The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-15
CRIMINALS OF YEARS AGO.
NeN York N


 ,d change ;ha, has taken place n the city within ;he las, thirty yeas In lSS, tndre were 10, ooo houses ,a he city and n 1883 5eo more were added. \ strik- ing feature in this rapid growth IS he fac, that very large number of the haun:s of vice and crime have been obiit- era,ed and in their place magnificent structures have been erected where be- fore rookeries of sin Haunted their signs. Twenty years ago crime iiounshed un- disturbed in Church and Thomas streets until inc stupendous mercantile buildings drove |, to another quarter. l, Is we'll accepted theory that the criminal class change to accommodate themselves. and though business will drive cnme from one locality it is only 10 send |; 10 tene- men: houses and the numerous flats throughout he ely.
 On Ninth avenue and Twenty nth street there have recently been erected some massive buildings. and righ; m this iocal,y some thirty years ago there eN- lsted he hoibed of wee and crime. on one corner A thieves ciib Was operated by Dan Sweeny, whl!e on the other Blll Ba,let kep, the Chelsea Manor and mex, door ;o i, was lodging house kep, by Bill Irior His !0dgers were all mem 0eis of the crooked i.a:efni,y, who pre- tered quarters here b my other ali,y In the city. Buffers place Il the time we speak ol was the head quarters Of for eign and natiye-born criminals. from sneaks to bank our Jars. !; was here ;h2, Dan Noble. the smartest American thiei that ever piled his vocation, started in liie as plckpocket. Noble died re- gently after an eventful life in London prison. he being at the tune Of hIs death about forty-hve years old. He was tall . gawky looking fellow. and his rustic ap- peaTanee would never lead any one to take him for thief. He started IS a pickpocket. graduated as bank sneak ,hiet and became suddenly famous by the clever IT amer in winch he robbed the Royal Insurance company. on Wall street. of sIso oco m bonds. With the exception oi this feat. Noble was always plcSpocket. and ignored he profession oi burglar or shopiltter Il was his GUS tom 10 associate with only professional thieves, and though his brother-in-la9. ' Tom Thompson, d ne.ed English burglar, v ho died maniac some years ago on Blackweil's Island. tried ie induce Noble 10 associate with him m ms par ticGiar calling. he never would consent. Besides. his sister in ias. Maria ihomp- son, and kis wife Hetuc were both no- torious shopliiters, bu, Noble was never known to lift as much as a v!5boa. Bill Baker and Blii Lee. alias " English. had the distinguished honor of training No ole. and the latter was bat nineteen years old when first arrested for petty larceny and received three months on the island for the otfense He next formed com b,nat.an with B;.l Lee aad Charley James, the latter being pleaSant-faced stout-ooking gentleman ot forty. who was never known 10 pick pocket. but contented himself n covering Lee and Noble. who IS ' Hires operated on their victims.
 l. Is related of lanes that ne .as one of the most accomplished fellow in the profession in disraCting the attention oi a looker-on from his partner. or divert the victim himself from the actions oi the " wire.' or pickpocket.
 Bill Butler $ place referred 10 above was al the t.me we speak the resort of al. the frs,-class swell i-mobs men in the country, and though this locality con- taned three of the most notorious resorts for thieves in the city, a highway robbery or any other kind was never known 10 occur m the immediate vicinity l, aas not an unfrequent occurrence for brutal fight 10 take place in one or the other oi the places when any of the gang we're discovered to have squeaied 10 he police. and on one occasion an infoFmer was detected and lad ac.oss HatleEs bar and his ears were literally dipped or Billy Baker. alias Billy Bars5y A.! Lee, alias English Bin,' and Bi! The,io'd. alias Happy once the pFopfle,of ot the sands stree, house n brooklyn, were always ,o be found a, Buffers. They were he most expert mob that ever worked together. They have been known tss,op men On thelr way from ine bank with large suns of money anu relieve them of their wealth, no matter aos securely the money was pl4ceo away. All these xese gentlemaniy n dress and manner, ard unless theft could De com mitted wiihoa, b!andering | never "as attempted. Some years ago these worthies robbed bank Tn b-ltllnore o. S.S GOO. and were arrested o7 suspicion. Sufficient evidence was subsequently, oo- ,ained to convict, and Lee fled 10 Cali fornia, where he died Baker escaped 10 London, both having forfeited their bal. and The,ford died before hIs trial was finished.
 Sharkey the murderer, also graduated iron. Butler $, and, like Noble, vas caush; IT his frs, criminal act and sentenced 10 the island for three months. During he WAT he opened a gorgeous saloon on the corner of B.oadway and, Fulton Auee,, where he negotiated with gang of notorious bond thieves for stolen United States bonds, and then through ring of thieves Al Washington he was able to |" smash the stolen bonds and escape detection h this say he accumulated an immense fortune and completely ignored his acquain,ances Of early years He became member oi the Americus club and s,aunch friend