Patrick "Paudeen" McLaughlin (1822 – March 20, 1858) was a New York criminal and a "slugger" for Tammany Hall during the middle of the 19th century. McLaughlin, whose nose had previously been chewed off during a brawl in the Five Points with the Alderman of the First Ward, was widely regarded in the underworld for his skill with a bludgeon and slung-shot.

Biography

Born to Irish immigrants in

Cohoes Falls Cohoes Falls Mohawk language">''Kanien'ké:ha'' (Kanyenkeha or Mohawk language) for "a boat is in the water / is actively submerged"is a waterfall on the Mohawk River shared by the city of Cohoes and the town of Waterford, New York. Cohoe ...

(near Lansingburgh, New York), McLaughlin left home at an early age to work as an immigrant runner in New York and soon became a well known street fighter and was imprisoned for a time on Blackwell's Island. After being severely disfigured in a brawl with a future Alderman of the First Ward, he retired from immigrant running and was employed as hired muscle for the

Erie Railroad Company The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Erie ...

for several years. During the mid-1850s, he and Jim Turner were bodyguards for Lewis "Lew" Baker during his feud with William "Bill the Butcher" Poole. He, along with Turner and several others were eventually convicted of aiding and abetting Baker after he shot and killed Poole on February 25, 1855. McLaughlin himself, while drinking at a Howard Street saloon and dance hall, was mortally wounded when he was shot on the morning of March 20, 1858 by sportsman Daniel "Dad" Cunningham. He and Cunningham had become involved in a heated argument after McLaughlin had insulted the boxing abilities of John Morrissey. When a fight broke out between the two men, Cunningham pulled a revolver and shot McLaughlin in the chest. Although later taken to the New York City Hospital, he would die of his wounds several hours after his arrival as doctors failed to find the bullet which remained lodged in his chest.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McLaughlin, Patrick 1822 births 1858 deaths Gang members of New York City American gangsters of Irish descent American gangsters People from Lansingburgh, New York