Member-only story
Mike The Durable, The Man Whose Friends Tried to Kill Him Dozens Of Times For Insurance Money
Michael Malloy was a homeless alcoholic who lived through numerous attempts by his friends to kill him for money — until they finally succeeded
Most people, whether they will readily admit it or not, would like to be well known for at least one thing. Many of us have singular talents, but unfortunately they are often nothing to brag about. One of the most unusual talents was an alcoholic vagrant from a century ago named Michael Malloy. He earned the nicknames of “Iron Mike” and “Mike the Durable” because a gang of men plotted to murder him for an insurance payout, but simply couldn’t kill the man after repeated and varied attempts — until they finally did — and got caught.
Malloy was born around 1873 in Ireland. He ultimately emigrated to the United States, living there in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. Originally a fireman by trade, his fondness of drink not only drove him to unemployment, but also to living in the streets.
By January, 1933, he was in a sad way, an alcoholic bum wandering the streets, which made him an easy target. Five men who were familiar with him (Francis Pasqua, Tony Marino, Joseph “Red” Murphy, Daniel Kriesberg…
