Louis Cohen

Louis Cohen
Cohen, shortly after being taken into custody for the murder of Nathan Kaplan.
Born (1904-01-01)January 1, 1904
Died January 28, 1939(1939-01-28) (aged 35)
Manhattan, New York, United States
Cause of death Murder
Resting place Mount Hebron Cemetery
Nationality American
Known for New York mobster associated with labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter who murdered rival "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan in 1923.

Louis Cohen (Born Louis Kerzner January 1, 1904 – January 28, 1939) was a New York mobster who murdered labor racketeer "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan and was an associate of labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter.[1] He became an informant during the late 1930s, and was killed along with Isadore Friedman shortly before they were to testify against Buchalter.

Biography

Born Louis Kerzner, Cohen was a minor criminal in the employ of racketeer Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen when he was hired by lieutenants Louis Buchalter, Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro and Jack "Legs" Diamond to murder rival mobster Nathan Kaplan. He later killed him while under police escort outside the Essex Market Court House in lower Manhattan on August 28, 1923. Immediately arrested by police, he was subsequently convicted of Dropper's murder and sentenced to 20–25 years imprisonment at Sing Sing Prison. Released on parole in 1937, he was gunned down on January 28, 1939.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "New Gang Methods Replace Those Of Eastman's Days. Gunman Type Rules". The New York Times. September 9, 1923. p. 164. Retrieved 2010-12-13. Louis Cohen shot down Kid Dropper as he was leaving the Essex Market Court with police guards on all sides. Louis Cohen is a romanticist—he wanted to be a gangster and the Little Augie gangsters played on his ambition until he did the dirty work they were afraid to tackle.... when the Dead Rabbits and the Plug Ugly gang held sway there were 30,000 vagrant youths .... Webber and Harry Vallon brought the necessary pressure.... (subscription required)

References

  • Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. ISBN 1-56025-275-8
  • Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5694-3

Further reading

  • Chiocca, Olindo Romeo. Mobsters and Thugs: Quotes from the Underworld. Toronto: Guernica Editions, 2000. ISBN 1-55071-104-0
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