It was unlikely that when Owen Vincent Madden was born in Leeds, England he would come to be known as Owney “The Killer” Madden, a notable organized crime figure during the Prohibition Era. In his earlier years, his family moved around England in search of work. In 1902, Madden along with his brother and sister set sail for the United States on board the SS Teutonic. They settled in the rough and tumble section of New York City, fittingly named Hell’s Kitchen. Shortly after he arrived, Owney joined the Gopher Gang. He developed a reputation as a vicious street fighter not afraid to use a knife or gun if the situation called for it. He was officially given the nickname “The Killer” after gunning down an Italian man from a rival gang in front of many witnesses. With all of the witnesses too scared to step forward Madden was never linked to the crime. By the time he was eighteen years old, Madden had risen up the ranks of the Gopher Gang. He had furthered his reputation as a killer and also became known as a top earner, netting himself hundreds of dollars a day. With his proceeds from criminal activities he funded an opulent lifestyle, one in which he was often flanked by several beautiful women. In his position of leadership with the Gopher Gang Madden expanded the gang, recruiting some of the most violent criminals in New York City. Since the Gopher Gang expanded they found themselves bleeding into the territory of rival gangs, namely the Hudson Dusters. Unhappy with the expansion of the Gopher Gang’s expansion into their territory, the Hudson Dusters made an attempt on Madden’s life, shooting him eleven times in front of a club. Madden survived but refused to break the code of silence by not cooperating with authorities. When approached by police, he reportedly said, “Nothing doing. The boys’ll get ‘em. It’s nobody’s business but mine who put these slugs in me.” A few years later, Madden had another stroke of bad luck when he was involved in a murder and sentenced to 20 years in Sing Sing Prison. He was paroled nine years into his sentence in 1923. Being the ambitious gangster that he was, Madden hit the ground running, eager to reap the benefits of Prohibition. He partnered up with Big Bill Dwyer in the bootlegging business. Madden was diverse in his business endeavors, however, as he owned some of the most well-known nightclubs, most notably the Cotton Club. Owney also managed the careers of some of the most famous boxers of the time including Max Baer and Primo Carnera. Like most prominent gangsters, Madden’s luck eventually began to run out. In 1932 Madden was involved in the murder of Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll. That same year he was arrested for a violation of his parole. These two events caused law enforcement officials to take a greater interest in the doings of Owney Madden. With all of the heat he was receiving from the law, Madden was unable to put all of his focus into his businesses and other gangs including the Italian Mafia began taking over his territories. Madden took this as a sign that it was time to leave New York City. He settled in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which at the time had a large criminal element as well as a corrupt local government. Madden soon opened up the popular Southern club, a casino and supper club which became very famous when Lucky Luciano was arrested there in 1935. Madden eventually married. He died of natural causes in 1965. Owney “The Killer” Madden has been portrayed in film and on television, most recently on the fourth season of Boardwalk Empire. At one point during prohibition, Madden’s personal driver was future screen legend George Raft.
Article By: Jon DaBove
