John Gilbert Finiello, a 45-year-old white male, was a decorated World War I veteran and an agent for the Bureau of Prohibition, known for his honesty and courage. Born in Italy, he was a naturalized immigrant who had previously demonstrated his integrity by turning in a significant bribe. His commitment to his work ultimately placed him in a perilous situation on September 19, 1930.
On that fateful day, Finiello and his fellow agents conducted a raid on the Rising Sun brewery in
Elizabeth, New Jersey. After they had successfully arrested several workers at the distillery, the agents were ambushed by members of the notorious Mickey Duffy mob. The gunmen, who numbered at least eight, held the agents at gunpoint. Recognizing Finiello, they singled him out and fatally shot him.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an investigation identified two men, Albert Silverberg and John Newman, as being responsible for Finiello's murder. However, due to issues with witness identification, neither man was ever brought to trial in New Jersey for the crime. Despite escaping prosecution for Finiello's death, both Silverberg and Newman were later convicted in 1932 for an unrelated murder in Minnesota and sentenced to life in prison. Several days after Finiello's death, the Bureau of Prohibition received an anonymous letter referencing the shooting and threatening the lives of other agents if they continued to pursue bootleggers. Finiello was survived by his wife, Margaret, and his son, John Jr.
