Dutch Schultz: The Bronx's Beer Overlord

Dutch Schultz, born Arthur Simon Flegenheimer in 1902, emerges as a notorious figure in New York's criminal underworld during the Prohibition era. He capitalizes on the Volstead Act, transforming from a petty criminal to a powerful bootlegger. Schultz's rise to prominence involves violent gang wars, particularly against rivals like Legs Diamond and Vincent "Mad Dog" Cole, as he seeks to dominate the illegal alcohol trade. His ruthless tactics, including intimidation and murder, establish him as the "beer baron" of New York.

As Prohibition ends, Schultz pivots to other criminal enterprises, including extortion and racketeering. However, his unchecked ambition leads to conflicts with the Mafia and law enforcement, particularly with prosecutor Thomas Dewey. Despite surviving multiple assassination attempts, Schultz's fate is sealed when the Mafia decides he poses too great a risk. On October 23, 1935, he is shot in a restaurant, ultimately succumbing to his injuries the following day.

Schultz leaves behind a legacy marked by violence and intrigue, including rumors of a hidden treasure in the Catskills. His life and death reflect the chaotic nature of organized crime in early 20th-century America, as well as the eventual decline of bootlegging with the repeal of Prohibition.

Dutch Schultz: The Beer Baron of the Bronx

6 Feb 2024

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Beer, bloodshed, and buried treasure. That is the legacy left behind by one of New York’s most notorious malefactors, mobster and bootlegger Dutch Schultz.

Like many other criminals, Schultz saw Prohibition as the golden ticket to a life full of riches. And he was right, although many people had to die for him to achieve his goal. He fought not one, but two bloody gang wars in order to firmly establish himself as New York’s premiere distributor of illegal hooch, the cause of (and solution to) all of life’s problems.

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Further Reading: https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/index_1.html https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dutch-schultz-is-born https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/index_1.html https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:6682zm70z https://www.biography.com/crime/dutch-schultz https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/index_1.html https://www.legendsofamerica.com/dutch-schultz/ https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/index_1.html https://www.biography.com/crime/dutch-schultz https://www.fbi.gov/history/artifacts/brick-from-the-palace-chop-house-dutch-schultz-murder-case https://archive.org/details/killdutchmanstor00sann/page/114/mode/2up?q=noe&view=theater https://www.biography.com/crime/dutch-schultz https://archive.org/details/killdutchmanstor00sann/page/n135/mode/2up?q=noe&view=theater https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/william-kennedy-selling-landmark-leg-diamond-17824396.php https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/10/13/102169864.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1931/04/27/98331455.pdf https://www.fbi.gov/history/artifacts/brick-from-the-palace-chop-house-dutch-schultz-murder-case https://www.theirishstory.com/2022/02/01/vincent-mad-dog-coll-the-gangster-from-gweedore/ https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/vincent-mad-dog-coll https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/01/22/99287185.pdf https://www.theirishstory.com/2022/02/01/vincent-mad-dog-coll-the-gangster-from-gweedore/ https://archive.org/details/killdutchmanstor00sann/page/152/mode/2up?view=theater&q=coll https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/rackets_3.html https://archive.org/details/unset0000unse_s8f3/page/46/mode/2up?view=theater&q=schultz https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/rackets_4.html https://archive.org/details/unset0000unse_s8f3/page/46/mode/2up?view=theater&q=schultz https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/end_6.html https://archive.org/details/killdutchmanstor00sann/page/24/mode/2up?view=theater https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/11/archives/schultzs-killer-freed-in-treton-charles-workman-served-23-years-of.html https://www.crimelibrary.org/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/schultz/1935_7.html https://nypost.com/article/searching-for-gangster-dutch-schultzs-gold/%5D https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/modern-hunt-for-dutch-schultz-treasure-catskills-16317319.php

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