The Lenox Avenue Gang was an early 20th Century New York street gang led by Gyp the Blood as one of the most violent gangs of the pre-Prohibition era.

The Lenox Avenue Gang was started sometime during the early 1900's by Gyp the Blood as an independent group from Eastman Gang leader Jack Zelig . The gang mainly operated around 125th Street commiting muggings, robbery, and murder. Under Gyp the Blood's guidance the gang produced many of the top criminals of the early century including Jacob "Whitey Lewis" Seidenshner , Louis "Lefty Louie" Rosenberg , and Francesco "Dago Frank" Cirofisi . Prominent New York police detective Val O'Farrell had stated Cerofisi was "one of the toughest men in the world." as police suspected Cirofisi of at least 6 homicides however they were unable to charge him due to lack of evidence. An associate of the gang Cirofisi's girlfriend Dutch Sadie was the prominent female member, known to carry a butcher knife in her clothing, often assisted Cirofisi in several muggings. The gang was disbanded however when Gyp the Blood, Jacob Seidenshner, Louis Rosenberg, Francesco Cirofesi were sentenced to the electric chair and executed for the murder of Herman Rosenthal in 1914.

Further Reading

Carl Sifakis, The Encyclopedia of American Crime: Second Edition Vol. II (K-Z), Facts On File Inc., New York, 2001