Johnny Walsh

Who was Johnny Walsh?

John "Johnny the Mick" Walsh was an early New York City gangster and leader of the Walsh Gang. Forming the Walshers in the late 1870s, Walsh's violent tactics would dominate the Bowery in several years. Walsh would soon become involved in what would become a long a bitter feud with Johnny Irving's Dutch Mob during the early 1880s as the two fought over the Bowery. On three separate occasions the two gang leaders fought each other in knife fights although these proved inconclusive. The police refused to interfere in the gang war, as was general policy of the time, preferring the gangs to wipe each other out.

The final showdown between Walsh and Irving occurred on October 16, 1883 when, as Walsh was drinking in Shang Draper's saloon on Sixth Avenue, Irving and Billy Porter entered and confronted Walsh. After an altercation between the two, Walsh shot and killed Irving. Porter in turn killed Walsh and was then shot by Draper. Although Porter survived, neither he nor Draper were charged with either Walsh or Irving's death.