James O'Toole (mobster)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James "Spike" O'Toole (December 7, 1929-December 1, 1973) was an Irish-American gangster from Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was a close friend of The Winter Hill Gang of Somerville, and their leader James "Buddy" McLean. He was targeted for assassination by The McLaughlin Brothers gang of Charlestown, when a Cambridge gangster named Ronald Dermody fell in love with his girlfriend. Dermody made a deal with George McLaughlin that if they would kill O'Toole, he would kill McLean. Dermody's plan backfired and he wound up dead, and The McLaughlins forgot about O'Toole. Years later, in December of 1973, O'Toole (who had survived many assassination attempts) was run over by gangland assassin John Matorano while leaving a bar in South Boston.
