Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen (January 1893 – October 16, 1927) was a New York gangster involved in bootlegging and labor racketeering during Prohibition.
Born to a middle-class Orthodox Jewish family from Austria as Jacob Orgenstein, Orgen became a well-known labor slugger for Benjamin "Dopey Benny" Fein by the early 1910s. Being ambitious, he had formed his own gang, "The Little Augies", c. 1911. He operated his labor rackets diligently for the next five or six years until his former boss, Dopey Benny, had faded from prominence. His rising star was soon put on hold, however, when "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan and Johnny Spanish were both released from Sing Sing in 1917. While they worked together at first, they soon resumed their old rivalry and each formed his own separate gang.
Orgen was even further hindered in his rise in 1919 when he was jailed on a robbery charge. Kid Dropper eventually eliminated Spanish that same year and reigned supreme while Orgen was in jail. While Orgen was in prison, his gang barely held together and fought, often unsuccessfully, against Kaplan's gang while waiting patiently for their leader to return to the streets.
Orgen was released and on the streets again in 1923.[1] Quickly becoming a formidable rival again to Kaplan, Orgen gradually built up a powerful organization which included members such as gunmen Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro, and Jack "Legs" Diamond. Orgen, allied with Solomon Schapiro, challenged Kaplan over labor slugging activities, particularly in the garment district. In 1923, a gang war broke out after a dispute over striking "wet wash" laundry workers.
After several months of fighting, including a particularly violent gunfight on Essex Street resulting in the deaths of two bystanders, Kaplan was murdered by gunman Louis Kushner, a man attached to Orgen's organization, on August 28, 1923. With Kaplan's death, Orgen gained complete control over labor racketeering.
By 1925 Orgen, in partnership with Legs Diamond, had started to move into bootlegging, supplying Broadway nightclubs and speakeasies. He also kept up his original core occupation of labor slugging. City officials soon began investigating union racketeering in New York, which threatened to expose other criminal operations. In 1927, through intermediary Louis Buchalter (although some sources claim Meyer Lansky), Orgen was advised by Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein[2] to concentrate on infiltrating labor unions instead of traditional labor slugging and strong-arm tactics.
Personal life
In 1926 Orgen became a father when his wife gave birth to a girl who the couple named Zelda. With his increasing wealth, Orgen moved his family out of the Lower East Side to the more affluent Upper West Side.
Though the labor rackets were originally his main source of income, by the mid 1920s Orgen was expanding his horizons into bootlegging and other rackets.
Death
On October 16, 1927, while walking on Norfolk Street in a Manhattan neighborhood on the Lower East Side, Orgen was killed by Buchalter and Shapiro in a drive-by shooting. Orgen's bodyguard Jack Diamond was also seriously wounded during the attack. Although 34 years old at the time of his murder, Orgen's tombstone in Mount Judah Cemetery reads simply "Jacob Orgen, Age 26 Years" because his father had disowned him after he formed the "Little Augies" in 1919 at the age of 26.[3][page needed]
References
^Downey, Patrick (2004). Gangster City. Fort Lee, New Jersey: Barricade Books. p. 73. ISBN1-56980-361-7.
^Arnold Rothstein Chronology January 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine at www.davidpietrusza.com
^Robert A. Rockaway: But He Was Good to His Mother: The Lives and Crimes of Jewish Gangsters, Gefen Publishing House, 1993, ISBN978-965-229-249-0
Further reading
Fried, Albert. The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980. ISBN0-231-09683-6
O'Kane, James M. The Crooked Ladder: Gangsters, Ethnicity and the American Dream. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 1994. ISBN0-7658-0994-X
Pietrusza, David. Rothstein: The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2003. ISBN0-7867-1250-3
Downey, Patrick. Gangster City: The History of the New York Underworld 1900-1935. New Jersey: Barricade Books 2004. ISBN1-56980-267-X
Almog, Oz, Kosher Nostra Jüdische Gangster in Amerika, 1890–1980 ; Jüdischen Museum der Stadt Wien ; 2003, Text Oz Almog, Erich Metz, ISBN3-901398-33-3
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Jacob Little Augie Orgen January 1893 October 16 1927 was a New York gangster involved in bootlegging and labor racketeering during Prohibition Jacob Little Augie OrgenNYPD mug shot of Jacob OrgenBornJacob OrgensteinJanuary 1893AustriaDiedOctober 16 1927 aged 34 Manhattan New York U S Cause of deathMurderedNationalityAmericanOther namesLittle AugieOccupationLabor racketeerKnown forVice king bootlegger Labor racketeer Drug traffickerHeight5 ft 2 in 157 cm PredecessorNathan KaplanSuccessorLouis Lepke Buchalter Jacob Gurrah ShapiroChildren1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Death 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBiography EditBorn to a middle class Orthodox Jewish family from Austria as Jacob Orgenstein Orgen became a well known labor slugger for Benjamin Dopey Benny Fein by the early 1910s Being ambitious he had formed his own gang The Little Augies c 1911 He operated his labor rackets diligently for the next five or six years until his former boss Dopey Benny had faded from prominence His rising star was soon put on hold however when Kid Dropper Nathan Kaplan and Johnny Spanish were both released from Sing Sing in 1917 While they worked together at first they soon resumed their old rivalry and each formed his own separate gang Orgen was even further hindered in his rise in 1919 when he was jailed on a robbery charge Kid Dropper eventually eliminated Spanish that same year and reigned supreme while Orgen was in jail While Orgen was in prison his gang barely held together and fought often unsuccessfully against Kaplan s gang while waiting patiently for their leader to return to the streets Orgen was released and on the streets again in 1923 1 Quickly becoming a formidable rival again to Kaplan Orgen gradually built up a powerful organization which included members such as gunmen Louis Lepke Buchalter Jacob Gurrah Shapiro and Jack Legs Diamond Orgen allied with Solomon Schapiro challenged Kaplan over labor slugging activities particularly in the garment district In 1923 a gang war broke out after a dispute over striking wet wash laundry workers After several months of fighting including a particularly violent gunfight on Essex Street resulting in the deaths of two bystanders Kaplan was murdered by gunman Louis Kushner a man attached to Orgen s organization on August 28 1923 With Kaplan s death Orgen gained complete control over labor racketeering By 1925 Orgen in partnership with Legs Diamond had started to move into bootlegging supplying Broadway nightclubs and speakeasies He also kept up his original core occupation of labor slugging City officials soon began investigating union racketeering in New York which threatened to expose other criminal operations In 1927 through intermediary Louis Buchalter although some sources claim Meyer Lansky Orgen was advised by Arnold The Brain Rothstein 2 to concentrate on infiltrating labor unions instead of traditional labor slugging and strong arm tactics Personal life EditIn 1926 Orgen became a father when his wife gave birth to a girl who the couple named Zelda With his increasing wealth Orgen moved his family out of the Lower East Side to the more affluent Upper West Side Though the labor rackets were originally his main source of income by the mid 1920s Orgen was expanding his horizons into bootlegging and other rackets Death EditOn October 16 1927 while walking on Norfolk Street in a Manhattan neighborhood on the Lower East Side Orgen was killed by Buchalter and Shapiro in a drive by shooting Orgen s bodyguard Jack Diamond was also seriously wounded during the attack Although 34 years old at the time of his murder Orgen s tombstone in Mount Judah Cemetery reads simply Jacob Orgen Age 26 Years because his father had disowned him after he formed the Little Augies in 1919 at the age of 26 3 page needed References Edit Downey Patrick 2004 Gangster City Fort Lee New Jersey Barricade Books p 73 ISBN 1 56980 361 7 Arnold Rothstein Chronology Archived January 4 2006 at the Wayback Machine at www davidpietrusza com Robert A Rockaway But He Was Good to His Mother The Lives and Crimes of Jewish Gangsters Gefen Publishing House 1993 ISBN 978 965 229 249 0Further reading EditFried Albert The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America New York Holt Rinehart and Winston 1980 ISBN 0 231 09683 6 O Kane James M The Crooked Ladder Gangsters Ethnicity and the American Dream New Brunswick New Jersey Transaction Publishers 1994 ISBN 0 7658 0994 X Pietrusza David Rothstein The Life Times and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series New York Carroll amp Graf Publishers 2003 ISBN 0 7867 1250 3 Downey Patrick Gangster City The History of the New York Underworld 1900 1935 New Jersey Barricade Books 2004 ISBN 1 56980 267 X Almog Oz Kosher Nostra Judische Gangster in Amerika 1890 1980 Judischen Museum der Stadt Wien 2003 Text Oz Almog Erich Metz ISBN 3 901398 33 3 Asbury Herbert The Gangs of New York New York Alfred A Knopf 1928 ISBN 1 56025 275 8 Kelly Robert J Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press 2000 ISBN 0 313 30653 2 Sifakis Carl The Mafia Encyclopedia New York Da Capo Press 2005 ISBN 0 8160 5694 3 Sifakis Carl The Encyclopedia of American Crime New York Facts on File Inc 2001 ISBN 0 8160 4040 0External links EditJacob Orgen at Find a Grave Little Augie mugshot Gangster City Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jacob Orgen amp oldid 1116987451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
