despite his slender build, kinney was known as a tough street fighter. he and his family lived on collins street, across from the egan family. thomas egan, six years younger than tom, grew to be his best friend. in the late 1880s, snake kinney was a neighborhood pool hustler and all-around crook when he entertained the idea for running for office. kinney was elected to the st. louis city democratic city committee in 1890. kinney's friends, a street gang headed by tom egan, ensured many of democratic votes at election time for their friend. by 1894, snake kinney ran a saloon at second and carr, which served as a headquarters for the "ashley street gang", soon to be known as the egan's rats.