The Man Who Wouldn't Pay: A Christmas Story (Part One)
by Clara Preve
/
The conclusion of our Christmas true crime story. November 2, 1994: the phone call, the gunshot, and the aftermath that changed New York's Christmas tree business forever.
This is Part Two of "The Man Who Wouldn't Pay," the inaugural story from The Foundry. If you missed Part One, read it here.
The story so far: Glenn Walker was a stubborn Florida farmer who built a Christmas tree empire in the South Bronx. For sixty years, the Gambino family had run an extortion racket on New York's tree vendors—a "tribute" system pioneered by underboss Joseph "Piney" Armone. Glenn refused to pay. After surviving a shooting in Florida and a firebombing of his lot, he turned the attacks into publicity and had his best season ever. But he had embarrassed the wrong people. Another vendor heard the warning: "Glenn Walker was a dead man." It was just a matter of time.
Related Posts