Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-08
NED LYONS AND HIS WIFE.
rxndRKABIr CRIMINAL TAKILY,
The Associate OF Jimmy Hoss' s"s "anhas'
san.B Bank nsbbev. and Ppneisai In the
Ocean, Bank BurElau. =

mated on q hill on the outskirts OF this city,
overlooking the old camp or prison fleId
where rebel prisoners were confined dur
ing the war OF the rebellion. Among the
prisoners At work in the holiow-ware
factory I cav to-day boy whose bright
eve. and frank, handsome face attracted
nv attention. Uron inquiry learned that
his nnme IL George Lyons, serving q
second term Of imprisonment Tor
burglary, although he Is but fifteen
wears old. lie Is very Intelligent
looking. and has 4 sweet, lovable disposi-
lion. The officers say he "takes the lead
in everything be- pat his band or mind to y;
but Notwithstanding the talents with which
lie is endowed, his sole ambiiion-and he
clor:es In its 10 become q iirstel1ss
gopher-workrr or burglar. and he spins
yarns TO his fellow-prisoners which set the
minds Of his auditors ablaze, and makes
INN envied and admired OF all those who
haze not had the good fortune 10 be a
descendant OF a frst-sass burglar on one
side and n ne plus ultra pic, pocket
and shop-iifter on the other. II there
ia such a thing as royalty in crime, then
Young Lyons inhcritS the royal purple. his
father being Ned Lyons. the notoriou.
Isnk.smasher, partner and friend Of Jimmy
Hone. of Manhattan Bank fame, who Is
row serving time at san Quentin. Cal, for
yobhing stage-coaeh, aud his mother.
Sonia LYONS. queen OF shopliters, pick
uockois. and blackmIilers. oi whom il Is
said, "she l. az plucky az Ned aud &c
.kiHiul In her line"
YOUNG LYOEs's FATHER.
Edward Lyons, or " Ned" as he is gen
orally called by the police and fancy char
aeters, was born in Manchester, EnSIa
IN 1880. and emigrated to tins country
about 1850, when lac was eleven years old.
His father was mason. an industrious.
hard-woi king man, who, struggling b
make 10th ends meet. had very little lime
to spare 10 look after his children. and
in consequence young Ned-being
motherless-ha had things pretty much
bis own way. az far a. education and
moral. were concerned. When the LYONS
family arrived in New York they took
ROOMS in tenement situated on west
Nineteenth street between Sixth aud
seventh avenues, neighborhood well e1l-
eulatsd to develop whatever latent powers
Ned possessed. More accessionS 10 the
ranks OF crime have been made from this
neighborhood than from any other in New
York. not exce-ting the Five Points.
In this higbIy-favOred spot Ned learned
the ways Of life. and, az his after career
proves, learned bis lesson thoroughly. Tue
war OF the rt bellion. with its attractions in
the Shape OF bounties. brokerage, ETC.,
proved q bonanza while II lasted, and after
that Ned "loomed up" as burglar under
the tuition OF Jimmy Hope. lie VISA
partner in all the jobs with which Hope
was connected in those days. and was ar
rested several times on suspicion, but never
convicted.
THR OCEAE-DANE ROBBERY.
In 1859 Lyons, in conjunction with
George Bliss and Ed. Shinborne, robbed
the Oeosn Bank, OF New York eitY. OF
money and bonds amounting 10 over one
million OF dollars, not one penny OF which
was ever recovered. The meduS Opsraadj
was ~ follows: The bank was located on
the corner Of Fulton and Greenwich streets,
occupying the whole first Moor, extending
100 feet on each street. A basement ofncc
directly under the bank was hired esten.l-
bly, - an exchange and money brokerage.
To this Offiee the tools needed in the enter
prise were carried and partition erected.
between which the burglars worked day
and night when opportunity served, cut
ting through the stone floor Of the bank,
finishing that part OF the job and fsinisg
an entrsnee on Saturday night after the
janitor had left thinking everything secure.
To tear open the vaults was q task re.
curing time, but they operated so well
that on Monday morning when the jam.
tor arrived he found the iron front door
CT the bank unlocked, and on enter
ing discovered the vault liter,lly torn 10
pieces. the floor being strswed with the
df6riS OF tools OF all kinds. mortIce, stone,
bricks, bands. and gold coin. the bond,
beirs left behind as worthless, and the
gold eein as too heavy for safe transporta-
tisn. The tools abandoned III a large ex-
press wagon when taken to police head
quarter, being valued at $4,000. In thus
case police skill was unavaling, and no con-
vclioDs followed, though the police had a
theory that the bank officials were in part.
neTship with the burglars.
yLD LYoSs's MARRIAGE.
A few years before the Ocean Bank
affair Lyon. became enamored Of Sophie
Levy. prOtfgf OF the notorious Marin
or Mrs. Hendelbaum, and. Sophie being
"wllin'," they were married. II was a
case OF real love with Ned, and he intended
his bride should give up her "crooked"
ways and settle down a. a respectable
woman. But honesty was too tame for
Sophie. She soon reverted 10 her
old crOokedness. A mania for steal
ing was so strong that. when Ia
Nod's company at the theatre or in
the cars, She Piled her vocation I'M
known TO him, and on their return home
would surprise him with the watches. pocls-
et.books, etc., which she had stolen. Ned
eXpoS,ulatcd. pleaded Wiih and threatened
her, but without avail. aud. aft r. the birth
Of her first child. George. be purchased .
farm on Long Island a. an expense OF
$40, 0O0. furnishing house with everything
4 woman could wish for. Here he placed
Sophie, thinking that, II separated from
her companions. her maternal instinct In
the care CT her child would restrain her
monOmania. Ii was all unayai!ing. VITA
IN tx months she returned to New York.
placed her child out TO nurse, and began
her neiarious operations again. finally be-
ing detected and sentenced for short
termto the Blackwell s-lSland penitontiary.
N AND OFT or SING SING.
In The winier OF 1871 Ned, in company
with Jimmy Hope, George Bliss. Iva
and uled the safe OF the Waterford On. "
Adlhs SAAhIiiE giDfsNNU. IN ihtu- tut
booty, they separated, but Lyons and Hope
were traced through the snow, surrounded.
and captured, with 100000 Of the stolen
money IN their possession. kingsland and
Bliss were captured slterward and the four
were convicted and sentenced to ten years
imprisonment. Hope was transferred to
Auburn prison, from whence he.
with Dan Noble. Jim Brady, Dau
Kelly. and another convict called the
"Big Kid escaped in the wear 1872.
Meanwhile Lyons, Bliss, and kingsland
were periecting their plans for an escape
from Sing-sing prison. Bliss was the first
TO gam his liberty. Conccaing himself in
the boot Of 4 carriage. he passed the guards
without detection. Bliss was afterward
joined with Pete Curley in the robbery OF
the Barre Bank, and, both being arrested,
Curley, TO save himself. testified against
him and he was convicted and sentenced to
a long term Of imprisonment. Curley was
released and went TO san Francisco, where
he now l.. Lyons was the next to escape
from Sing. Sing. Procuring suit OF civil
ian clothes. he dressed up one day, stepped
into light wagon which, with eonfeder-
ate, was awaiting him at the door OF The
warden's Office, and coOlly drove past the
guards unquestioned.
WITH HIS WIFE ~ CANADA.
lie Immediately rejoined his wife Sophie,
AL N hat h. Z