The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-08-21
TWO NOTED CRIMINALS.
Pals in Life, They End Their Ca
reers in Prisons Thousands
of Miles Apart.

lhe auuUuuUenIeuL HAS Just Deen
made of the death in q LONDON prison
of Dan Noble, a noted thief, Well
known in this city and throughout
the country. In the death of Noble
the C, iminal profession has lost one
Of its shrewdest operators and his
death winds up the old school of GRIM
inals who have either been oblitera-
ted by death or imprisonment.
Noble at the time of his decease
was only 45 years old but his Grimm
al career dated back years before he
had reached his majority. When he
! entered upon a lite of crime as a
pick pocket he was a regular habitue
of "Bill'' Buffers dive, known as the
Chelsea Manor" on the corner of
Twenty-Five street and Ninth avenue.
This same Butler received So, 1000
many years ago from bank president
whose institution was robbed, the un-
Outstanding being that Butler should
pay the thieves for the booty. But
Ter, however, left the city for England
leaving the thieves to sue for their
portion.
Dan Noble started from a pick
pocket, graduated into bank sneak
and suddenly was brought into prom
inence by Selling 100000 in bonds
! from the royal insurance company's
office on Broadway. Noble was
natural pickpockets and not a burg
lar or shoplifter. Though he associat-
ed with the most noted 'cracksnen,"
! he never w.s ore himself. His broth
er-in-law. Tommy" Thompson, a
well-known English burglar, who diet
a mauiac recently Oh Blackwells Is
land, could never induce Noble to
Join in this branch of crime. Maria
Thompson, his sister-in-law. was
shoplifter, as was also his wife Hettie.
When plying his vocation Noble
worked with what is called the "mob"
which consisted of three-the "wire,"
which is the pickpocket the "srall,"
who would detract a man or woman's
attention while the wires" fingers
were in the pocket, and the "coverer,
who placed himself in position so that
the movements of the wire" could
40. be observed. Noble always acted
as the "wire"
Noble had a run of good luck in
this CITY and evaded arrest until his
insurance robbery. He would have
escaped then had he not cheated his
partners leading one of them to turn
informer. He was a long time In
Ludlow street Jail on Il evil suit. and
relieved this monotony of his prison
life by frequent visits to sparrlng ex-
hibitiOns aud dog fights. which he
greatly loved. For this courtesy he
paid the deputy sheriff who escorted
him. very literally.
When next heard from Noble was
living prircely life in Elmira. He
was detected in one Of his criminal
excursions through the city, was ar
rested, and, to his great establishment
was convicted. He was in prison
only short time when he escaped
and fed to England, where up to mis-
death he was a fugitive. He visited
France on one occasion, and tried the
bank-sneak business, but was detect
ed and captured. After serving sew.
eraI years in a French prison, he re-
turned to England where he quarelled
with his associates, and they betray-
ed him. He was again sent to prison
where he died few days ago.
Noble was on terms of great init
macy with Frank Porter the notorious
"crackman," who recently died in
the Kings county peniteniary. Before
his death he left to Father MahOney,
1t is believed, certain confessions of
his pas: life which would form the
basis Of a very interesting story of
criminal life. Porter taught and
coached Noble. Porter belonged to
an excellent southern family and his
prison name was an assumed one. He
was the moving spirit of a gang of
the most noted criminals in this or
any other city, which Shang Draper
was q shining light. The entire