The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-14

johnny Hope, the professional bank rob-
Der, who was arrested in New York on Tues
day, as has been IT ported, as one of the gang
who robbed the Manhattan Savings Bank,
Broadway, New York,-a remarkably build
operation, in broad daylight, on an October
Sunday morning. is son of the Jimmy"
Hope who, Detective Wiggin asserts, was con.
cerned in the Dexter, Me , affair and murder
Of Cashier Barron. He stoutly maintains, it
will be recalled. that Barron was murdered and
did not commit suicide. Jimmy" Hope is be-
lieved to have baen the leader in the Mauhat-
tan Bank robbery, and the New York officers
are satisfied that the several offers of com.
promise on the part Of the robbers that have
been made to the bank officials since the rob-
berry took place were through a man whose
identity with Hope is proved to their entire
satisfaction. "J:mmy" Hope, it is thought,
cannot escape arrest The operations of this
Jimmy" Hope 10 New England have been
frequent and bold. Some three years ago he
escaped with other convcts from Sing Sing by
jumping from bridge on TO a Budson River
Railroad train, taking possession of locomo-
tive, separating it from the train aud going of.
About two years age. the Dexter National
Bank, Dexter, Me-, and the Dexter Savings
Bank, occupying the left side of the same floor,
were rObb' d. The robbery was traced to
Jimmy" Hope, but he could not be found. In
the spring of the same year an attempt was
made to rob the bank at Deep River, Conn
Too much powder vas put in the safe to blow
it open, and the noise Of the explosion aroused
the neighbors and frightened the burglars away
before they got any plunder. This robbery was
also traced to "Jlmm7" Hope. aud he was ar
rested and placed on trial for the crime. He
was, however. acquitted. While he was on
trial in Deep River, James jackson, keeper of
Sing Sing, was sent after hin with requisiton
to bring him back to New York to serve out the
eight years that he owed that State. 1t is al
legged that promise was made to jackson to
inform bin if Hope should be acquitted, 80
that be could secure him, and jackson there
upon went home. He did not get the notice,
and at Hopes acquittal the latter WAS surren-
dered to the Maine authorities on rfqnisition
from that State, demanding him for trial for
the Dexter National Bank robbery. Jackson
attempted to secure HoDe in Maine. Bus the
burglar was quietly acquitted there and when
Jackson tried to learn MS whereabouts he was
teld that Hope had taken the Intsrcoionial rail-
| way for 81. john, N g. Here all trace Of the
great brakeman was lost, and all Efforts to Fl cd
| a clue to his whereabouts after that failed. He
was wanted in many parts of the country at the
time for burglartss ia which he had been en-
/ gsged, having beea one Ut the principal work.
| ers in the NORTHAMPTON gang, although it is be-
| Iieved he had Dothing to do with the North
ampton Bank burglary itself.
The better class of New York detectives be-
| lieve that at the time Jimmy" Hope aud his
l oonfederates robbed the Dexter National Bank
| they intended also to rifle the Dexter Savings
| Bank, of which Mr.. Barron was cashier and
treasurer, on the same floor, but across the hail.
l They believe the plan to rob the latter was
made by Hope. and. while he was 10 Jail, car
ried ont by his confederates on the 22d of Feb
| ruary, 1878. Jimmy" Hope is about 80 years
If age, and remarkable for his physical
beauty end strength. His son Johnny" has
/ always been an intimate associate of his father
and his confedsrates, and has always been led
to regard perfection in bank burglary as the
| highest point of q mans ambition. About
three years ago he was sentenced to an eigh.
teen months term on BlackwelPs Island fol-
l pocketpicking, and served his term. Since
] then nothing is known OF his exploits.