You know the old you live by the gun, you die by the gun. This tale has all the makings of a 1930’s film noir gangster movie however these men were not very gangster at all--in fact, they would have to return their membership card if they had one. One is goofier than the next. One of my favorites sayings is “You can’t make this s*it up” and boy does this apply to this story.
The scene opens with a motley crew of rough looking fellas talking over whiskeys and trying to come up with a way to make some fast, easy cash. The date is July 1932 and prohibition was still going strong. The setting is in the Bronx as friends, 27-year-old Anthony ‘Tony’ Marino, a speakeasy proprietor, 28-year-old Joseph "Red" Murphy, a former chemist and current bartender at Marino’s speakeasy, 24-year-old Francis Pasqua, an undertaker who owned a local funeral home, and 29-year-old Daniel Kriesberg, who was a grocer and father of three. The final player is a cab driver named Hersey or Harry Green.
The scene opens as these gentlemen are sitting around in Marino’s speakeasy trying to come up with a no-fail plan to make some fast money. One word: insurance. So begins the tale of Mike Malloy, the man who wouldn’t die.
This is the 1st Nightmare Before Christmas episode of Our True Crime Podcast’s 3rd Annual ‘12 Nightmares Before Christmas.’ We are coming at you with an episode a day for twelve days prior to Christmas helping you ring in the holiday season with a little something for true crime listeners to enjoy as they wrap, shop, cook, clean, and do all the holiday things.
Make sure to tune in each day to catch another episode of Our True Crime Podcast as we count down the days to Christmas.
As always our special holiday listener discretion is from the holy Edward Octoberpod from @octoberpodVHS. Check him out.
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Sources:
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/arts-and-books/mike-malloy-murder-crime-new-york-story-who-was
https://www.drinkingcup.net/1933-the-legend-of-iron-mike-malloy-and-the-murder-trust/
https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/incredible-story-durable-mike-malloy-donegal-man-living-new-york-simply-refused-die-169395
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Malloy