prison in 1917 Spanish rejoined Kaplan, as well as several other former Five Point Gang members, working as "labor sluggers". However Spanish and Kaplan soon began fighting again as the gang split into two separate factions, as each attempted to gain dominance over the New York's "labor slugging" operations. Johnny Spanish during this period became one of the biggest drug dealers in Manhattan, selling both cocaine and heroin. He was assisted by his brother Joseph, appropriately nicknamed, "Joey Spanish". Yet there was too much bad blood between Spanish and the Dropper for either of them to relax. Spanish was shot and killed while entering a Manhattan restaurant at 19 Second Avenue by three unidentified men on July 29, 1919. Charges were brought against Kaplan, who had been identified at the scene, but were later dropped. Kaplan was later shot and killed in August 1923. References Further reading Downey, Patrick. Gangster City: The History of the New York Underworld, 1900–1935. Fort Lee, New Jersey: Barricade Books, 2004. External links New York gangster Johnny Spanish: A Retrospective (1 of 2) by Daniel Waugh New York gangster Johnny Spanish: A Retrospective (2 of 2) by Daniel Waugh 1889 births 1919 deaths 1919 murders in the United States Murdered Jewish American gangsters People from Manhattan People murdered in New York City Male murder victims Deaths by firearm in Manhattan 1911 in New York City 1919 in New York City 20th-century American Jews American gangsters of Italian descent