Dutch Schultz is one of the most famous mobsters of the early 20th century. Schultz confidently carved his way into the criminal world at a young age. He was involved in the numbers racket in New York, including illegal activities and bootlegging during Prohibition in the United States. His criminal actions were cut short when he was 35 years old. In particular, his companion ordered to kill him. Learn more newyorkski.info.
Schultz’s troubled childhood
As in many criminal stories, the cause of the maleficent dealings of a particular person leads to their childhood. Schultz was no exception either. He was born in 1901 and was far from Dutch origin. He was raised in a Jewish family that immigrated from Germany to New York. Schultz’s real birth name is Arthur Simon Flegenheimer. He got his nickname Dutch Schultz from the crime rings because of his appearance. He had big blue eyes, light brown hair and a strong physique. All these features resembled a local gang killer.
In the beginning, Schultz had a full family and was raised by both parents. But soon, his father left the family, so he stayed with his mother to fend for themselves. From that moment on, a dark period of poverty began in Schultz’s life. His mother worked hard to provide for them both. Schultz understood how difficult it was for his mother, so he decided to become independent. Since then, his life had been inextricably connected with crime.
The most coldblooded gangster in New York
Describing Schultz’s activities, he can be called the most cold-blooded New York gangster. He was cruel and violent and did not hesitate with people. His criminal career took off in the 1920s when he started bootlegging during Prohibition. It helped him to quickly become popular in the criminal world of New York. Thanks to the clandestine production and sales of alcohol, he earned a reputation and authority. He was known for his ruthlessness and guile. Schultz masterfully bribed many politicians and police officers, which made him one of the most influential figures in the criminal community in New York.
In the mid-1920s, Schultz started working with another New York mobster Lucky Luciano, who was already a prominent figure in the racketeering world. From then on, Schultz and Luciano became close allies. Together they created a powerful criminal organization that controlled most of bootlegging in New York.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Schultz continued to actively enhance his power and expand his criminal empire. However, such activities come to no good. In 1935, Schultz was under federal investigation for tax evasion. As this case worsened, Schutlz got paranoid and turned into an unstable person. Schultz’s emotional state led him to order the murder of Thomas Dewey, the special prosecutor handling his case. But his plan backfired on him. In particular, this commission to kill the prosecutor caused a split in the gang. Luciano feared that the prosecutor’s assassination could lead to a complete collapse of their criminal organization. So instead of the prosecutor, he instructed to kill his ally. Schultz suspected then that something was wrong. He fled from NY to New Jersey but was still tracked down and killed right in the middle of a restaurant in 1935.
Despite his brutality, Schultz still remains a very intriguing and mysterious person in the history of organized crime in NY. Eight films were shot about his life and deeds. The first movie about Dutch was released in 1961, it was called Portrait of a Mobster and the last film Hoodium was presented in 1997.
