JACK DIAMOND DEAD

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 301, 19 December 1931, Page 1

JACK DIAMOND DEAD

Gangster Shot and Killed in New York. GANG WAR MURDER. United Press Assn. —By Eleetrlo Telegraph—Copyright. (Received December 19, 9.5 a.m.) NEW YORK, December 18. At Albany, New York, Jack Diamond, the gangster, was shot and killed today, during a party celebrating his acquittal yesterday on a kidnapping charge. His assailant is unknown. Jack Diamond, gangster and racketeer, is another victim of the gang warfare that is a daily feature of life in the big cities of the United States. Numerous attempts have been made on his life, the last in October. An American journalist recently wrote of Diamond as follows: “His early history in ‘ What’s What in Prohibition America ’ might run as follows: ‘Born July 11, 1895, in Philadelphia. Father an employee of coffeeroasting firm and very minor Democratic politician. Education, Catholic parochial school. After usual childhood and youth in an Irish tenement neighbourhood, came to New York with younger brother Eddie in 1913 and joined the Butler gang, working in Chelsea district as junior auxiliary to the Gophers. Eddie and Jack, first known as Red and Black Diamond to their little Jack later chistened “ Legs,” from fleetness of foot as package thief, and because he was a long, skinny youth.

“ ‘ Arrested February, 1914, for burglary, but was allowed to plead guilty to unlawful entry, and serve an indeterminate sentence in the penitentiary.

After war, drifted to lower East side, and, under Pretty Louis Amberg, became best silk-and-fur, truck-and-warehouse thief in district. Attracted favourable attention of Jacob (“Little Augie”) Orgen and joined him. After latter’s death took oyer gang and opened offices in a Times Square building under name of Mackenzie Development Corporation, whose affairs were liquidated after Detective Marty Owens arrested him and fourteen other members of the firm for the murder of Herman Bermish, watchman in a Brooklyn fur warehouse. All discharged. Arrests total 25; wounds, 11.’”

Early this year Diamond visited Europe, but was deported to United States, America. Shortly after his return he was badly wounded by rival gangsters at a roadhouse, and on October 12 last was found lying on the floor of his room in a New York hotel with three bullet wounds in the body and one in his head. A 1 Capone was Diamond’s greatest enemy.