James McLean (mobster)
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| James "Buddy" McLean | |
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| Born | 1929 Somerville, Massachusetts, USA |
| Died | October 11, 1965 Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
James "Buddy" McLean (1929-October 31, 1965) was an Irish-American mobster and the original leader of the Somerville, Massachusetts-based "Winter Hill Gang" during the 1960s. Buddy was famous throughout Boston for being one of the toughest guys around, and was known to fight at the drop of a hat, regardless of where he was. From his fighting, Buddy had scars on his neck and face and a damaged left eye. A friend of Buddy's once said, "He looks like a choir boy, but fights like the devil"[1].
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[edit] Irish Gang Wars
In the early 1960s some of his Winter Hill associates and their friend, Charlestown mobster George McLaughlin rented a cottage on Salisbury Beach for a Labor Day party. When George, while drunk, attempted to grope one of the gangster girlfriends he received a savage beating to the point the men weren’t sure if he was alive or dead. They dumped him at a hospital and went to tell Buddy what had happened, Buddy told them he would take care of it and absolved them of responsibility. Buddy decided he would have a talk with his friend, and Georgie's brother, Bernie. When Buddy found that Bernie wanted bloody revenge, and Buddy's help in doing it, Buddy told him his brother had been out of line and had the beating coming. McLaughlin stormed out of Buddy's house in a rage. The next morning, Buddy awoke to the sound of his dogs barking, and saw two men under his car. He went outside firing, and found a bomb planted under his wife's car. McLean immediately knew who it was. Later that week, Buddy stalked Bernie throughout Charlestown until he took his shot and killed McLaughlin in Charlestown's town square, in broad daylight.
[edit] Death
Although he was acquitted of the murder charges, he went to prison for two years for illegal possession of a firearm. After being released, McLean was shot dead by "The McLaughlin Brothers" gang assassins Stevie and Cornelius Hughes. He was succeeded by his right hand man Howie Winter and later James "Whitey" Bulger.
[edit] References
- ^ English, T.J. Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster. New York: HarperCollins, 2005 ISBN 0-06-059002-5
