Jimmy Kelly (saloon keeper)
Giovanni de Silvio or Jimmy Kelly (fl. 1900–1914) was an American saloon keeper, political organizer and underworld figure in New York City during the start of the 20th century. He was the owner the Fourteenth Street saloon The Folly as well as the popular Mandarin Cafe in Chinatown, located in the notorious "Bloody Angle" along Doyers Street, and was a hangout for politicians, gang leaders and other noted criminals of the era. His cafe was also the scene of several violent incidents, especially during the Tong War, which included, in 1910, the fourth attempted suicide of Chinatown character John "Dippy" Rice and the 1912 murder of Hen Ken Yum, the latter a high-level member of the On Leong Tong and a lieutenant of Mock Duck. He himself controlled a small gang of thugs-for-hire and was an ally of the Eastman Gang, particularly Jack Zelig, but later became involved in an underworld rivalry with Chick Tricker and Jack Sirocco. For several years, he feuded with Tricker and Sirocco over control of Chinatown's graft and was the main competitor of their establishment The Flea Bag. He became a major political organizer for Tammany Hall, successful in taking power in Chinatown following the arrest of Monk Eastman in 1904, and was eventually awarded control of the district by Tammany politicians. Both Tricker and Sirocco resisted Kelly's attempts to take over but were forced out after a police raid led to the close of The Flea Bag. 1905 In May 1905, he was assaulted in the Bowery near Great Jones Street by members of the Five Points Gang under Paul Kelly. Although he received only minor injuries, bouncers from The Folly and New Brighton began fighting each other resulting in three men being stabbed and the murder of "Eat 'Em Up" Jack McManus. Both Kelly and Tricker were both assaulted in separate incidents shortly before McManus's murder, Kelly being stabbed in the back with a stiletto on First Avenue near Fourth Street. 1908 In November 1908, while walking to his home, he was attacked by members of the Humpty Jackson Gang shortly after hosting a ball at Tammany Hall. He was shot in the stomach but eventually recovering from his wounds and refusing to identify his attackers. He received special protection from the New York Police Department and had a particularly close relationship with Detective Charles Becker. While in attendance at Sirocco's annual ball at Tammany Hall in February 1912, Becker overheard plans to murder Kelly and spent the rest of the night with several other officers guarding Kelly's place. Although no attack took place that night, Becker searched Sirocco's Little Rock headquarters at Broome Street and confiscated a rifle and two revolvers. The cafe was under guard for three more days when, while walking through the Bowery with Louie the Lump, an unidentified gunman fired at them from a hallway. Neither men were hit but later that day another attempt was made while the two were at Baxter Street after walking through Mulberry