Baxter Street Dudes

[1] Led by founder Baby-Face Willie, gang members operated the Grand Duke's Theatre and established the venue as their headquarters.

When Grand Duke's Theatre was at its peak, many movements occurring across the United States influenced the organization's ability to function.

In the post-war period following the bitter American Civil War, the volume of immigrants settling in the Northeastern United States became massive.

New York and neighboring states were rapidly developing, with notable technical achievements including the introduction of the elevator and the creation of the first telephone line.

[11] Throughout performances by the Baxter Street Dudes at Grand Duke's Theatre, members of fellow gangs were known to disrupt actors by causing physical altercations, which eventually led to the foreclosure of the theater by the New York City Police Department.

In addition to audience members impacting theater functionality, the Baxter Street Dudes refused to pay amusement taxes to the city.

[1] Demand for theater grew in New York City and the Baxter Street Dudes began making a $70 a week which was usually donated to charity.