Jacob ‘Gurrah’ Shapiro: The Industrial Racketeer

One half of the feared ‘Lepke and Gurrah’ duo that dominated New York’s industrial rackets.

• Labor Slugger: Along with Louis Buchalter, he terrorized New York’s garment district, using violence to control unions.
• The Nickname: He earned the name ‘Gurrah’ because of his gravelly voice; when he said ‘Get out of here’, it sounded like ‘Gurrah da here’.
• The End: He died in Sing Sing prison in 1947 while serving 15 years to life for extortion and conspiracy.