Silas Jayne

popular name: Thomas Putnam

date_of_death: June 3, 1699

age: 47

cause_of_death: Unknown infectious disease

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: Thomas Putnam was the father of afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr, and many historians consider him to be a major influence in the Salem Witch Trials. Putnam himself accused and testified against 43 people while his daughter testified against 62 people.

popular name: Allan Pinkerton

date_of_death: July 1, 1884

age: 64

cause_of_death: Gangrene (disputed)

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: Allan Pinkerton was a Scottish cooper, abolitionist, detective, and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency during his time in the United States. When the Civil War began, Pinkerton served as head of the Union Intelligence Service during the first two years, heading off an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland while guarding Abraham Lincoln on his way to Washington, D.C. as well as identifying troop numbers in military campaigns. His agents often worked undercover as Confederate soldiers and sympathizers to gather military intelligence. Pinkerton himself served on several undercover missions as a Confederate soldier using the alias Major E.J. Allen. Following Pinkerton's service with the Union Army, he continued his pursuit of train robbers, including the Reno Gang. He was hired by the railroad express companies to track outlaw Jesse James, but after Pinkerton failed to capture him, the railroad withdrew their financial support and Pinkerton continued to track James at his own expense.

popular name: Paul Vario

date_of_death: May 3, 1988

age: 73

cause_of_death: Lung cancer

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: Paul Vario was a prominent New York mobster and high-ranking member of the Lucchese crime family. Born on July 10, 1914, in Brooklyn, he became involved in organized crime at a young age, eventually rising to become a caporegime (captain) in the family. Vario controlled a crew based in Brooklyn that was involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including extortion, loan sharking, illegal gambling, and hijacking. Vario was also involved in legitimate businesses that included a flower shop, a bar, a restaurant, and a taxi stand. One of his businesses, Vario's Bargain Auto Parts Inc., located at 5702 Avenue D, is where Vario conducted illegal business with his associates. At his height, Vario was earning an estimated $25,000 a day from his illegal activities. He gained notoriety through his association with Henry Hill, whose life was chronicled in the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi and later dramatized in the film Goodfellas, where Vario was portrayed by actor Paul Sorvino. Despite his power and influence, Vario was ultimately brought down by law enforcement, thanks in part to Hill's cooperation with authorities. He was convicted on multiple charges in the 1980s, including extortion and fraud. Paul Vario died of respiratory failure in prison on May 3, 1988, at the age of 73. Paul Vario was laid to rest in the Vario Family plot at St. John Cemetery in Middle Village, New York.