Gangster. Thomas Egan was a St. Louis gangster and Democratic city politician. Growing up in the Kerry Patch, Egan and his group of friends began committing street crimes, often at the behest of Egan's best friend and brother-in-law, Tom Kinney. Egan's crew would eventually dubbed the "Egan's Rats". Twice acquitted of murder in 1907-08, Egan was not only the most feared gangster in the city but a St. Louis Deputy Constable. Leading a gang of nearly 400 men, the Rats ran most of St. Louis's rackets. Tom Egan even went so far as to set up a liquor smuggling network in the early 1910's, well before the advent of national Prohibition. As fate would have it, Tom Egan would not reap the rewards of Prohibition, as he died at age 44 from Bright's disease.
Gangster. Thomas Egan was a St. Louis gangster and Democratic city politician. Growing up in the Kerry Patch, Egan and his group of friends began committing street crimes, often at the behest of Egan's best friend and brother-in-law, Tom Kinney. Egan's crew would eventually dubbed the "Egan's Rats". Twice acquitted of murder in 1907-08, Egan was not only the most feared gangster in the city but a St. Louis Deputy Constable. Leading a gang of nearly 400 men, the Rats ran most of St. Louis's rackets. Tom Egan even went so far as to set up a liquor smuggling network in the early 1910's, well before the advent of national Prohibition. As fate would have it, Tom Egan would not reap the rewards of Prohibition, as he died at age 44 from Bright's disease.
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