York Daily Times reported the following on October 23, 1851:
A Brutal Outrage in Broadway. We learn that at an early hour yesterday morning, two noted pugilists entered Florence's Hotel, corner of Broadway and Howard street, and without any provocation seized the bar-keeper and beat his face to a jelly. It appears that Thomas Hyer, William Poole, and several others entered the above hotel, and while one of the party held Charles Owens (the bar-keeper) by the hair of his head, another of the gang beat him in the face to such an extent that his left eye was completely ruined and the flesh of his cheek mangled in the most shocking manner. After thus accomplishing the heartless act, all of them made an effort to find Mr. John Florence, the proprietor of the hotel, with a view of serving him in the same manner, but not succeeding in their latter design, they found the hat of Mr. Florence and wantonly cut it into strips, and trampled it under their feet. The desperadoes then left the house, and in the meantime Mr. Owens was placed under medical attendance, and in the course of a short time he proceeded to the Jefferson Market Police, in company with Mr. Florence, where they made their affidavits respecting the inhuman outrage, upon which Justice Blakeley issued his warrants for Hyer, Poole, and such of the others who were concerned in the affair, and the same were placed in the hands of officer Baldwin for service. Since the above was written we have been reliably informed that the affray originated from the fact of the barkeeper having refused them drinks, after they had been furnished with them twice in succession.
Poole's archenemy, John Morrissey, was an Irish immigrant and enforcer for Tammany Hall. Morrissey was also a popular boxer and challenged Poole to a match. Though the two men were of differing ethnic backgrounds and political parties, the initial grounds for their dispute may have arisen from an earlier bet by Poole on a boxing match. Poole placed his bet on Morrisey's opponent, "Yankee Sullivan". The fight took place at Boston Corners on October 12, 1853. Results of the boxing match were disputed, and Poole was against Morrissey being paid. Poole and Morrisey squared off in the ring to settle their dispute on July 26, 1854, at Amos Dock, New York. The New York Daily Times reported the story on July 28, 1854:
Subjoined we give an account of the brutal affair, furnished by a person who witnessed it. He says: "Yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, an encounter took place between John Morrissey and William Poole on the pier at the foot of Amos Street, North River. For some time past Morrissey has entertained the idea of attaining the unenviable notoriety attached to a fighting man. He has frequently challenged Hyer to meet him in the ring and settle their animosities by a fisticuff battle.
According to historian Mark Caldwell, during the fight Poole "bit and gouged but won only when his friends joined the fight and kicked Morrissey unconscious."
Morrissey plotted revenge and on February 25, 1855, Lew Baker, a friend of Morrissey, shot Poole at a bar on Broadway. The New York Daily Times reported on Monday, February 26, 1855 the following:
"Terrible Shooting Affray in Broadway - Bill Poole Fatally Wounded - The Morrissey and Poole Feud - Renewal of Hostilities - Several Persons Severely Wounded. Broadway, in the vicinity of Prince and Houston Streets, was the scene of an exciting shooting affair about 1 o'clock yesterday morning, which is but a repetition of a similar occurrence that transpired a few weeks ago under Wallack's Theatre between Tom Hyer, Lewis Baker, Jim Turner and several other noted pugilists...View Full Article at Wikisource
Poole died on March 8, 1855 from the gunshot wound. He died in his home on Christopher Street. His last words were just as they were dictated in the film Gangs of New York: "I die a true American." He was buried on March 11, 1855 in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn with no tombstone. A tombstone was added in 2004. The grave is number: 48 and 49
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