Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-17
SHARKEY,S ESCAPE.
how One Of the Old Tweed Ring Sailed Out
o. New York Harbor in Mike Murray's

- - S4,+SGvH
How One Of the Old Tweed Ring Sailed out
OF New York Harbor in Mike Murray's
Schooner. .5E "
On Sunday, Sept. i, 1879, William j J.
Sharkey, ward politician and sporting
man, killed Robert S. Dunn In a bar
room at 288 Hudson street. Dunn had been
professional gambler for fifteen years..
SHARK ey was the son of respected residents
OF the Ninth Ward, but he went astray
early in life, and after brilliantly noto-
rlous career of the crooked sort, bloomed
out into successful political adventurer.
he was power in the Eighth Ward pti-
mares, had club named after HIM, and
belonged to every influential political or
ganization in the Fifth Congressional Dis
trlct. Sharkey was found guilty of MUIR
ger IN the first degree, and sentenced to
DC hanged on August Is. 1878 Novem-
Der -, 1873, found Sharkey still in the
Tombs, an occupant Of cell 40 On the Sec
ono tier. AT ten o'clock on the morning
OF that day the murderer was visited by
his mistress, Maggie Jou1dan. The
girl, who, since her separation
from her first lover, Thomas Muir
ply, the plckpocket, had been devoted
companion Of Sharkey, had beggared her.
self IN order to provide funds for his de-
tense. She visited him constantly in
jail, and her quiet, modest demeanor had
made her general favorite. On the day
IN question she remained in conversation
With him for two hours and half, when
she was joined by her friend, Mrs.
Wesley Allen. At one O'Clock Maggie
Jordan left the prison. At half-past one
a tall, ungainly female, heavily yelled
handed ticket to the doorman and went
out. At two o'clock Mrs Allen tried to
pass out without ticket, alleging that
she had lost hers. An alarm was sound
ed and Sharkey was found to have shaved
his mustache of, invested himself IN the
attire provided Ivy his mistress and her
friend, and escaped. The ungainly fe-
male with the thick veil was the convict
ed murderer himself. The last trace
Sharkey left was on Blocker street car
The late George W. Matsell, then Super
intendant Of the Police, took vigorous
steps to track the assassin. All the
European steamers were kept under sur
Vigilance. Two thousand dollars reward
was offered. The Eight Ward was
searched with a vigor that left no likely
refuge unexplored, and people who were
known to have been Sharkey's intimates
were closely Swallowed. But all in vain.
The flying man had managed to vanish
and leave no trail.
Among Sharkey's old acquaintance
was Mike Murray, who had lately come
into possession of the schooner Frank At
wood, now famous as the means of
Tweed's escape to Cuba The Franz At
wood at that time lay at the foot of Pine
street, loading for a voyage to Jacmel,
Hayti. On November "a, five days after
the fight Of Sharkey from the Tcmbs,
the schooner's lading was completed and
Captain Bryant reported as ready for sea.
The agent conveyed the information to
the owner, and Captain Bryant was sum
moned to meet him at Wenberg's office.
care you all ready tor sea, Captain?'
asked Murray.
"Yes, sir" was the reply.
GLOW soon can you get out?'
II can go out by daylight tomorrow il
necessary
CdH you get OUT IO-nlSnL!
"Not very we'll, sir. It's hard to get a
tug after dark now. But if must gel
clear, why of course I must"
Murray reflected little while Then
he said: "Well, meet me at ten o'clock
tonight in front OF the Sinclair House
Don't fail, now, mind, and meanwhile
get all ready for sailing"
Tn Oheiiancn tO This command Can.
tain Bryant went on board at once and
saw that'every thing was prepared 70,
departure. His clearances came from the
Custo1n-house that afternoon, and he only
awaited Murray's orders to sail.
''At ten O'Clock that night" said the
Captin to the reporter. II was at the
corner of Clinton place and Broadway
, l stood by the side door of the Sincla1,
House. Murray wasn't in sight, and ]
was just commencing to get cold enough
to want a hot drink. when he came out OF
his gambling house across the way. Ber
Weinberg v as with HIM. They were talk
ing very confdentially together, and look
ing sharply for me.
II skipped across the street to meet
them. Murray said, Il hope you haven
! been waiting long, Captain. Are yoy
ready to sail to-morrow?'
az am I said, or earlier if you want.
"'Oh, we'll, I guess Tomorrow early
will Go. Look here, Captain there's {
young fellow, the son Of a clergyman, {
friend of mine, wants to take West In
dian trip, and it struck ME you'd just be
the man to tote him off. His expenses
are all paid. Let's go and take drink
on it,
ave took the drink in the Sinclair
House, and while VIC were taking it Muir
ray explained to me that my passenger
was in little trouble and wanted to gel
away on the quiet. 1t was only civi
damage case, he said. Murray handed
me package done up in thick yellow
paper, tied and sealed.
There's ST. 200 in gold and drafts in
that bundle,' lie said. Give it to my
friends son when he lands. You needn't
let him know you've got it till then. Gel
off as soon as you can tomorrow, and
don't take pilot. Just sign his bill and
steer yourself out. Jump Id a hack no y
and get right aboard
"He called hack and paid the driver
and I got in. Only then it struck me tc
ask what my passengers name was, ana
opened the hack door and called to him
as they were walking of. Murray told
me Frank Campbell.
,"'When will he come on board?'
asked.
"'Lord bless you! he's on board now.
IL ratified down town in the hack. 1t
struck me as being mighty funny that
Mike Murray should have clergyman
for friend and take such a fatherly in
terest in his son. But, then, thought;
it might be some young fellow Of good
stock who had been cleaned out by the
Philistines, and whom they wanted ia
get out of the way to save trouble. Any
how, it didn't concern me, as long as
Murray was suited, and I didn't bother
my head much about it.
"When I got On board I found the cab.
in Of the Atwood all lighted up. A young
fellow was sitting in my armchair. He
was smoking, and had tumbler Of hot
brandy and water before him. A bottle
three quarters full of Martcl was on the
table, and the galley tea-kettle stood on &
plate alongside Of it. Altogether my
passenger was making himself at home
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