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Birth
Poole, Bill (24 July 1821–08 March 1855), butcher, saloonkeeper, nativist gang leader, also known as “Bill the Butcher,” or “Butcher Bill,” was born William Poole in Sussex County, New Jersey, in the northwestern part of the state, to parents of English descent. Neither of his parents' first names is known, nor is his mother's maiden name or occupation. His father was a butcher. -
New York
Not much is known of William “Bill the Butcher” Poole’s early life and education. Poole moved with his family to New York City in 1832, when he was eleven years old. This also happened to be during the time when a serious Cholera outbreak was happening in America. Making it a difficult time for everybody. -
The Butcher
Around 1833
His father set up a butcher stand in Washington Market, a busy and growing food market located on Washington, Fulton, and Vesey Streets. Around 1836, Bill started taking over at his father’s butcher shop/stand. Henceforth earning him the name, “Bill the Butcher.” -
Firefighter
In the 1840s, he worked with the Howard (Red Rover) Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34, on Hudson and Christopher Street. Working here helps him start up his first gang "The Washington Street Gang". Starts to box and street fight more regularly and become more well known and influential in general. -
The Gang
The late 1840s, Poole starts the Bowery Boys and becomes a much more well-known boxer and street fighter. Starts to gain a reputation for being especially brutal and good with knives in a fight. Giving a new meaning to the name “Bill the Butcher”. He starts to become a very influential person who people will listen to. -
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789. It was a Democratic Party political machine that largely controlled New York City and New York State politics. They especially helped immigration of the Irish and helped the Irish rise in politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. William Poole was directly against this political party because he wanted to keep the jobs for the "Native Americans". -
Florence's Hotel
As a well-known gang leader and pugilist, Poole was frequently involved in fights, brawls, and other confrontations. The New York Daily Times reported that on October 23, 1851, Poole and several others went into Florence's Hotel and proceeded to "beat the barkeeper's face into jelly". They headed upstairs and were seeming to do the same to the owner of the hotel (Mr. Florence). But proceeded to only find his hat. They then ripped his hat to pieces and stomped it on the ground. -
Stuffing & Terror
1853, Regaining City Hall through ballot box stuffing and terror seemed entirely possible. Seen in this light, Bill the Butcher was a pioneer and might be the first person to use street fighters to dominate a nominally democratic society. Two generations later, the same idea would occur to Benito Mussolini. -
John Morrissey
Poole's archrival, John Morrissey, was an Irish immigrant and an enforcer for Tammany Hall. Morrissey was also a popular boxer and challenged Poole to a match. The initial grounds for their dispute may have arisen from an earlier bet by Poole on a boxing match at Boston Corners on October 12, 1853, in which Poole had placed his bet on Morrissey's opponent, "Yankee Sullivan". In 1854 a fight was arranged between Morrissey and Poole, which Poole won. -
Becoming Politicians
The Mid 1850s, Poole and the Bowery Boys became political enforcers and militant supporters of the Know Nothing Party. Who were an anti-immigration and anti-foreigner political party. Poole and his friends/followers bitterly opposed Irish Catholic immigrants. Hating the immigrants as cheap labor and competition for their jobs. He was a very very influential person and a political icon at this point. -
A Sad Day
On the night of February 24, 1855. Morrissey was severely beaten by William Poole in the Stanwix Hall, located at No. 579 Broadway. Later that night, three Morrissey gangsters attacked him and shot him through the heart. Despite this, "Bill the Butcher" lived for almost two weeks. His last words were, "I think I am a goner. If I die, I die a true American." He was given one of the most impressive funerals in New York, with 155 carriages and 6,000 mourners in the procession. -
Influences Today
William "Bill the Butcher" Poole, could potentially have been one of the main reasons people today have a very "America first" mindset. An example is our political climate right now in America. How, our President wants to keep immigrants out and only benefit America.
