The next day donnally was told to meet some people at a. In 1979 winter, mcdonald and other members of the winter hill gang were arrested and indicted on federal horse race fixing charges. See more ideas about whitey bulger, organized crime, mafia gangster. Society boy won, and the winter hill gang dropped a bundle on the race. Carrs novel, because it is just that, a work of fiction by an angry man who is a. In the book black mass by dick lehr and gerard oneill, the authors make the. Sean hicks, nephew of winter hill gang founder, is writing a script for film about the isabella stewart gardner museum heist updated jan 07. Since his gruesome end, book sales have been way up. Seldom interviewed, he granted permission to the authors of citizen somerville. Howie winter, the 83yearold former powerful head of the winter hill gang and the predecessor of gangster james whitey bulger, was arrested thursday evening on charges of trying to. Winter was released from prison in 1987 he relocated to st.
Back in the day, this quiet massachusetts town was a mafia. The younger martini has written a book, citizen somerville. Howie winter, the onetime leader of the winter hill gang, and an alleged accomplice will be arraigned tuesday on multiple counts of attempted extortion and conspiracy. Howie winter, who was replaced by whitey bulger as head of the winter hill gang, says no way did he ever suspect that bulger was an fbi informant. Howie winter never saw bulger coming the boston globe. In the book black mass by dick lehr and gerard oneill, the authors claimed that the winter hill. According to martini, the real winter hill gang was made up of three guys. The group was founded by james buddy mclean in 1950, but was most powerful between 1965 and 1979.
Contentsshow biography winter was born in boston on st. Mitchum met with howie winter, bulgers rival in the winter hill gang. The winter hill gang takes its name from the winter hill neighborhood of somerville. Howie winter was born howard thomas winter on saint patricks day 1929 and is known for his role as the second leader of the winter hill gang. Neighbor news howie carr talks bulger, winter hill gang at book signing.
The winter hill gang is a structured confederation of boston, massachusetts area organized. His partnership with whitey bulger and the infamous winter hill gang led to twenty mob murdersfor which johnny would serve twelve years in prison. The trial and conviction of whitey bulger by howie. When the author isnt writing, he can be found contributing to the. It derives its name from the winter hill neighborhood of somerville, massachusetts, north of boston.
It covers the capture and trial of the greedy psychopath who terrorized the boston area for many years. Peabody author leavitt makes book on mobster mclean itemlive. There is also a popular belief that winter was responsible for the assassination of edward mclaughlin, one of the charlestown mob leaders, paving a quick path to the head of the winter hill gang. Kind of but youre looking at a loose collection of irish american drug dealers who probably arent making anywhere near as much as the new england mafia or.
A boston herald journalist in the 1970s dubbed them the winter hill mafia, though the group was actually rivals with the famed italianamerica patriarca crime. Portrayed as a mobster through the media who was the second boss of the winter hill gang. Bill oreilly the indictments of mobstermangled boston continue to rain down in howie carrs superb new truecrime book, hitman. Its members have included notorious boston gangsters howie winter, james buddy mclean, james j. The boston globe, buddy mclean and more howie carr show. Whitey bulgers death leaves legacy of destruction, questions about missing millions. Larry leavitt holds his new book on the winter hill mob in somerville. Operated in the sommerville winter hill neighborhoods and is beloved to be controlled by james whitey bulger after the horse race fixing trials. Howie talks to larry leavitt, author of loved and feared. Iconic boston irish mob boss james whitey bulgers infamous winter hill gang touched down in detroit in the mid1970s. He is the host of a new englandwide radio talkshow syndicated to more than 20 stations, and is a member of the radio hall of fame in chicago. The winter hill gangs racefixing crew operated in the motor city for almost two years at zerillitoco controlled stables until it was busted by the detroit fbi in 1976.
It was the winter of 1973, and angiulo invited his new associates, howie winter and johnny martorano, to the dog house. The winter hill gang is a structured confederation of boston, massachusettsarea organized crime figures, who are predominantly of irish and italian descent. He released his books a few months before whitey bulger was arrested, having been on the run for 16 years. In the book black mass by dick lehr and gerard oneill, the authors make the unsubstantiated claim that the winter hill gang were far more feared and powerful than their rivals, the boston branch of the patriarca crime family run by the angiulo brothers. Howie winter, now retired, was the reputed head of bostons winter hill gang. It was after he went that whitey and stevie took over the gang since all the original members were no longer around. Organized by nee, the meeting was mediated by howie winter, boss of the winter hill gang of somerville. A year later, in 1966, the last two associates of the mclaughlin gang, brothers connie and steve hughes, were killed. It took a decade but carr was finally freed from the threat of violence against his person.
After the irish gang war, the winter hill gang was reputed to be not only the top irish mob syndicate in the new england area, but along the east coast as well. Its horrifying, its deadpan shocking, its a brilliant treatise on criminal psychopathy and a portrait of a city defined and subverted by hoodlums run amok. Cant get enough of the notorious winter hill gang, the irish thugs who ruled the hub underworld in the 60s and 70s. The winter hill gang is a structured confederation of boston, massachusettsarea organized. Eventually, the winter hill gang fell on hard times. Carr, who has written numerous books about the subject, shared anecdotes about bulger and other members of the winter hill gang, including milford resident and. For the movie version of his book, actor robert mitchum, actually met. He became one of the winter hill gangs most prolificand fearedenforcers. His partnership with whitey bulger and the infamous winter hill gang led to twenty. Howie winter then assumed control of the winter hill gang. What winter hill thinks of whitey somerville, ma patch. Howard howie winter born 1929 is an irishamerican mobster and onetime boss of the winter hill gang. Howie carr talks bulger, winter hill gang at book signing.
From 19781994, kevin weeks served as a member of the winter hill gang, and a close friend, confidant, and henchman to whitey bulger. Buddy mclean, boss of the notorious winter hill mob during bostons irish gang war. Whitey bulgers rotten life and times boston herald. James whitey bulger then replaced winter as boss of the gang. Boston, charlestown, dorchester, south boston the irish gang war was between the mclaughlin gang of charlestown, led by bernie mclaughlin and the winter hill gang of somerville, led by james buddy mclean. Then, in the late 1970s, when howie winter and other prominent members of the winter hill gang went to prison for fixing horse races, among other things, there was a power vacuum and bulger. Hes been intimately linked to howie winter and the winter hill gang since childhood. Bobby, a longtime driver for teamsters local 25, didnt rely on just his own. The book is about howie winter and the winter hill gang, which ive heard about for years, but never really got the true scope of.
After the irish gang war, the winter hill gang was reputed to be not only the top irish mob syndicate in the new england area but along the east coast as well. Patricks day in boston, by both italian and irish ancestry, was a real tough guy who, nonetheless. The arrival of irish immigrants into the united states was not welcomed. Discrimination against irish immigrants continued and. Hes been intimately linked to howie winter and the winter hill gang since. King became an active member in the newly combined gang and was believed to be involved in the murder of fellow mullen gang member paul. In early 2006, carr became a book author with the publication of the new york timesrated bestseller the brothers bulger, about brothers billy and whitey bulger. Whitey bulger book has new stories to tell life of crime, lisa s.
Longtime mob figure faces extortion charges the boston globe. The authors cousin and winter hill gang member, joe mcdonald. Charlestown, west roxbury of boston, somerville, massachusetts affiliation. Stories of howie winter and his lieutenants are legendary in boston, but citizen somerville brings them back to life with a bonus. Winter hill gang howie carr columnist howie carr has written two new york times bestsellers, is a member of the national radio hall of fame and has won a national magazine award.
The untold story of johnny martorano and millions of other books are. While the winter hill gang did exist, this article has been so stilted by the views of one critic, right wing talk show host howie carr. Winter hill gang rides again in new tellall masscops. My cousin joe was a hit man for the boston mob vice. See more ideas about crime, mafia gangster and mafia. Carr also looks at the politicians and fbi agents who aided johnny and whitey, and at the flamboyant city of boston which martorano so ruthlessly ruled. The true story of his life spoken from the man himself is the subject of this article. Elayne keratsis is a film producer and lifelong scribe living the reel gypsy life of traveling the world, shooting film, writing, and anticipating what will come next. Looking back at an unlikely acquaintance with whitey bulger. Its members have included notorious boston gangsters buddy mclean, whitey bulger, howie winter, joe mcdonald, johnny martorano.
In the book black mass by dick lehr and gerard oneill, the authors claimed that the winter hill gang were far more feared and powerful than their rivals, the boston branch of the patriarca crime family run by the angiulo brothers. Irish gang wars bloodied citizen somerville radio boston. After the irish gang war, the winter hill gang was reputed to be not only the top irish mob syndicate in the new england area, but along the entire east coast as well. This could be one of the bloodiest new england gang wars ever with over 60. This is the gripping truelife story of martoranos years killing for the winter hill gang, told in carrs arresting. Instead, because of bulgers highlycontroversial relationship with the fbi in massachusetts, the trip made by a lieutenant of his to the motor city indirectly led to him gaining even further control. If you want to know about whitey bulger and the winter hill gang, ask howie carr. I have to say, i came out of this loving howie winter, even if making book is a crooked thing to do, howie was always a stand up guyand not a maniacal whack job like whitey bulger and i really enjoyed this book. Then do check out citizen somerville, a newly released memoir by bobby martini, who grew up with gangsters howie winter, buddy mclean and brian halloran and lived to tell the tale.
Howard thomas winter born march 17, 1929 is an american mobster. The detroit mafia did business with legendary boston irish mob boss james whitey bulger in the late 1970s, as the zerillitocco crime family and bulgers winter hill gang joined forces to fix horse races. Chelsea was so corrupt that the winter hill gang couldnt afford to bribe everybody. Most of howies nonfiction books were about the winter hill gang, specifically about brothers whitey and billy bulger. Howie carr weaves a frightening tale of unlawful conduct, and its all true. Howie winter, the 83yearold former powerful head of the winter hill gang and the predecessor of gangster james whitey bulger, was arrested thursday evening on charges of trying to extort two people, the middlesex district attorneys office said. According to nees book, the mullen and killeen gang decided to join forces with winter as overall boss. Howie was connected to the mafia and was the head of winter hill up until he went to prison for ten or so years in 1978. In 1973 and thereafter angiulo and winter hill were working handinhand.