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How bullies shaped 19th-century America

How bullies shaped 19th-century America

Andrew Wender Cohen explores the remarkable career of Louis Bieral – a boxer, gambler, political enforcer and American Civil War veteran – and how his life illuminates the brutal realities of the 19th-century USA

Elinor Evans

Published: August 31, 2026 at 7:12 AM

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America's Gilded Age is often remembered for rapid expansion and opportunity, but beneath the surface lay a brutal society in which it paid to be a bully.

In this episode, Elinor Evans speaks to historian Andrew Wender Cohen about his new book Gangster of New York: A Violent Life in Nineteenth-Century America. Following the remarkable career of Louis Bieral – a boxer, gambler, political enforcer and American Civil War veteran – Cohen uncovers how one man's life illuminates the brutal realities of the 19th-century US, from slavery and organised crime to political corruption and the struggle to establish the rule of law.

Authors

Elinor EvansHead of digital (web and video)

Elinor Evans is head of digital (web and video)

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