Harry Lazarus (1839 – January 2, 1865) was an English-born American pugilist, saloon keeper, thief and underworld figure in New York City during the 1850s and early 1860s. He is sometimes confused with his father, famed pugilist Israel "London Izzy" Lazarus, and was one of his three sons along with John and Izzy Lazarus, Jr. His murder by Barney Friery, Moss, Frank. ''The American Metropolis from Knickerbocker Days to the Present Time''. London: The Authors' Syndicate, 1897. (pg. 19) and subsequent trial, in 1865 was one of the most notorious crimes in the city's history prior to the end of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

."The Last of a Famous Prizefighter's Sons". New York Sun. 18 Jun 1884.

Biography

Lazarus came to the US with his father and two brothers when Izzy Lazarus, Sr. fought

Owen Swift Owen Swift (1814– 9 June 1879) was a British bare-knuckle boxing, bare-knuckle prize fighter, who killed three men in boxing bouts. The death of "Brighton Bill" in one particularly savage 85-round bout in 1838, and Swift's subsequent convicti ...

in 1850. He would briefly follow in his father's footsteps, fighting a prizefight in Canada during 1857, but instead left that career to go into business in New York City. It was alleged that around this time that he had killed a man in California, arrested then fled the state while on bail. Lazarus was enlisted in Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves for a time during the

, but returned to New York where he opened a saloon, the "X 10 U. 8" ( phonetically spelled "extenuate"), on

East Houston Street Houston Street ( ) is a major east–west thoroughfare in Lower Manhattan in New York City, New York. It runs the full width of the island of Manhattan, from FDR Drive along the East River in the east to the West Side Highway along the Hudson ...

. Traditional accounts, such as those of

Herbert Asbury Herbert Asbury (September 1, 1891 – February 24, 1963) was an American journalist and writer best known for his books detailing crime during the 19th and early-20th centuries, such as ''Gem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago U ...

in ''Gangs of New York'' (1928), claimed Lazarus became involved with thieves and confidence men soon after his arrival in New York. One of these acquaintances, Barney Friery, stabbed and killed him during an argument at Lazarus' saloon in the early morning hours of January 6, 1865. According to Asbury, the incident had originated from ''"a dispute over a plug hat full of jewelry, which London Izzy had stolen from a jewelry store after smashing the store window with a brick"''. The trial was held the following month, lasting three-days, and involved Assistant District Attorney Gunning J. Bedford, Jr. and Judge

John T. Hoffman John Thompson Hoffman (January 10, 1828March 24, 1888) was the 23rd governor of New York (1869–72). He was also recorder of New York City (1861–65) and the 78th mayor of New York City (1866–68). Connections to the Tweed Ring ...

, as well as Lazarus' father Israel who testified for the prosecution. Harry Lazarus' bartender, Henry Connell served as one of the prosecution's star witnesses. Connell testified that on the night of the murder, while tending bar, Lazarus entered the saloon with five or six other men from his place of business next door. One of Friery's companions, California Jack, offered a challenge to the room betting $100 "that I've got a man here that will lick any man in the room". When no one responded, Jack turned to the owner and said "I'll bet $10 that I've got a man that will take that pistol away from you, Harry." Lazarus answered "No you haven't, because I have no pistol" and opened both his coats to show he was indeed unarmed. A customer then ordered some cigars and Connell left to fetch them. As the bartender turned around however, he heard Friery say "You are a good little man, Harry" and saw him "drawing a knife out of Harry's neck". Connell rushed over and put a towel around his neck to stop the bleeding, but Lazarus died almost immediately. He later identified Friery, California Jack and two other men, James McDonald and James Clark, but recognized none of the others. Connell elaborated that Friery had threatened Lazarus several days earlier. On one of these occasions, Friery had attacked one of his dogs, a black Newfoundland, and used an

ice pick An ice pick is a pointed metal tool used to break, pick or chip at ice. The design consists of a sharp metal spike attached to a handle. Though traditionally made out of wood, modern variants may have a plastic or rubber handle to improve safet ...

to break out some of its teeth. The previous morning of the murder, Friery entered had taken a knife and stuck it into the counter of Lazarus' bar and said "that knife would be the death of someone around here". This would be substantiated by an additional witnesses. Connell, who had fallen ill, was taken to

New York Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center (; previously known as New York Hospital, Old New York Hospital, and City Hospital) is a research hospital in New York City. It is the teaching hospital for Cornell University's medical school and is part of NewYork-P ...

following his testimony and did not participate further in the trial. Assistant District Attorney Bedford called additional witnesses however, including Christopher Richards who also saw the murder and went for a police officer with John Riley. Richard Birmingham, a local coach driver, testified that he had driven the sleigh which took two of the men involved, McDonald and Clark, to Lazarus' place and then took all three away from the saloon after the murder. He also testified that these men were very intoxicated, especially McDonald and Clark, and that he overheard one of the men say "He is dead now, the son of a bitch!". Lazarus' other bartenders, Dennis Kerwan and Thomas R. Walton, both stated that Friery had been to the saloon on previous occasions. Walton recalled an incident when Friery, admittedly drunk, broke a mustard pot after throwing it against the wall. The arresting officer, Patrolman John Dwyer, testified that he pursued the sleigh driven by Richard Birmingham and followed Friery into a saloon on 118th Street. Upon confronting the suspect inside, Dwyer claimed, Friery admitted to the killing telling him "Yes, I have killed him and I will dance at his wake". This and other evidence would result in Friery's conviction of first-degree manslaughter on February 18, 1865. He was sentenced to death on March 31, but a

writ of error A writ of ''coram nobis'' (also writ of error ''coram nobis'', writ of ''coram vobis'', or writ of error ''coram vobis'') is a legal order allowing a court to correct its original judgment upon discovery of a fundamental error that did not appear ...

delayed his execution pending his appeal in June, and Friery was hanged in a public execution at

The Tombs The Tombs was the colloquial name for Manhattan Detention Complex (formerly the Bernard B. Kerik Complex during 2001–2006), a former municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was also the nickname for three prev ...

on the morning of August 17, 1866.Kernan, J. Frank. ''Reminiscences of the Old Fire Laddies and Volunteer Fire Departments of New York and Brooklyn''. New York: M. Crane, 1885. (pg. 229)

Biography

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Further reading