Page "Murder, Inc." Paragraph 16

Harry " Pittsburgh Phil " Strauss and Martin " Buggsy " Goldstein were put on trial for the September 4, 1939, strangulation murder of bookmaker Irving " Puggy " Feinstein, whose body was set on fire and left in a vacant lot after Feinstein had been strangled.

The trial started in September 1940 with Strauss feigning insanity.

Abe Reles, the chief prosecution witness, testified that Feinstein was murdered on orders of Albert Anastasia, since he supposedly " crossed " Vincent Mangano.

Reles testified that he, Goldstein and Strauss murdered Feinstein in his house.

Reles's mother-in-law also testified that Reles and Strauss had asked her for an ice pick and clothesline earlier in the day and, while at the house, heard loud music masking a commotion in the living room.

She also testified hearing Strauss say that he had been bitten.

Goldstein's former bodyguard / driver Seymour Magoon corroborated the story, as he testified that on the night of the murder, Goldstein told him that he along with Reles and Strauss had murdered Puggy Feinstein and that shortly after the crime was committed, Goldstein and " Duke " Maffetore burned the body.

Goldstein's attorney decided not to put up a defense.

Strauss's attorney claimed his client was insane.

Strauss was briefly allowed on the witness stand but refused to take his oath and was " babbling incoherently " as he was led back to the defense table.

Strauss then began chewing on a leather strap of a briefcase.

On September 19, 1940, Strauss and Goldstein were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in the electric chair a week later.

On April 24, 1941, Strauss and Goldstein's convictions were affirmed by New York's Court of Appeals on a 4 – 3 decision.

Strauss and Goldstein were executed in the electric chair on June 12, 1941.