Gallus Mag

Who is Gallus Mag?

Gallus Mag was a 6-foot-tall female bouncer at a New York City Water St. bar called The Hole in the Wall in the early 19th century, who figures prominently in New York City folklore. Herbert Asbury's book The Gangs of New York thus describes her:

A composite female street gangster character of "Hell-Cat Maggie" in the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York, played by Cara Seymour, is based on Mag, Sadie the Goat, and the real-life Hellcat Maggie.

The historical Hellcat Maggie used to file her teeth down to sharp points and wear brass fingernails for combat, and Sadie the Goat had a habit of headbutting unsuspecting men on the streets in the stomach so her followers could rob them.