Description: The story of Moe Sedway, the eponymous "shadow" to Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, from his days as Bugsy's right hand associate to his suspected role in Bugsy's unsolved disappearance, and the role Sedway played in the creation of modern Las Vegas.
Early in the Prohibition era, Moe Sedway became part of the New York organized crime gang led by Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. A loyal and highly effective operative for Siegel, Sedway eventually gained monopoly control of the race wire service in Las Vegas and also became an effective casino manager of the Las Vegas Club, El Cortez, and the Rex Club. A breach in their relationship led to rumors that Sedway had gained Lansky's approval for a "hit" on Siegel. The unsolved mystery of who murdered Bugsy in 1947 has spawned numerous theories about the identity of the hitman, but regardless of who pulled the trigger, Bugsy's death opened the way for Moe to flourish as his own man at last. Long overshadowed by Bugsy in the annals of organized crime in America, Moe Sedway is now at last brought out into the light in this riveting tale of the sensational life and times of one of Vegas's most mysterious and little-known figures.Brief description: Larry D. Gragg is a Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus and the University Historian at Missouri University of Science and Technology. His books include Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel: The Gangster, the Flamingo, and the Making of Modern Las Vegas and Becoming America's Playground: Las Vegas in the 1950s.
Review Quotes: "Larry Gragg deserves a medal for tackling the long-neglected story of Moe Sedway, who has been unfairly overshadowed by his larger-than-life partner in crime, Bugsy Siegel. This is a vital and invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding organized crime's pivotal role in the rise of Las Vegas."--Geoff Schumacher, author of Sun, Sin, and Suburbia: The History of Modern Las Vegas, Revised and Expanded