▁Irish ▁mob ▁became ▁organized ▁and ▁expanded ▁their ▁control ▁out ▁of ▁Hell ’ s ▁K itchen ▁to ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁Manh attan . ▁The ▁Italian ▁M af ia , ▁seeing ▁this ▁as ▁a ▁threat , ▁demanded ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁soon - to - be - built ▁Jacob ▁K . ▁J av its ▁Convention ▁Center . ▁The ▁convention ▁center ▁was ▁being ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁Ch else a ▁neighborhood ▁of ▁NY C ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁Hell ' s ▁K itchen . ▁Sp ill ane ▁refused ▁to ▁allow ▁any ▁invol vement ▁by ▁the ▁It ali ans . ▁The ▁Italian ▁gang sters ▁greatly ▁out number ed ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁mob , ▁but ▁Sp ill ane ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁keeping ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁convention ▁center . ▁The ▁It ali ans , ▁fr ustr ated ▁and ▁embar rass ed ▁by ▁their ▁defeat ▁to ▁Sp ill ane ▁and ▁the ▁Irish ▁gang sters , ▁respond ed ▁by ▁h iring ▁a ▁ro gue ▁Irish - American ▁hit man ▁named ▁Joseph ▁" Mad ▁Dog " ▁S ull ivan ▁to ▁assass inate ▁Tom ▁De van ey , ▁Edd ie ▁" the ▁But cher " ▁C umm is key , ▁and ▁Tom ▁" the ▁Greek " ▁Kap atos , ▁three ▁of ▁Sp ill ane ' s ▁chief ▁lie uten ants . ▁By ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s , ▁Sp ill ane ▁had ▁moved ▁his ▁family ▁out ▁of ▁Hell ' s ▁K itchen ▁to ▁Wood side , ▁Queens , ▁because ▁of ▁thre ats ▁of ▁violence ▁against ▁his ▁children