january sources january detective known 1920s 1930s city toughest officers patrolling broadway theater district strikes head personally beating suspects career detective built reputation physical courage assaulting like jack legs diamond gun facing armed gunmen prison break tombs prison celebrity detective exploits favorite gossip press partner probably best known officers era world wars character based subject film bullets ballots character played portrayed comic book police film series broadway musical based life contemplated won medals career accusations excessive force command accused brutality corruption accused taking bribes beat prisoner custody badly permanently crippled beat innocent people brutality complaints futile finally forced retirement mayor early life born manhattan east 25th street impoverished son age left school drive brick truck coal truck support mother death father served world war worked bodyguard labor leader joined april found boring having taken examinations january following year joined book describe district tough guy labor career joined january detective grade april year obtaining months promotion usually years called swift appointment detective extraordinary luck influence continued rise rapidly rank promoted detective second grade detective grade march daily_news reported years later detective contemporaries felt angel city reported joining police department coal merchant close chief inspector believed sponsor department charge unit created monitor labor movement free political communists suppress violence strikes little patience labor according history era led violent confrontations fur workers union led communists railroad workers insurgents strikes city turned violent august nose broken tried disperse crowd striking workers november absorbed command commander received acclaim role attempted prison break tombs manhattan prison november faced armed tombs yard killed prison officials police said wounded committed suicide approached remained charge received new_york_times described lesser assignments mayor police officers fell favor connections political machine assigned manhattan district attorney office reduced rank pay cut transferred police commissioner syndicated columnist said time sent walk beat enjoyed years endorsement assistance politicians city reinstated detective grade ryan months later meeting saying original result vague criticism political connections viewed current commander model cop promoted detective second grade detective grade broadway beat swiftly gained reputation violence described huge lethal beat man half broadway slang knocked single punch broken times knocked gangster francis gun single punch pointing gun said demanded tip hat said gone funeral member gang eye wrap lead pipe newspaper allowed beat looked like giving friendly rolled newspaper exploits widely reported new_york media gaining celebrity status tenth anniversary police department commemorated dinner honor january room attended politicians civic leaders including hall district leader entertainment provided subsequently convicted protecting harlem numbers run exploits new_york newspapers tossed women plate glass window arrested destruction property sentenced days jail disarmed man crowded restaurant guns knife responded threat gangster legs diamond trash head forced crawl away accounts confrontation hold dumped diamond trash knocked diamond single blow account claiming diamond left unconscious minutes reputation heavyweight boxing champion said wouldn want meet fight outside ring rules offer informal protection service crime victims especially young women personally beat offenders worked time winner department medal honor exploits inspired series years selected bodyguard visiting celebrities president requested special bodyguard visited new_york world series bodyguard queen marie romania king albert belgium allegations misconduct career beginning days subject allegations misconduct command accused violence corruption beat people totally innocent lawsuits complaints brutality futile public image favorable media coverage connections column brief said good excessively tough times occasions action bounced round people particular need bouncing said selective harass low characters city notorious activity walking right past street lobby madison square garden find occasion bounce said found strange july accused beating striking workers injuring denied charges saying police acting self defense squad accused beating striking drivers accused brutality striking paper box makers following year squad accused attacking fur industry officers squad accused beating spectators madison square garden bicycle race sending hospital broken jaws internal injuries incident career rescued favorable press coverage union official told special committee union paid police week bribes protection strike union officials claimed non union workers beaten police officers stood claimed chief paid week men squad paid week officers clearly inquiry judge charges revived communist accused officers corruption testimony house american activities committee testified union controlled communists 1920s borrowed million finance strike went members including received said action taken detectives mayoral candidate accused labor management instead preserving order agency create disorder squad disbanded justice freed prisoner arrested parole violation beaten saying police beat badly life think man crime prisoner sustained knee ribs jaw given medical attention police custody superiors found reason discipline detective retirement controversy september assigned office mayor confidential capacity city government found surprising months abruptly transferred july retired police department sought democratic leader broadway district manhattan west incumbent district leaders challenging accused having forced department charge confirmed manhattan district attorney disclosed forced retire mayor office learned november accompanied convict arkansas associated denied charge conceding plane coincidence admitted knew gangster new_york job bid district leader failed september primary elections editorial pointed circumstances forced retirement came light seeking new career politics voters wonder told city government incident demonstrates little embarrassment personal life feet inches tall weighed pounds dresses like smoked drank worked gymnasium day kept physical condition time described having affluent lifestyle drawing salary year cut result drove dressed owned home queens devoted fan rarely missing fight madison square garden days detective enjoyed listening wife play piano described new_york_times obituary fond cream colored silk underwear duty men said upset portrayal robinson bullets ballots robinson shown drinking smoking retirement sold life story motion picture titled broadway man riot squad report said screenplay knew days newspaper reporter film star plans television series musical life persisted come pass died heart disease birthday farmhouse outside new_york raised horses dogs survived wife daughter sisters grandchildren buried pine lawn cemetery long_island reported married years time daughters margaret legacy brutal methods officers sanctioned police department era praised fearless beginning 1960s new_york police sought curb kind conduct training programs established teaching officers observe civil rights suspects public 1980s feared shifted brutality complaints assaults police climbed cited new_york_times old methods time death assistant chief inspector colleague called man time said restrictions today difficult time things prohibition said people went court like revolving door locked meet johnny book chicago detective commander president said despite reputation actually beaten occasions image says rested great extent broadway business figures relied informal protection rave accounts career observed real strength gangster legal right use deadly force practical power sight
Johnny Broderick