Gangs of St. Louis: Men of Respect

by Daniel Waugh

St. Louis was a city under siege during Prohibition. Seven different criminal gangs violently vied for control of the town s illegal enterprises. Although their names (the Green Ones, the Pillow Gang, the Russo Gang, Egan s Rats, the Hogan Gang, the Cuckoo Gang and the Shelton Gang) are familiar to many, their exploits have remained largely undocumented until now. Learn how an awkward gunshot wound gave the Pillow Gang its name and why Willie Russo s bizarre midnight interview with a reporter from the St. Louis Star involved an automatic pistol and a floating hunk of cheese. From daring bank robberies to cold-blooded betrayals, Gangs of St. Louis chronicles a fierce yet juicy slice of the Gateway City s history that rivaled anything seen in New York or Chicago."

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, History, Crime, Historical

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2010

Reviews

[Michael Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

You search the Internet and you don’t see much about St. Louis organize crime but with this author has put together in this book is probably the most thorough of any book I’ve read regardless East Coast to West Coast

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice review of St. Louis mafia during its heyday

Very detailed, focused on individual crimes and the myriad, often violent, interactions between the several colorfully named gangs. Focused on 1920s and 30s. Factual and interesting.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book because I always like to read the history of the area where I'm currently living. This book was less of a book than a list of thugs and thuggery. The author names the primary gangs in the area, and then just goes through names with no more information about them than when and where they were born, which gang they ran with and when they got capped and by who. I think the subtitle should not be "Men of Respect," it should be "Violent Thugs and their Violence."

[Michele Tanton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have been much better if it was organized in a different way such as by gang. The author keeps things chronological but seems to jump around, sporadically adding information about each person. Great information and facts but really disorganized.

[Jesse]

Fun read. Some of the stories didn't quite match the stories I heard growing up, but pretty close. Most of the information was new to me.

[mark von nida]

Mob History Must

Well researched and presented in an entertaining manner, this book is a most read for anyone interested in the history of the mob in the St Louis area.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is author Daniel Waugh's second book. This time he chronicles the early years of organized crime in St. Louis where several gangs like the Russo Gang, The Pillow Gang, Egans Rats, and a few others battle for control of the cities bootleg rackets and other illicit trades of crime in St. Louis.

For a short book, it covers a lot. The chapters are roughly fifteen pages and the book includes photos and endnotes which for me is always a bonus. If you're looking for a break from the usual books on Chicago or New York. Read this one you won't be disappointed. I found it to be an informative narrative where I learned a few things.

[Mary Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a 246 page rap sheet. Of monsters.

[Rita Andres · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this book because of the info about the gangs, the street names, the familiar family names and the references to Saint Louis, It was almost a running report of the gang activity in Saint Louis. I would have loved to have known what the wives, mothers and children of these "men of respect" were thinking when their families were forever in danger and on guard. Of course, I am also wondering if the Winkeler mentioned could possible have been a relative.