Life of William Poole, with a Full Account of the Terrible Affray in which He Received His Death Wound

Life of William Poole, with a Full Account of the Terrible Affray in which He Received His Death Wound [...] Containing Also Sketches of Tom Hyer, James Sullivan and John Morrissey,

First Edition, 4 portrait plates, staining to upper edge throughout, some further staining and spotting, page extremities chipped, original printed wrappers with portrait, loss and splitting along spine and extremities, [Sabin 64038], 8vo, De Witt & Davenport, New York, [1855]

***Bill "The Butcher" Poole was a bar owner and one of the Manhattan leaders of the Know-Nothing Party and the Bowery Boys gang, who often battled multiple outfits of the infamous Five Points. During a confrontation around politics, Poole was fatally shot by a man named Lewis Baker.

The New York Daily Times reported on February 26, 1855: “Terrible Shooting Affray in Broadway – Bill Poole Fatally Wounded – The Morrissey and Poole Feud – Renewal of Hostilities – Several Persons Severely Wounded. Broadway, in the vicinity of Prince and Houston Streets, was the scene of an exciting shooting affair about 1 o'clock yesterday morning, which is but a repetition of a similar occurrence that transpired a few weeks ago under Wallack's Theatre between Tom Hyer, Lewis Baker, Jim Turner and several other noted pugilists…”

Daniel Day-Lewis played a heavily fictionalised version of Bill the Butcher in the 2002 Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.