It seems he had already made his rep before he became a westie.Good book,I agree.In the book it says that Coonan would take his guys out with Demeo's crew and that one night in particular that Featherstone and one of Demeo's guys got in a fight.After that Coonan backed off a little.I guess it would have had to been one of the Gemeni twins or Borelli.And any of the three would have probally killed Featherstone on the spot.