Boiled Oysters Malloy
Encyclopedia
Boiled Oysters Malloy (fl.
1850 – 1870) was the pseudonym
of an American
saloon keeper, thief and underworld figure in New York City
during the mid-to late 19th century. He was especially known in the Bowery where he ran a popular basement bar
and underworld hangout, located on Centre Street
near the Tombs
, known as The Ruins where "three drops of terrible whiskey were sold for a dime". His establishment was one of several owned by popular Bowery characters, most notably Mush Riley, whose dive bar
was located just a few doors away from The Ruins. Malloy's nickname was derived from "his love of boiled oysters", and, according to Frank Moss
in The American Metropolis from Knickerbocker Days to the Present Time (1897), when his mother commented on his diamonds and fine clothes would respond "Arrah, mother, I've struck it. I'm living on biled oysters."
A criminal associate of Patsy Conroy
and his gang
, Malloy was involved in an incident with Conroy, Bill Cummings and Charley Mosher one night at a Hester Street dive bar in the Bowery. All four had been wounded, the most serious being Conroy who was shot in the arm and Cummings in the chest, while Mosher and Malloy had only minor injuries. Shortly after their arrival, local thief Jim McGuire entered the bar with some recently stolen goods. McGuire, in high spirits, bought a round of drinks for the four men. A verbal altercation between Cummings and McGuire led to Conroy demanding a percentage of McGuire's merchandise. When McGuire tried to leave, he was stopped and attacked with Malloy and his companions helping themselves to McGuire's goods.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1850 – 1870) was the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
saloon keeper, thief and underworld figure in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during the mid-to late 19th century. He was especially known in the Bowery where he ran a popular basement bar
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
and underworld hangout, located on Centre Street
Centre Street (Manhattan)
Centre Street runs north-south in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Centre Street runs from Park Row and continues north to Delancey Street where it merges with Lafayette Street....
near the Tombs
The Tombs
"The Tombs" is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex, a jail in Lower Manhattan at 125 White Street, as well as the popular name of a series of preceding downtown jails, the first of which was built in 1838 in the Egyptian Revival style of architecture.The nickname has been used...
, known as The Ruins where "three drops of terrible whiskey were sold for a dime". His establishment was one of several owned by popular Bowery characters, most notably Mush Riley, whose dive bar
Dive bar
A dive bar is a type of bar or pub. Dive bars generally have a relaxed and informal atmosphere—they are often referred to by local residents as "neighborhood bars," where people in the neighborhood gather to drink and socialize...
was located just a few doors away from The Ruins. Malloy's nickname was derived from "his love of boiled oysters", and, according to Frank Moss
Frank Moss (lawyer)
Frank Moss was an American lawyer, reformer and author. He was involved in many of the reform movements in New York City shortly before the turn of the century up until his death. As a longtime assistant to District Attorney Charles S...
in The American Metropolis from Knickerbocker Days to the Present Time (1897), when his mother commented on his diamonds and fine clothes would respond "Arrah, mother, I've struck it. I'm living on biled oysters."
A criminal associate of Patsy Conroy
Patsy Conroy
Patrick Conway , commonly known by his alias Patsy or Patsy Conroy, was an American burglar and river pirate...
and his gang
Patsy Conroy Gang
The Patsy or Patsey Conroy Gang were a group of river pirates active along the New York waterfront of the old Fourth Ward during the post-American Civil War era. For nearly twenty years, the Patsy Conroys dominated the area of Corlears' Hook and were one of the last major waterfront gangs to remain...
, Malloy was involved in an incident with Conroy, Bill Cummings and Charley Mosher one night at a Hester Street dive bar in the Bowery. All four had been wounded, the most serious being Conroy who was shot in the arm and Cummings in the chest, while Mosher and Malloy had only minor injuries. Shortly after their arrival, local thief Jim McGuire entered the bar with some recently stolen goods. McGuire, in high spirits, bought a round of drinks for the four men. A verbal altercation between Cummings and McGuire led to Conroy demanding a percentage of McGuire's merchandise. When McGuire tried to leave, he was stopped and attacked with Malloy and his companions helping themselves to McGuire's goods.