The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-05-31
CLOSE OF DAN MOBILES CAREER,
Death OF the Notorious BuraInr In mn I'm.
alish PrisBh.

A letter from London to q gentleman
in Elmira, N. Y, annoiintcs The death
III prison of Dan Noble, tho notorious
criminal who is remembered here in
connection with the Royal Insurance
Company robbery. This robbery was
committed in Wall street, New York
City, December 10, 1866, by Noble,
Frank Knapp and Jurnes Griffin. Knapp
and Griffin engaged one Of tho oilicials
III conversation, and, while his attention
was attracted, hihnh8cd to stealthily hand
TO Noble, who stood at CT near the door,
hoX containing bonds to the value Of
&275, 900. Noble and his pals made
| successful escape with their immense
booty, and fled ut once to Kingston,
Canada, where it Was actfctcd by Noble
for several months.
In April, 1867, Noble camc to Elmira,
bringing with him, as was aftcrward
learned, the proceeds of the robbery.
He purchased of a well known resident
i'll Elmira, Micah Foster, q fine property on
West Water street, not far this side of
Hoffman street, on the river side of
Water street. The luxurious and cx-
travagant style of Mobiles living in El-
mira attracted the attention of the pull
lie and kindlcd emulation in the breast
of many n person whose means of sub
sistcncc were far more apparent tn II
those displayed by the prOhigatc and
dashing Noble. The best horses were
his; the best wines were on his table,
and there seemed no end to his magniti-
ccncc rs n sport and man Of the world.
OF course he had 10 cntrco into rcspcctu-
bic society, and sought none. Such
were his personal charms, his dazzling
CXtravaganccs, his prodigal outlay of
money among sporting and cOnviviM cir
clcS, that many Of the then loose youth
of the city set him up as a sort of dcmi-
god and bow ed tho knee to him in shame
less sycOphancy. His pccun;ary re-
sources seemed unlimited. In gambling
ventures he lont and won heavily. His
tall, erect form was always prominent ut
race-courscs and he was Il leader in all
sorts of sports. He always dressed with
ScrupulOus fuultlcssncss and in the height
of fashion.
II was i'll EImira that tho spoils were
"dividcd" between him and his pals,
| Knapp and Griffin. Tho "division !"
was made with Dams usual cyo to bust
! ness. The amount Of the contents Of the
box that was secured in Wall street, it
seems, was not known Mt this time to any
one but Noble. He quietly distracted
100000 of the booty, leaving $4,000
to exhibit to his confederatcs as the os-
tcnsiblc fruit of their operations. He
gave them each 1915, ,00G, with which they
expressed themselves satisfied, and after
ward took their departure. Knapp went
to Canada, and is keeping hotel in
Toronto now. Griffin, who was the
shrcwdcSt member of the illustrious trio,
went to Dansvillc, n. Y, and set up a
gambling establishment.
The detection, arrest and conviction OF
Noble, by the aid of Griffin turning
States evidence, speedily followed, and
is Il matter of criminal history. Griffin S
trcachcry was the outgrowth of the dis
covery that Noble had not made n fair
division of the robbery. Noble was sen
fenced to five years in Auburn Prison
after four trials.
The walls of Auburn did not, however,
hold the willy prisoner long, for in less
than n year he escaped it's unpleasant
environments and fled to England There
and or the Continent he resumed his au-
lacious career cf criminality, with vary
ing success, being several times n pris-
oncr in different countries, until finally
he was landed behind the bars of the
English pcnitentiary, i'll which he
brcathcd his last.