Murder Inc. was a group of ruthless contract killers who were employed full time by Lucky Luciano’s National Crime Syndicate. The Syndicate and Murder Inc. were made up of both Italian and Jewish mobsters. At this moment of time in the 1930’s the Jewish mob was just as powerful as the Italian mob although that would quickly change.
The purpose of the Syndicate was to mediate disputes and develop a structure among the crime families. Murder Inc. was created to enforce the rules put in place and eliminate all threats. Murder Inc. as a team killed more than any other mob crew. It’s estimated that they killed up to 1,000 people in their decade-long existence.
Some of the murders like Dutch Schultz were high profile, but most were obscure murders that went unsolved. The group had two men that relayed Syndicate “contracts”. Albert Anastasia relayed orders to the Italian side and Lepke Buchalter managed the Jewish section. Both groups would hang out together at Midnight Rose Candy Store on Saratoga Ave in Brooklyn.
Abe “Kid Twist” Reles aka “The Canary Who Could Sing But Couldn’t Fly”
Abe Reles was the spiritual leader of the Jewish Murder Inc. section. He came in already with a strong resume in the underworld, he was the boss of the Brownsville Boys. He had gone to war with the current Brownsville bosses the Shapiro brothers, and all three brothers would end up dead. Reles and his main partner Martin “Buggsy” Goldstein both took a couple bullets in the war but emerged victorious.
When Lepke Buchalter and the Syndicate came calling, Kid Twist quickly became the go-to man. He often acted as the contact person between the bosses and the shooters. Reles often displayed his gruesome side by using an ice pick on many victims. He was also known to have buried victims alive after torturing them. He enjoyed the clout that came with that kind of savagery. Reles had a hand in up to 80 murders.
Of course, Reles would turn witness against his partners after being implicated in a murder case. He knew his time in the mob was up and tried to save his own life. Through the testimony of Reles and others, 7 Murder Inc. members went to the electric chair. Kid Twist would end up mysteriously falling 6 stories to his death just before he was to testify against Albert Anastasia, who would walk away from the demise of Murder Inc. unscathed.
Harry “Pittsburgh Phil” Strauss
Pittsburgh Phil was a childhood friend of both Abe Reles and Bugsy Goldstein, and a member of the Brownsville Boys. He followed them into Murder Inc. and became their most prolific killer on the team. He is said to have killed more than 100 people by his own hand. Some historians claim Pittsburgh Phil could have killed up to 500 people.
Strauss was always on call at the candy store, eager to kill and get paid for it. His specialty was out of town killings where he’d quietly leave after getting a copy of the next days’ paper where he could enjoy the attention his handy work got. Unlike Reles and Goldstein, Strauss was a tall and handsome individual with a reputation as a ladies’ man.
When Strauss wasn’t at the candy store or on a job, he was often bedding beautiful women. He even dated the world famous sex symbol Jean Harlot for a time. Harry’s true love was murder though, he had been killing people since he was a teenager. One of his methods was to choke victims by tying their legs while bent behind their back to their necks. The victims would eventually choke themselves to death.
Pittsburgh Phil Strauss would be implicated in the gruesome murder of Irving “Puggy” Feinstein by Abe Reles. Puggy had been strangled and then dumped in an empty lot where his body was burned. Strauss decided to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. He grew a big beard which was considered unusual at the time. Strauss took the stand in his own defense where he basically mumbled incoherently.
At one point, Pittsburgh Phil even started chewing on a leather briefcase in front of the court. None of these tactics ended up working and Strauss was found guilty of the Feinstein murder. He was sentenced to death on September 19, 1940. To show how different the times were back then, he was executed a mere 7 months later in Sing Sing’s famous “Ol Sparky”. Strauss was a mere 31 years old at the time of his death.
Emanuel “Mendy” Weiss
Emanuel “Mendy” Weiss was a long time disciple of Lepke Buchalter, even before the creation of Murder Inc. Weiss was Lepke’s most trusted underling and was given a high position in the garment rackets. He was a ready and willing killer as well. Mendy also trafficked heavily in narcotics with his partner in crime Philip “Little Farvel” Cohen.
During his time with Murder Inc., Mendy was a participant in some of the group’s most notorious hits. The most high profile one being that of Dutch Schultz in 1935. Schultz had designs on killing federal prosecutor Thomas Dewey and refused to abandon the plans after being warned off by Lepke and Lucky Luciano. Schultz and 3 of his associates were gunned down at the Palace Chophouse in New Jersey.
It was the murder of candy store owner Joseph Rosen that led to his eventual downfall. After Abe Reles turned witness, he implicated Mendy and several others including Lepke in the Rosen murder. Reles’ story was backed up by fellow Murder Inc. turncoat Allie “Tick Tock” Tannenbaum. Implicated with Mendy was fellow hitman Louis Capone. Mendy, Capone and Lepke would all be executed for the murder on the same day, March 4, 1944.
Martin “Buggsy” Goldstein
The longtime friend and associate of Abe Reles and Pittsburgh Phil would also be executed after the defection of Reles. He was implicated along with Strauss in the murder of Puggy Feinstein. Buggsy and Reles had actually been very close and he was devastated by the turn, even crying in court several times. He had also been betrayed by another longtime associate, Seymour “Blue Jaw” Magoon who backed up Reles on the stand.
Buggsy Goldstein and Strauss went on trial together for the Feinstein murder. Unlike Pittsburgh Phil who tried an insanity defense, Buggsy and his lawyers put up virtually no defense at all. At sentencing, he told the judge that “I would like to pee on your leg”. Buggsy and Strauss were both sentenced to death and they were executed on the same day just a few months later
Harry “Happy” Maione & Frank “The Dasher” Abbandando
The nickname “Happy” was given to Harry Maione in jest. He was a fierce individual with a perpetual snarl attached to his face. He was known even among this group of killers for having an unpredictable and vicious temper. Happy led the Italian faction of Murder Inc., originally based out of the Ocean Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn. His partner from the early days was Frank “The Dasher” Abbandando.
Maione and Reles had never cared for each other even in the better days, although the Ocean Hill gang did help Reles take over Brownsville. Eventually the two gangs would band together permanently to become Murder Inc., the enforcement arm of Lucky Luciano’s National Crime Syndicate. “The Combination” as they were known, became the most deadly team of hitmen the mob had ever seen, even to this day.
One of the most infamous murders committed by Maione and Abbandando was that of George “Whitey” Rudnick. Rudnick was viciously tortured, having been jabbed dozens of times with an ice pick. When they were done having fun with their victim, Maione finished him off with a meat cleaver. Pittsburgh Phil Strauss and Abe “Pretty” Levine were also there for the Rudnick killing.
After the Reles defection, Maione and Abbandando were charged with the murder of Whitey Rudnick. To make matters worse, Pretty Levine also cooperated against them. In court, Happy lived up to his nickname by losing his cool multiple times while Abe Reles was on the stand. He threw a glass at one point and more than once threatened to kill Reles in front of the court.
Reles enjoyed every last second of the betrayal and just laughed as Maione repeatedly lost his shit in the courtroom. Frank the Dasher was much more composed in court in comparison to Maione. Regardless of their behavior, both would suffer the ultimate price for their crimes.
They were both convicted of 1st degree murder, which at that time meant an automatic death sentence. Surprisingly, the decision was overturned by the court of appeals. Then in March 1941, they were once again convicted of the crime and again sentenced to death. They were both executed by Sing Sing’s “Ol Sparky” on February 19, 1942.
Charles “Charlie The Bug” Workman
“Charlie The Bug” was a rare core member of Murder Inc. who didn’t go to the electric chair. He was involved in many murders, including the Dutch Schultz hit. He almost got killed for the Schultz hit by Mendy Weiss due to him going back in the restaurant and taking any valuable belongings off his victims.
Eventually, the Bug was given a pass by his bosses. After Murder Inc’s downfall, Workman would catch a break. Unlike the other trials, the evidence against him was not as solid. He ended up serving 23 years in prison and was paroled in March of 1964. By all accounts, Workman was a model prisoner who never got in trouble.
The nephew of Charles Workman claims that the mafia took care of Workman’s family financially while he was in prison. After his release, he went back to the streets of New York but not as a hitman, he was now a salesman. He would never again be in trouble with the law. A miraculous turnaround for a vicious mafia killer.