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William Poole (July 1821 - March 8, 1855), also known as Bill the Butcher was a member of the New York City gang the Bowery Boys, bare-knuckle boxer, and leader of the Know Nothing political movement.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Attack at Florence's Hotel 3 Dispute with John Morrissey 3.1 The shooting 4 William Poole in fiction 5 Timeline 6 References 7 Selected coverage in the New York Daily Times 8 Selected coverage in the Brooklyn Eagle 9 Selected coverage in the New York Times 10 See also 11 External links

Poole was born in July, 1821 in Sussex County, New Jersey to parents of English descent^[1][2]. In 1832, his family moved to New York City to open a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan.

The New York Daily Times reported on October 23, 1851 the following:

A Brutal Outrage in Broadway. We learn that at an early hour yesterday morning, two noted pugilists entered Florence's Hotel, corner of Broadway and Howard street, and without any provocation seized the bar-keeper and beat his face to a jelly. It appears that Thomas Hyer, William Poole, and several others entered the above hotel, and while one of the party held Charles Owens (the bar-keeper) by the hair of his head, another of the gang beat him in the face to such an extent that his left eye was completely ruined and the flesh of his cheek mangled in the most shocking manner. After thus accomplishing the heartless act, all of them made an effort to find Mr. John Florence, the proprietor of the hotel, with a view of serving him in the same manner, but not succeeding in their latter design, they found the hat of Mr. Florence and wantonly cut it into strips, and trampled it under their feet. The desperadoes then left the house, and in the meantime Mr. Owens was placed under medical attendance, and in the course of a short time he proceeded to the Jefferson Market Police, in company with Mr. Florence, where they made their affidavits respecting the inhuman outrage, upon which Justice Blakeley issued his warrants for Hyer, Poole, and such of the others who were concerned in the affair, and the same were placed in the hands of officer Baldwin for service. Since the above was written we have been reliably informed that the affray originated from the fact of the barkeeper having refused them drinks, after they had been furnished with them twice in succession.

Poole's archenemy, John Morrissey, was an Irish immigrant and enforcer for Tammany Hall. Morrissey was also a popular boxer and challenged Poole to a match. Though the two men were of differing ethnic backgrounds and political parties, the initial grounds for their dispute may have arisen from an earlier bet by Poole on a boxing match. Poole placed his bet on Morrisey's opponent, "Yankee Sullivan". The fight took place at Four Corners on October 12th, 1853. Results of the boxing match were disputed, and Poole was against Morrissey being paid. Poole and Morrisey squared off in the ring to settle their dispute on July 26, 1854, at Amos Dock, New York. The New York Daily Times reported the story on July 28, 1854:

Subjoined we give an account of the brutal affair, furnished by a person who witnessed it. He says: "Yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, an encounter took place between John Morrissey and William Poole on the pier at the foot of Amos Street, North River. For some time past Morrissey has entertained the idea of attaining the unenviable notoriety attached to a fighting man. He has frequently challenged Hyer to meet him in the ring and settle their animosities by a fisticuff battle...View Full Article at Wikisource

According to historian Mark Caldwell, during the fight Poole "bit and gouged but won only when his friends joined the fight and kicked Morrissey unconscious."

Morrissey plotted revenge and on February 25, 1855, Lew Baker, a friend of Morrisey, shot Poole at a bar on Broadway. The New York Daily Times reported on Monday, February 26, 1855 the following:

"Terrible Shooting Affray in Broadway - Bill Poole Fatally Wounded - The Morrissey and Poole Feud - Renewal of Hostilities - Several Persons Severely Wounded. Broadway, in the vicinity of Prince and Houston Streets, was the scene of an exciting shooting affair about 1 o'clock yesterday morning, which is but a repetition of a similar occurrence that transpired a few weeks ago under Wallack's Theatre between Tom Hyer, Lewis Baker, Jim Turner and several other noted pugilists...View Full Article at Wikisource

Poole died on March 8, 1855 from the gunshot wound. He died in his home on Christopher Street. His last words were just as they were dictated in the film Gangs of New York: "I die a true American." He was buried on March 11, 1855 in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn with no tombstone. A tombstone was added in 2004. The grave is number: 48 and 49, F/G 6(v)

Louis Baker took the brig Isabella Jewett which was headed for the Canary Islands. George Law, Sr., furnished the clipper ship Grapeshot to pursue Baker. It intercepted the Jewett on April 17, 1855. Baker was brought back and tried, but the jury failed to convict. Morrissey went on to open up several bars and accumulated $1.5 million, but was never accepted by American aristocracy. He later served as a state senator and died of pneumonia in 1878.

He was the inspiration for the character of William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, in Martin Scorsese's 2002 film Gangs of New York.

• 1821 Birth in Sussex County, New Jersey
• 1832 Move to New York City
• 1840 (circa) joins Red Rover Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34, Hudson & Christopher Streets
• 1840 (circa) starts the Washington Street gang
• 1850 US Census
• 1851 Attack at Florence's Hotel
• 1854 Boxing match between Poole and Morrissey on July 27
• 1855 Living on Christopher Street in Manhattan
• 1855 Shot at Stanwix Hall, 579 Broadway, New York City, on February 25
• 1855 Death from bullet wound on March 8
• 1855 Funeral at Green-Wood Cemetery on March 11
• 2004 (circa) Tombstone added to grave

• Charlton T. Lewis, Harper's Book of Facts, New York, 1906
• Herbert Asbury, The Gangs of New York, New York, 1928
• Mark Caldwell, New York Night: The Mystique and Its History, New York, 2005

• List of bare-knuckle boxers

• William Poole bibliography
• NY Press: William Poole
• Frances Asbury: William Poole
• History of Boxing: Poole vs Morrissey
• Findagrave: William Poole