On June 4, 1902, Madden, together with his brother Martin and his younger sister Mary, sailed from Liverpool as steerage passengers on board the SS Teutonic. Settling in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, Madden joined the Gopher Gang later that year. Described by associates as “that banty little rooster from hell”, Madden quickly became a fierce fighter, known for his skill with a lead pipe and gun in fights with rivals the Hudson Dusters. Madden gained the nickname “the Killer” after gunning down an Italian gang member in the streets, after which he shouted, “Owney Madden, 10th Avenue!” Despite the public nature of the murder, no witnesses came forward linking Madden to the crime.
From the Wikipedia entry on Owney Madden, British émigré turned Manhattan hellcat (and later, underworld bigwig). He is shown leaning foward in the middle back row of the above photo, a class portrait of the Gopher Gang taken in 1910.
