Over the next two and a half to three years Cummiskey would further himself from the Spillane-led faction of the Hell’s Kitchen Irish Mob known as The Spillane Gang and become more and more a member and follower of the young Jimmy Coonan. Then, it was finally time to begin building the Jacob Javits Center in Hell’s Kitchen, which would turn into a tremendous money maker. Because the construction site was in Hell’s Kitchen that made it Mickey Spillane’s territory, but, the Genovese Family boss Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno did not like that, so, he sent a freelance Irish hitman from Queens by name of Joseph “Mad Dog” Sullivan to get rid of some of Spillane’s main men.
Although reportedly on good relations with both Spillane and Coonan (despite rumors of Cummiskey defecting to the Westies), he was shot at point blank range and killed by Joseph “Mad Dog” Sullivan while drinking at the Sunbrite bar on August 20, 1976. His death would be one of many ordered by Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno seeking to eliminate high ranking and veteran members of Spillane’s organization.
