 Lewis had been hired by Herman Rosenthal in 1909 to beat up one of his rivals, Bridgie Webber.Lewis was later targeted to be killed because of his association with Rosenthal and, after being lured to his East Eleventh Street apartment late one evening, several men in a passing Pierce Arrow called out to him as he stood on the doorstep.The men opened fire and Lewis was killed as he ran towards a side street.