Vincent Coll was originally from County Donegal in Ireland. During his early life he was institutionalized in Catholic institutions for the indigent and truant youths in New York City. His first criminal offenses involved citations for juvenile delinquency. He lived for a time with his half-sister Florence and her husband, Joseph Reddan, in the Bronx, in 1930. In fact Joseph Reddan and Coll's brother, Peter, were involved in the offenses that were committed by a gang that Vincent established that was based in the Bronx. Vincent and Peter Coll were introduced to organized crime during their tenure as hit men for Dutch Schultz. Schultz controlled the liquor and beer trade in New York City for years and the Coll brothers were a part of his organization. Eventually Vincent wanted to go out on his own. When Schultz refused his request to start a separate branch of the organization within the criminal network that was already operative, the Colls went out on their own.