Danny Lyons
Encyclopedia
Danny Lyons was, along with Danny Driscoll
, the leader of the Whyos
street gang during the 1870s and 1880s.
A prominent member of the Whyos, a New York City
street gang, Lyons led the gang with Danny Driscoll
at their height during the late nineteenth century. Lyons, who was hired for crimes ranging from assault to murder, also supported three prostitutes, Lizzie the Dove, Bunty Kate, and Gentle Maggie. When the three women were unable to earn enough money Lyons hired Kitty McGown away from rival pimp Joseph Quinn
. Quinn soon began looking for Lyons and on July 5, 1887, Lyons killed Quinn during a gunfight between them. Lyons was captured several months later and, while it seemed to be self defense on the part of Lyons, he was executed by hanging
on August 21, 1888. However, it has been suspected local authorities used the incident as an excuse to execute the well known criminal. While Kitty McGown and Bunty Kate quickly found another pimp, Lizzie the Dove and Gentle Maggie went into mourning. The two later got into an argument while toasting Lyons at a Bowery tavern and Gentle Maggie stabbed Lizzie the Dove in the throat, killing her. As Lizzie the Dove lay dying she was said to have told Gentle Maggie that she would "meet you in hell and there scratch your eyes out".
Danny Driscoll
Daniel "Danny" Driscoll was an American criminal and co-leader of the Whyos with Danny Lyons. The two held joint control over the street gang following the death of Mike McGloin in 1883, however both men were executed for separate murders only months apart from each other...
, the leader of the Whyos
Whyos
The Whyos, a collection of the various post-Civil War street gangs of New York, was the city's dominant street gang during the late 19th century. The gang controlled most of Manhattan from the late 1860s until the early 1890s, when the Monk Eastman Gang defeated the last of the Whyos...
street gang during the 1870s and 1880s.
A prominent member of the Whyos, a 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...
street gang, Lyons led the gang with Danny Driscoll
Danny Driscoll
Daniel "Danny" Driscoll was an American criminal and co-leader of the Whyos with Danny Lyons. The two held joint control over the street gang following the death of Mike McGloin in 1883, however both men were executed for separate murders only months apart from each other...
at their height during the late nineteenth century. Lyons, who was hired for crimes ranging from assault to murder, also supported three prostitutes, Lizzie the Dove, Bunty Kate, and Gentle Maggie. When the three women were unable to earn enough money Lyons hired Kitty McGown away from rival pimp Joseph Quinn
Joseph Quinn
Joseph Quinn was a New York clerk, amateur wrestler and murder victim of Danny Lyons, a co-leader of the Whyos street gang.-Early life:...
. Quinn soon began looking for Lyons and on July 5, 1887, Lyons killed Quinn during a gunfight between them. Lyons was captured several months later and, while it seemed to be self defense on the part of Lyons, he was executed by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
on August 21, 1888. However, it has been suspected local authorities used the incident as an excuse to execute the well known criminal. While Kitty McGown and Bunty Kate quickly found another pimp, Lizzie the Dove and Gentle Maggie went into mourning. The two later got into an argument while toasting Lyons at a Bowery tavern and Gentle Maggie stabbed Lizzie the Dove in the throat, killing her. As Lizzie the Dove lay dying she was said to have told Gentle Maggie that she would "meet you in hell and there scratch your eyes out".
Further reading
- Sifakis, Carl. Encyclopedia of American Crime, New York. Facts on File Inc., 1982