0:00
imagine growing up in 1920s Brooklyn
0:04
where the aroma of bootleg whiskey
0:06
rocked you to sleep and The Whispers of
0:08
gangsters formed the backdrop of your
0:11
childhood with a father who was a
0:13
trafficker and siblings who had crime
0:16
ingrained in their genetics Joe Gallow
0:19
was never going to be just a porn in the
0:22
mafia's game no he sought to direct his
0:25
own board boldly moving his pieces to
0:28
challenge the great bosses
0:30
like prachi and Columbo even in his
0:34
downfall he was a star when the trigger
0:37
was finally pulled his death was a feast
0:40
of bullets and conspiracy theories
0:44
Joseph Gallow known by his nickname
0:47
crazy Joe or simply Joe Gallow was born
0:53
1929 in the Red Hook neighborhood of
0:56
Brooklyn New York he was born into a
1:00
context where the Italian-American Mafia
1:03
was already thriving although the mafia
1:06
had emerged in the late 19th century the
1:09
prohibition era which began in 1919 and
1:14
1933 provided an unprecedented
1:17
opportunity for organized crime the
1:21
demand for illegal alcohol led to a boom
1:24
in bootlegging and the mafia's influence
1:28
the Italian-American Mafia eagerly
1:30
jumped into this new source of income
1:33
establishing complex networks of
1:35
Smugglers Distributors and
1:38
enforcers during this period powerful
1:41
figures like Al Capone and lucky luchano
1:44
emerged as key leaders these individuals
1:47
amassed fortunes and laid the
1:49
foundations of the modern Mafia with
1:54
ruthlessness under lucano's leadership
1:57
the mafia reorganized weaving a deadly
2:00
web of five families that ruled New
2:02
York's illegal businesses with an iron
2:05
fist but their reach knew no bounds from
2:10
the Frantic hustle of the docks to the
2:12
luxurious salons of Chicago their Dark
2:15
Shadow spread like a plague in this
2:19
context crazy Joe was born his father
2:24
Umberto was no stranger to the world of
2:27
crime having been a bootlegger during
2:30
prohibition the era when alcohol was
2:33
illegal in the United States the profits
2:36
from his illicit activities allowed him
2:39
to invest in Lone sharking and this
2:41
criminal vocation was something his
2:44
three sons embraced from a young age
2:47
paternal warnings were no match for the
2:49
stronger pull of criminal blood which
2:52
proved more effective than any advice
2:55
Joe grew up in the Kensington
2:57
neighborhood then considered part of
2:59
Flatbush where the Gallow family ran a
3:01
small Cafe called Jackie charallo
3:05
located at 108 Beverly Road this
3:08
establishment thrived on the pedestrian
3:10
traffic from the nearby commercial
3:13
district and subway station attracting a
3:15
diverse clientele that came and went
3:18
along the bustling Avenue Joe's
3:21
education began at the local Primary
3:23
School in Kensington at 16 he continued
3:27
his studies at the Brooklyn High School
3:29
of Automotive trades in
3:31
Williamsburg however his fate was sealed
3:34
long before he could imagine a life
3:37
outside the world of crime the influence
3:41
of his environment coupled with the lack
3:43
of an alternative life model led him to
3:46
follow in his Father's Footsteps shortly
3:49
after a car accident that left him with
3:52
a brain injury and a nervous tick our
3:55
protagonist along with his associates
3:58
embarked on a path deeply entrenched in
4:02
underworld Peter Dulas and Frank kilano
4:06
began planning various criminal schemes
4:09
throughout their lives while frequenting
4:11
the ace pool room on Church Avenue and a
4:14
candy store on 26th Street and 14th
4:18
Avenue in the nearby neighborhood of
4:23
1949 Joe Gallow watched the movie Kiss
4:26
of Death and Richard whitmar's portrayal
4:29
of gangster Tommy Udo left such a
4:32
profound impression on him that he began
4:34
to imitate the character and recite his
4:38
lines this imitation not only reflected
4:41
his fascination with Gangster films but
4:44
also his desire to adopt a more fearsome
4:47
identity in the Underworld he was
4:50
entering in 1950 Joe's life took a
4:54
significant turn when he was arrested
4:57
and temporarily confined to the king's
5:00
County Hospital Center where doctors
5:02
diagnosed him with paranoid
5:05
schizophrenia although stigmatized and
5:08
misunderstood at the time his mental
5:11
disorder was a constant in his life
5:14
affecting both his personal decisions
5:18
activities his brothers Larry and Albert
5:22
Gallow were his closest criminal
5:24
partners and together they formed a
5:27
feared Trio on the streets their
5:30
brotherly Bond and natural inclination
5:32
towards delinquency made them a
5:35
formidable force in New York City beyond
5:38
their family Dynamics the social
5:40
environment in which they were raised
5:43
and the early crimes they committed
5:44
together the early lives of Joe's two
5:47
brothers are not well documented the
5:50
oldest of the three was Larry born
5:53
around 1927 and the youngest was Albert
5:57
born in the mid1 1930s
6:00
with Joe born between them they also had
6:03
a sister Carmela whose biography is also
6:07
not well known however she was
6:09
apparently not as involved in the
6:13
Enterprises Joe's personal life was as
6:15
tumultuous as his criminal career he was
6:18
married twice his first marriage was to
6:22
Jeffy Lee Boyd a Las Vegas
6:25
showgirl they married sometime in 1960
6:28
and had a daughter named Joe however
6:31
their relationship was as volatile as
6:34
Joe's life of crime and the marriage
6:36
ended in divorce nearly 7 years later in
6:40
the midst of the gang wars that plagued
6:42
New York the couple briefly reconciled
6:45
but the reunion did not last long they
6:50
1971 but it lasted only a few months
6:53
before they divorced again A year later
6:56
Gallow married a young actress named
6:59
Cena essery this marriage was brief
7:03
lasting only a few months before he was
7:05
killed in a scene reminiscent of a crime
7:09
film Joe began his criminal career as a
7:12
thug and Hitman for Joseph prachi the
7:16
boss of the prachi crime family his
7:19
entry into this underworld was
7:22
facilitated by his family environment
7:25
where his father and brothers were
7:27
already deeply involved in illegal
7:30
activities Joseph prati known as The
7:32
Olive Oil King quickly made a name for
7:35
himself in New York's organized crime
7:37
scene after arriving in the United
7:42
1921 through a combination of cunning
7:44
strategic alliances and ruthless
7:47
brutality prachi climbed the ranks to
7:50
become the boss of his own crime family
7:54
1928 the prachi family would later
7:57
become one of the five families of
8:00
organized crime in New York City
8:04
continuing with our protagonist Joe
8:06
Gallow he not only helped with his
8:08
father's lone sharking business but also
8:11
played a crucial role in the vending
8:13
machine operations run by his brother
8:17
Larry these Ventures were seen as the
8:20
crown jewels of the family's Enterprises
8:23
generating substantial income and
8:26
consolidating the Gallow family's power
8:29
crazy Joe directly oversaw a variety of
8:32
criminal Enterprises from rigged dice
8:35
games to high stakes card games his
8:38
headquarters was in the dormatory a
8:41
brick tenement building at 51 President
8:44
Street within the Contemporary Columbia
8:46
Street Waterfront District this location
8:50
which previously housed the Gallow
8:52
family's vending machine interests
8:54
became the nerve center of their
8:57
operations in the basement of of the
8:59
building Joe supposedly kept a pet lion
9:02
named Cleo symbolizing his power and
9:08
extravagance as he Consolidated his
9:10
power and expanded his influence Gallow
9:14
continued to be a significant figure in
9:19
underworld Joe Gallow Diversified his
9:22
interests secretly owning several
9:24
nightclubs in Manhattan and two sweat
9:27
shops in the Garment District these
9:30
businesses not only increased his income
9:33
but also provided a facade of legitimacy
9:35
and a way to launder money from his
9:37
illicit activities in
9:40
1957 Joseph pratti assigned him and his
9:44
gang a high-risk mission to assassinate
9:48
Albert Anastasia the feared boss of the
9:52
Anastasia crime family which would later
9:55
become the notorious Gambino family this
9:59
operation was requested by Carlo Gambino
10:03
Anastasia's underboss who aspired to
10:06
replace his superia and needed prachi's
10:09
collaboration to execute his plan on
10:12
October 25th of that year Albert
10:15
Anastasia entered the barber shop at the
10:18
park Sheran hotel in Midtown Manhattan
10:22
unaware that he was about to meet his
10:25
end as he relaxed in the barber's chair
10:28
two men with scarves covering their
10:30
faces Burst Into The
10:32
Establishment without saying a word they
10:35
pushed the barber aside and opened fire
10:39
killing Anastasia on the spot the
10:41
Assassins of Anastasia were never
10:44
officially identified but years later
10:47
the Future boss of the profi family
10:50
Carmine perso claimed that he and crazy
10:54
Joe were the shooters joking that they
10:57
had been part of gallows Barbershop
11:02
1958 the three criminal brothers were
11:05
summoned to Washington DC to testify
11:08
before the mlen committee on organized
11:11
crime in the US Senate this committee
11:15
led by Senator John L mclen and advised
11:18
by Robert Francis Kennedy was determined
11:24
operations John mclen elected senator
11:27
from Arkansas was a formidable force in
11:30
the fight against organized crime during
11:34
their visit to Kennedy's office Joe
11:36
Gallow displayed his audacity and
11:39
Charisma by flirting with Kennedy's
11:41
Secretary and remarking that the carpet
11:44
in the office would be perfect for a
11:47
dice game under the scrutiny of Justice
11:51
The Three Brothers arrogantly stood
11:53
there ground on the witness stand the
11:56
Gallow Brothers didn't Flinch
11:58
maintaining their silence and defying
12:00
the power of the law with the cold
12:03
stoicism characteristic of true Mafia
12:06
men Joe's relationship with Joseph
12:09
prachi was not one of blind loyalty he
12:12
always had an eye on his own ascent and
12:15
how he could increase his influence
12:17
within the criminal family he led his
12:20
ambition and ruthless character led him
12:23
to challenge prachi's leadership
12:26
triggering a series of events that would
12:28
shake the foundations of the crime
12:30
family this bold attitude was a key
12:34
factor in the conflicts that led to the
12:37
first internal strife within the prachi
12:40
family which eventually sparked the
12:43
first Columbo War Frank abatemarco a
12:47
captain in the family refused to pay the
12:50
monthly tribute that prachi demanded
12:54
soldiers this act of defiance was not
12:56
only difficult for prachi to accept but
12:59
also a significant financial blow as a
13:03
batam Marco controlled a lucrative
13:04
numbers game operation prachi's
13:07
insistence on receiving his tribute and
13:10
about Marco's refusal set the stage for
13:13
a violent and bloody power struggle
13:17
operating illegally in Red Hook Brooklyn
13:19
this illicit business brought in an
13:21
average income of $7,000 daily the
13:25
Gallow Brothers began to align
13:28
themselves with aatam Marco purportedly
13:31
encouraged by Family bosses Carlo
13:33
Gambino and Tommy lucazi and also
13:37
received support from Carmine perso by
13:40
then a prominent member of the family
13:43
however abat Marco was fatally shot in
13:47
1959 in what appeared to be a direct
13:49
order from Joseph prachi as retaliation
13:54
Defiance a new escalation occurred on
14:00
1961 when Larry Joe and Albert made a
14:04
daring decision to kidnap four of Joseph
14:08
prachi's top men among the hostages were
14:12
underboss Joseph maglio Chief's brother
14:15
Frank prachi captain salvator musia and
14:20
Simone this direct Act of defiance aimed
14:23
to pressure prachi into negotiating a
14:26
more favorable Financial arrangement for
14:28
the Three Brothers Larry and Albert sent
14:31
Joe to California to keep him safe and
14:36
distance however Joe Gallow known for
14:40
his brutality had even bloodier plans he
14:45
wanted to kill one of the hostages and
14:49
$100,000 as a condition to start
14:52
negotiations his idea faced strong
14:55
opposition from his brother Larry who
14:57
preferred a less violent strategy after
15:01
weeks of intense negotiations prachi and
15:05
his consilier reached an agreement with
15:07
the Gallow securing the peaceful release
15:11
hostages but the peace was
15:14
short-lived in midyear in a spirit of
15:17
Revenge Joseph prachi ordered the
15:20
murders of Larry and Joseph Jolie a key
15:23
member of the Gang The Killers under
15:26
prachi's command lured Jolie into a trap
15:30
with the promise of a fishing trip only
15:33
to brutally murder him Larry also became
15:36
a Target but survived a strangulation
15:38
attempt orchestrated by Carmine perso
15:42
and Salvatore de Ambrosio at the Sahara
15:47
Flatbush a police officer intervened
15:49
just in time saving Larry's life this
15:53
failed assassination attempt marked
15:56
Carmine Pico's betrayal of the gall
15:59
who had previously allied with him
16:03
prachi before the strangulation attempt
16:06
the gang began referring to perso as the
16:09
snake for his betrayal the gang war
16:12
erupted with full ferocity resulting in
16:15
nine murders and three
16:18
disappearances Larry Joe and Albert
16:20
retreated to their headquarters while
16:22
the battle raged on during this conflict
16:26
perso was charged with the attempted
16:28
murder of Larry Gallow but the charges
16:32
were dismissed when Larry refused to
16:34
testify maintaining the mafia's Code of
16:37
Silence in November of that year crazy
16:41
Joe faced Justice and was convicted of
16:43
conspiracy and extortion shortly before
16:47
Christmas he was sentenced to serve
16:50
between 7 and 14 years in prison this
16:53
sentence marked a crucial point in his
16:56
life temporarily removing him from the
16:59
crime scene but not stopping the legend
17:02
he had begun to build in
17:05
1962 while serving his prison sentence
17:08
Joe's brothers and five other gang
17:10
members performed a heroic act that
17:12
briefly garnered positive media
17:15
attention Larry and Albert entered a
17:17
tenement building near their Hideout
17:19
that was on fire and rescued six
17:22
children and their mother the incident
17:25
was widely covered by the media
17:27
momentarily softened The Gallows
17:29
criminal reputation and portraying them
17:32
in a more human and heroic light despite
17:36
this brief positive image Joe continued
17:39
to be involved in criminal activities
17:41
during his time in prison he befriended
17:44
the African-American drug trafficker
17:46
Leroy Nikki Barnes who was serving time
17:49
for low-level drug trafficking Barnes
17:53
also had interactions with Matthew
17:55
Madonna a heroin trafficker associated
17:58
with the the kazy family always
18:01
strategic crazy Joe predicted barnes's
18:04
rise to power in the drug dens of Harlem
18:07
earning him the nickname Mister
18:11
Untouchable Nikki bnes began his
18:14
criminal career in the early
18:16
1960s focusing on building a heroin
18:18
trafficking Empire centered in Harlem he
18:22
controlled a significant portion of the
18:25
heroin trade and formed an organization
18:29
known as the council modeled after the
18:31
Italian American Mafia to oversee drug
18:35
distribution in Manhattan the Bronx and
18:38
Brooklyn the council was Notorious for
18:41
its brutality and its ability to
18:43
maintain control through violence and
18:46
intimidation Joe Gallo's friendship with
18:48
Barnes grew so strong that Gallow took
18:52
Barnes under his wing teaching him how
18:55
to enhance his criminal organization
18:58
this demonstrated Gallo's skill at
19:01
manipulating and shaping his environment
19:06
bars in August 1964 Joe filed a lawsuit
19:11
against the Department of Corrections
19:13
claiming he had been subjected to
19:14
unusual and cruel punishments at Green
19:18
Haven after allowing a black barber to
19:20
cut his hair is the prison commissioner
19:24
characterized Gallow as a
19:26
confrontational inmate and troublemaker
19:28
but this incident only served to
19:31
strengthen his image as a man willing to
19:34
challenge the system during his time in
19:37
prison our protagonist showed another
19:40
side of his personality as he took up
19:42
watercolor painting and became an Avid
19:45
Reader delving into classic literature
19:48
he worked as an elevator operator in the
19:50
prison workshops and during a riot he
19:53
rescued a severely injured correctional
19:56
officer from a group of furious inmates
19:59
this act earned him favorable testimony
20:02
from the officer at a parole hearing
20:05
showcasing once again his ability to
20:08
Garner allies even in the most
20:10
unexpected places Donald franos a fellow
20:14
inmate described Gallow as a
20:17
conversational and charismatic man with
20:20
excellent verbal and oratory skills from
20:23
Franco's perspective Gallow could
20:26
describe the cutting of a man's throat
20:29
with the same eloquence as he engaged in
20:31
Lively discussions about classical
20:34
literature this duality in his
20:37
personality between the ruthless
20:39
gangster and the lover of culture
20:41
contributed to his myth and the
20:43
fascination he exerted over those around
20:48
1968 while still in prison Joe was
20:52
deeply affected by the death of his
20:53
brother Larry from cancer this blow had
20:57
a profound impact on him emotionally
21:00
Behind Bars Larry's death shifted the
21:03
power dynamics within the gang his
21:06
passing created a leadership vacuum and
21:08
increased pressure on Joe to maintain
21:11
control and group cohesion Joe Gallow
21:15
was released from prison in
21:17
1971 after nearly a decade with a
21:20
renewed perspective and a Relentless
21:22
focus on his future in organized crime
21:27
however an important part of this story
21:30
remains unclear what had happened with
21:32
the pratti family in the
21:34
1960s while crazy Joe served his
21:38
sentence during this time the prachi
21:41
family underwent significant changes in
21:44
1962 Joseph prachi passed away after
21:48
over 30 years leading the family
21:50
business leaving a power vacuum Joseph
21:53
Columbo took control of the family and
21:56
continued the battle against the
21:57
rebellious Gallow Brothers in May
22:01
1963 a squad of Gallow gunmen repeatedly
22:05
shot at Carmine Pico who miraculously
22:08
survived however by the end of the year
22:11
a peace agreement was reached through
22:13
negotiations with family boss Raymond
22:16
patriarcha bringing a temporary halt to
22:20
hostilities in that same year the mafia
22:23
commission discovered that Mago had
22:25
helped devise a plan to eliminate
22:28
several commission leaders leading to
22:31
resignation Joseph Colombo a member of
22:35
the proach family and a betrayer of
22:37
maloko was installed as the new boss of
22:41
the proach family which then became the
22:44
Columbo crime family by the commission's
22:48
designation however Colombo soon
22:51
distanced himself from Gambino by
22:53
establishing the Italian-American civil
22:56
rights League attracting significant
22:58
media attention at this time crazy Joe
23:02
was on the brink of being released his
23:05
second wife Cena described him upon his
23:08
release as a mere shell of the once
23:11
strikingly handsome man he had been upon
23:15
learning this Columbo and Joseph
23:18
jacobelli invited him to a peace meeting
23:24
$100,000 however Gallow claimed not to
23:27
be bound by the 1963 peace agreement and
23:30
demanded $1 million to settle the
23:33
dispute Columbo rejected the
23:37
proposal on June 28th
23:41
1971 during a meeting at Columbus Circle
23:43
in Manhattan Columbo was shot three
23:46
times by an African-American gunman
23:49
named Jerome Johnson who was immediately
23:53
killed by Columbo's bodyguards Columbo
23:56
survived the shooting but was was left
23:58
physically impaired until his death in
24:03
1978 while many in the Columbo family
24:06
suspected crazy Joe of orchestrating the
24:08
shooting the police concluded that
24:12
alone however suspicion persisted within
24:16
the family that Joe had ordered the
24:19
assassination tensions between Joe and
24:22
the Columbo family continued to escalate
24:25
with Joe steadfastly maintaining that he
24:28
was not bound by the terms of the peace
24:30
agreement reached 8 years earlier this
24:34
Defiance led to fateful consequences on
24:39
1972 around 4:30 in the morning when Joe
24:43
Gallow and his family entered a
24:44
restaurant in Little Italy Manhattan to
24:47
celebrate his 43rd birthday he was
24:51
accompanied by his sister Carmela his
24:53
wife Cena their adopted daughter Lisa
24:57
his bodyguard Peter dietro and Di
25:01
girlfriend earlier that night they had
25:04
been at the Copa Cabana with Jerry
25:09
Orbach on April 7th 1972 around 4:30 in
25:14
the morning Joe Gallow and his wife
25:17
Martha entered a restaurant in Little
25:19
Italy Manhattan to celebrate his 43rd
25:22
birthday they had invited actors Don
25:25
Rickles and singer Peter lamelo to join
25:28
them but both were unavailable due to
25:31
prior commitments meanwhile Joseph
25:34
luparelli an associate of the Columbo
25:37
family was at the bar and upon seeing
25:40
Joe Gallow immediately contacted Joseph
25:43
yakavi yakavi instructed luparelli to
25:46
recruit additional men to eliminate
25:49
Gallow luparelli then called Philip
25:52
Gambino Carmine debias and two purported
25:57
members of the patriarcha family upon
26:00
arriving at the restaurant luparelli
26:03
stayed in the car while the other four
26:05
men entered through the back door and
26:10
revolvers Gallow was hit in the back
26:13
elbow and butter despite his injuries he
26:17
insulted and attempted to draw his own
26:19
gun to protect his family he tried to
26:22
flee towards the main entrance but
26:25
collapsed on the street Gallow was
26:28
rushing to bigman downtown hospital
26:30
where he was pronounced dead shortly
26:34
a.m. however there are conflicting
26:37
accounts of the murder Joe Coffey a
26:40
homicide detective with the New York
26:42
Police Department always believed that
26:45
Crazy Joe's killer was a lone gunman
26:49
additionally author Charles brand points
26:51
out that Lup Parelli's statement was
26:55
corroborated bran speculates that it may
26:58
have been misinformation ordered by the
27:00
Columbo family to ease tensions after
27:04
the shooting another version of the
27:06
assassination comes from Frank Sheeran a
27:10
Hitman and union leader who claimed to
27:13
have been the sole shooter in the attack
27:16
on Joe Gallow acting under orders from
27:19
Mafia figure Russell buffalino Jerry
27:23
capei a journalist and Mafia expert
27:26
suggested that if he had to choose
27:29
Sheeran would likely be the most
27:31
probable culprit behind the
27:34
murder however this version is disputed
27:37
by others like former Columbo family
27:39
cappo Michael francesi and vilton Elliot
27:43
Elliot argues in an article that Sheeran
27:46
was not the killer regardless of which
27:49
version is believed Joe Gallow had been
27:52
assassinated and his funeral was closely
27:55
monitored by the police his sister
27:58
Carmela passionately called for Revenge
28:01
beside his open casket intensifying the
28:04
already tenth streets as Joey sought
28:08
retaliation meanwhile Albert Gallow
28:11
dispatched a Hitman from Las Vegas to
28:13
the Neapolitan noodle restaurant in
28:15
Manhattan where Joseph jacobelli alfons
28:18
perso and Garo langel were
28:21
dining however the Hitman mistook the
28:25
mafiosos and shot four innocent
28:28
bystanders killing two of them following
28:31
the botched attempt jacobelli fled to
28:34
New York leaving Carmine Persico
28:36
nicknamed the snake as the new boss of
28:39
the Columbo family the story of Joey
28:42
Gallow with its twists and turns came to
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a violent end leaving a lasting impact
28:50
on the criminal underworld of New York
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his life marked by ambition betrayal and
28:56
an Unexpected Love for literature serves
28:59
as a fascinating chapter in the history
29:04
crime if you found this tale of crazy
29:07
Joe Gallow intriguing we invite you to
29:10
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29:12
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29:37
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