Albert Anastasia (1903-1957)
A.K.A:"The Mad Hatter", "Lord High Executioner"

Albert Anastasia was the cheif executioner for the enforcement side of the National Syndicate, Murder Incorporated. His ruthless brutality made him legendary and helped him achieve leadership of one of the most powerful Mafia families.

Anastasia came to the US sometime between 1917 and 1920 and quickly became involved with the operations of Brooklyn's docks. He was arrested in the early 20's for having killed a fellow longshoreman and spent 18 months in the deaths house of Sing Sing. He was set free when another trial was held and four of the most important witnesses suddenly ended up missing.

Anastasia showed a certain ability early on for killing which helped him be promoted to operating head, along with Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, of Murder Inc. This organization of contract killers was reportedly responsible for upto 500 deaths but Anastasia was never prosecuted for these killings. Lepke, and many others, were charged and sent to prison for these killings (see Kid Twist Reles), but the Federal Government's key witness against Anastasia disappeared.

Anastasia was partly responsible for Lucky Luciano's rise to power. When, in 1930, Luciano approached him about his plot to do away with the old Mustache Petes that ran the Mafia, Anastasia pronouced that he'd been waiting for eight years for Luciano to be in charge and that he would "kill everybody" so that Luciano could be on top. Anastasia was hungry for power and knew that if Luciano were head of the National Crime Syndicate that he would eventually get a piece of the action. Anastasia was part of the four men sent to kill Masseria in 1931 in a Coney Island Resteraunt.