Albert J. Adams

For the Anglican vicar, see Albert James Adams.
Albert J. Adams
BornMay 22, 1845
Blackstone, Massachusetts, US
DiedOctober 1, 1906 (aged 61)
Ansonia Hotel, New York, US
OccupationNumbers game
A picture of a newspaper discussing the death by suicide of Albert J. Adams. The article is from the Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester, New York on October 10, 1906
News coverage on the death of Albert J. Adams

Albert James Adams (May 22, 1845 – October 1, 1906), known as "The Policy King" and the "Meanest Man in New York," was an American racketeer. He ran the numbers game in New York City from around 1890 to around 1905.

Life

He was born in Massachusetts and lived in Rhode Island before he moved to New York City in 1871 as a brakeman for the railroad. He married Isabella (1840-?) and had six children: Albert J. Adams Jr. (1870-?); Lawrence Adams (1874-?); Louis Adams (1875-?); Walter C. Adams (1877-?); Evelyn Adams (1879-?) aka Eveline Adams, who married a Napoleon; and Ida Adams (1874-?) or Claudia P. Adams. In 1880 he was living at 236 West 38th Street in Manhattan and he listed himself as a "segar dealer".

He was named by the Lexow Committee, and was replaced by Peter H. Matthews when he retired. The anonymous testifier at the Lexow Committee in 1894 said: "[the principal policy backers in this city are] Al Adams. 'Jake' Shipsey, Cornelius B. Parker, 'Billy' Myers, 'Ed' Hogan, [and] Charles Lindauer. ...Al has the most ... sheets, and he is the biggest man, and has the most money, and has the biggest pile. ... He is called the king of the policy dealers. ... Al Adams has from Fourteenth street up on the west side mostly." After a 1901 raid on his gambling operation by F. Norton Goddard, the police estimated that he was making more than $1 million a year, and after his conviction in 1903 it was revealed that he had been allowed to stay at the Waldorf-Astoria until he was sentenced. He was sentenced on April 21, 1903, to "not less than a year and not more than one year and nine months" in Sing-Sing.

On April 5, 1904, his application for parole was denied by the New York State Board of Parole. The board members being C. V. Collins, the Superintendent of Prisons; State Treasurer John G. Wickser and president of the New York State Prison Commission John P. Jaeckel. This meant he was to stay in prison for the maximum time of the sentence.[1]

On October 8, 1905, he wrote to The New York Times that he had quit the policy racket forever.[2]

Adams had several legitimate business ventures as well. He owned several corner lots, capitalizing on the real-estate through the establishment of saloons. He was also President of the Amalgamated Goldmines Company, whose holdings included a mine in Guanajuato, Mexico.[3]

He committed suicide at the Ansonia Hotel in 1906 after losing several million dollars by investing in a business venture with his eldest son. The funeral was held at 471 West End, he was 61 years old.[4][5] His death did not end the policy racket in New York City.[6]

References

  1. ^ "No Parole for "Al" Adams. State Board Decides Against ex-Policy King's Application" (PDF). The New York Times. April 6, 1904. Retrieved 2008-07-23. The Board of Parole to-day denied the application of ...
  2. ^ Albert, Adams (October 8, 1905). ""Al" Adams Has Quit. Says He's Dropped Policy Forever and Would Forget Past Troubles" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-23. To the editor of The New York Times: My attention has been called to the fact that my name has been extensively coupled with the recent policy raids in Brooklyn. I wish to ask your indulgence in denying the truth of such allegations. Let me say once and for all time, I am absolutely and forever out of politics, gambling policy and all kinds of lotteries.
  3. ^ "University of California". Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  4. ^ "McKim, Mead, and White". New York City Architecture. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  5. ^ ""Al" Adams a Suicide, Following Misfortunes; Broken By Ill-health and Money Losses, He Shoots Himself. Sage & Co. Sank $2,000,000. He Also Felt Deeply The Disgrace Of Prison Sentence. Great Fortune Made In Policy Swindle" (PDF). The New York Times. October 2, 1906. Retrieved 2008-07-23. "Al" Adams, known as the "Policy King," committed suicide yesterday morning by shooting himself. Members of his family and those in the apartment house who ... Standing before a mirror in his apartment on the fifteenth floor of the Ansonia apartment hotel, "Al" Adams, known as the "Policy King," committed suicide ...
  6. ^ "Policy Ring Chiefs Confess to Judge. "Al" Adams's Successors Say Their Capture Frees New York of That Evil. Tell of $200 A Day Profits. Three Leaders Expect Light Sentences Because of Frankness in Revelations" (PDF). The New York Times. December 2, 1915. Retrieved 2008-07-23. Three of four men who pleaded guilty to policy playing before Justice Weeks in the Criminal Branch of the Supreme Court yesterday were leaders in what has been called the only policy ring able to thrive here since the collapse of "Al" Adams's regime. From the remnants of Adams's operations they developed a syndicate with wide ramifications, which yesterday's procedure, according to Justice Weeks's own statement, completely wiped out of existence.
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Preceded by Policy racket in New York City
c. 1890–1905 		Succeeded by