Daybreak Boys - Revision history

Informer: Format multi-entry infobox values one item per line with

2026-08-18T23:00:19Z

Format multi-entry infobox values one item per line with <br>

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:00, 18 August 2026
Line 9:		Line 9:
	\| headquarters = Pete Williams's gin mill, James and Water streets		\| headquarters = Pete Williams's gin mill, James and Water streets
	\| structure = Organized waterfront gang		\| structure = Organized waterfront gang
	\| activities = Waterfront theft~~, robbery, ship~~ sabotage ~~and murder~~		\| activities = Waterfront theft<br>Robbery<br>Ship sabotage<br>Murder
	\| leader = Nicholas Saul; William Howlett; [[James White (gangster)\|Slobbery Jim]]; Bill Lowrie; Sam McCarthy		\| leader = Nicholas Saul<br>William Howlett<br>[[James White (gangster)\|Slobbery Jim]]<br>Bill Lowrie<br>Sam McCarthy
	\| notable_members = Sow Madden; Patsy the Barber		\| notable_members = Sow Madden<br>Patsy the Barber
	\| status = Defunct		\| status = Defunct
	\| years_active = Late 1840s–1859		\| years_active = Late 1840s–1859
	\| founded_date = Late 1840s		\| founded_date = Late 1840s
	\| dissolved_date = 1859		\| dissolved_date = 1859
	\| dissolution_cause = Arrests~~, executions and sustained~~ police operations		\| dissolution_cause = Arrests<br>Executions<br>Sustained police operations
	}}		}}
	The '''Daybreak Boys''' were a mid-19th-century New York waterfront gang. Herbert Asbury described them as the first East River gang to operate as an organized criminal unit, meeting at Pete Williams's gin mill at James and Water streets and conducting many raids around dawn.<ref name="Asbury">Herbert Asbury, [https://archive.org/details/the-gangs-of-new-york-herbert-asbury ''The Gangs of New York''] (Alfred A. Knopf, 1928), chapter 3.</ref>		The '''Daybreak Boys''' were a mid-19th-century New York waterfront gang. Herbert Asbury described them as the first East River gang to operate as an organized criminal unit, meeting at Pete Williams's gin mill at James and Water streets and conducting many raids around dawn.<ref name="Asbury">Herbert Asbury, [https://archive.org/details/the-gangs-of-new-york-herbert-asbury ''The Gangs of New York''] (Alfred A. Knopf, 1928), chapter 3.</ref>

Informer: Populate the revamped grouped criminal-organization infobox with documented article information

2026-08-18T20:39:58Z

Populate the revamped grouped criminal-organization infobox with documented article information

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:39, 18 August 2026
Line 2:		Line 2:
	{{Infobox criminal organization		{{Infobox criminal organization
	\| name = Daybreak Boys		\| name = Daybreak Boys
			\| named_after = Their practice of conducting raids around dawn
	\| image = The Old Brewery Five Points.jpg		\| image = The Old Brewery Five Points.jpg
	\| caption = The Old Brewery in the Five Points, circa 1850; a contextual image, not a depiction of the gang		\| caption = The Old Brewery in the Five Points, circa 1850; a contextual image, not a depiction of the gang
	~~\| founded = Late 1840s~~
	\| founding_location = Lower Manhattan, New York City		\| founding_location = Lower Manhattan, New York City
	~~\| years_active = Late 1840s–1859~~
	\| territory = East River waterfront		\| territory = East River waterfront
			\| headquarters = Pete Williams's gin mill, James and Water streets
			\| structure = Organized waterfront gang
	\| activities = Waterfront theft, robbery, ship sabotage and murder		\| activities = Waterfront theft, robbery, ship sabotage and murder
			\| leader = Nicholas Saul; William Howlett; [[James White (gangster)\|Slobbery Jim]]; Bill Lowrie; Sam McCarthy
			\| notable_members = Sow Madden; Patsy the Barber
			\| status = Defunct
			\| years_active = Late 1840s–1859
			\| founded_date = Late 1840s
			\| dissolved_date = 1859
			\| dissolution_cause = Arrests, executions and sustained police operations
	}}		}}
	The '''Daybreak Boys''' were a mid-19th-century New York waterfront gang. Herbert Asbury described them as the first East River gang to operate as an organized criminal unit, meeting at Pete Williams's gin mill at James and Water streets and conducting many raids around dawn.<ref name="Asbury">Herbert Asbury, [https://archive.org/details/the-gangs-of-new-york-herbert-asbury ''The Gangs of New York''] (Alfred A. Knopf, 1928), chapter 3.</ref>		The '''Daybreak Boys''' were a mid-19th-century New York waterfront gang. Herbert Asbury described them as the first East River gang to operate as an organized criminal unit, meeting at Pete Williams's gin mill at James and Water streets and conducting many raids around dawn.<ref name="Asbury">Herbert Asbury, [https://archive.org/details/the-gangs-of-new-york-herbert-asbury ''The Gangs of New York''] (Alfred A. Knopf, 1928), chapter 3.</ref>

Informer: Create concise sourced organization article with roster

2026-08-18T15:02:59Z

Create concise sourced organization article with roster

New page

{{SHORTDESC:19th-century New York waterfront gang}}
{{Infobox criminal organization
| name = Daybreak Boys
| image = The Old Brewery Five Points.jpg
| caption = The Old Brewery in the Five Points, circa 1850; a contextual image, not a depiction of the gang
| founded = Late 1840s
| founding_location = Lower Manhattan, New York City
| years_active = Late 1840s–1859
| territory = East River waterfront
| activities = Waterfront theft, robbery, ship sabotage and murder
}}
The '''Daybreak Boys''' were a mid-19th-century New York waterfront gang. Herbert Asbury described them as the first East River gang to operate as an organized criminal unit, meeting at Pete Williams's gin mill at James and Water streets and conducting many raids around dawn.<ref name="Asbury">Herbert Asbury, [https://archive.org/details/the-gangs-of-new-york-herbert-asbury ''The Gangs of New York''] (Alfred A. Knopf, 1928), chapter 3.</ref>

Nicholas Saul and William Howlett led the gang in the early 1850s. Later leaders attempted to keep it together after their arrests and executions, but police operations and further convictions weakened it; Asbury reports that it was effectively dispersed by the end of 1859.<ref name="Asbury"/>

==Roster==
Later histories identify the following members:
* Nicholas Saul — early leader.
* William Howlett — early leader.
* [[James White (gangster)|Slobbery Jim]] — later leader who fled after the 1859 killing of Patsy the Barber.
* Bill Lowrie — later leader.
* Sam McCarthy, known as Cow-Legged Sam — final leader in Asbury's account.
* Sow Madden and Patsy the Barber — prominent members.<ref name="Asbury"/>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Former gangs in New York City]]
[[Category:American pirates]]
[[Category:1840s establishments in New York]]
[[Category:1859 disestablishments in New York]]