Gangland Slaying of Numbers King David Giles, October 30, 1942.

Born in the San Juan neighborhood of Harlem, Giles moved to Englewood where he became a wealthy real estate entrepreneur and owner of a liquor store on 220 William Street. Giles also owned property and two "disorderly houses" in Harlem. It's not exactly clear who assassinated him. The two or three white men who shot him were unidentified. The most likely scenario is that Giles had declared his intention to move into the numbers racket in Harlem. At the time, the legendary gangster Bumpy Johnson controlled the numbers uptown. He kicked up a percentage to the Genovese Crime family headed by Frank Costello. Johnson and Costello probably got wind of Giles's plan and sent Genovese solders to take Giles out. The Giles assassination took place two weeks after Bumpy had attacked his most trusted lieutentant Raymond "Smooth" Taylor for betraying him. It's possible the killing was connected to this internal schism.