Dinny Meehan

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Dennis L. Meehan (d. March 31, 1920) was the leader of the White Hand Gang until he was killed on March 31, 1920. Dinny Meehan was described by the police as "the most desperate gang leader in Brooklyn." Meehan was shot through the head and killed as he slept beside his wife, Sadie, in their home in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, by one of five gunmen who fired five shots at the sleeping couple. The bullet passed through the head of the gang leader, and then lodged in the shoulder of his wife, who later recovered from her wounds.

Not much is known about Dinny Meehan's life, but his death is a different story. The shooting of Meehan was believed by the police to be a result of the gang leader's role in supplying strike breakers to take the places of employees of the United Fruit Company on piers along the Hudson and East Rivers. These employes had recently walked out when their demands for higher wages were turned down.

Another theory is that his death was ordered by Brookly Black Hand boss Frankie Yale in revenge for the killing of "Crazy" Benny Passo. The murder is believed to have been carried out by Yale's Underboss Augie Pisano and two hitmen from Cleveland Ralph Desarno and Giovanni Sciacca. They were supposedly driven by "Frenchy" Joe Carlino.