Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-16
CRIMINALS OF YEARS AGO.
Noted Hauats Of Vice 10 Kew Nrk
conplstsIy Wiped 0st


has taken place In this city within the
last thirty years. In 1882 there were
It5.O 600 houses In the city, and In 1883
Q zoo more were added. "A striking fea-
ture in this rapid growth is the fact that
. very large number Of the haunts OF
vice and crime have been obliterated'
and In their place magnificent struo.
lures have been erected where before
rookeries of sin Haunted their signs.
Twenty years ago crime fiourished un'
disturbed in CT urch and Thomas streets
until the stupendous mercantile build.
ings drove them to another quarter. IL
Is q well accepted theory that the GRIM
inals change to accommodate them.
selves, and though business will drive
crime from one locality to another il y
only to send It to tenement houses and
the numerous flats throughout the city.
On Ninth avenue and Twenty. frst
street there have recently been erected
some massive buildings, and right In
this locality, some thirty years age
there existed the hotbed OF vice ana
crime. On one corner q thieves orb
was operated by Dan Sweeney, while
on the other Bill Butler kept
The Chelsea AaaeF.
and next door to 1t was lodging house
kept by Bill Prior. His dodgers were
all members Of the crooked fraternity,
who preferred quarters here to any other
locality in the city. Buffers place at
the time We speak OF was tine headquar-
tiers Of foreign and native.born crimi-
nals from sneaks to bank bur ylars. IL
was here that Dan Noble, the slnartest
American thief that ever piled his vo-
cation, started In life as q rickpocket.
Noble died after an eventful life In Q
London prison, he being ut the time OF
his death about forty-tive years OF age.
For q time he cut great splurge at El.
mirs, n. Y. He was tall, gawky.
looking fellow, aud his ustic appear
ance would never lead any one to take
him for thief. He started ~ pick.
pocket, graduated into bank sneak
thief and become suddenly famous by
the clever manner In which he robbed
the Royal Insurance Company, In Wall
street, Of 100000 In bonds. With the
exception OF this feat, Noble was al ways
a pich pocket, and ignored the profession
of burglar or shop-lifter. It was his
custom TO associate with only probes.
siOnal thieves, and though his brother
in-Iaw, "Tom" Thompson, o noted
English burglar, who died q maniac
some years ago on
BIsckWcII's IsIand,
tried TO induce Noble to associate with
him in his particular calling, he never
would consent. Best es, his sister.in.
lsw, Marie Thompson, and his wife
Hetie were both notorious shoplifters,
Lut Noble was never known tU lin 90
much as ribbon. Bill Baker and Bill
Lee, alias "English," had the dlstln.
puished honor OF training Noble, and
the latter was but nineteen years old
when first arrested for petty larceny
and received three months on the island
for the offense. He next formed com.
binatlon with Bill Lee and Charley
James, the latter being a pleasant faced,
stout.lookipg gentleman Of forty, who
was never known to pick pocket, but
contented himself In covering Lee aud
Noble, who as "wires" operated on their
victims. II is related Of James that he
was one Of the most accomplished fell
lows In the profession I'm distractlng the
attention of looker-on from his part.
ner, or divert the victim himself from
the actions Of the "wire" or pickpOcket.
Sharkey, the murderer, also graduated
from Buffers, and, like Noble, wAs
caught In his first criminal ACT aud sen-
fenced To the Island for three months.
During the war he
Opened Gorgeous Saloon
on the corner Of broadway and Fulton
streets, where he negotiated with sgsag
Of notorious bond thieves for stolen
United States bonds, and then through
a ring Of thieves at Washington he was
able to "mash the stolen bonds and
escape detection. In this way he accu.
mulated al immense fortune and DOM.
pletely ignored his acquaintances Of
early years. lie became . member OF
the Americas Club and staunch friend
Of Tweed. While In bis glory he was .
high liver and spent immense sums on
entertainments OF various descriptions.
His old sssoclates were accustomed to
remark whenever they passei him.
"HellO! buckram weaver!' This 70.
mark provoked Sharkey more than
anything else, but he always pretended
Tot to notice 1t. He finally closed his
career by shooting . noted criminal,
and while awaiting death In the Tombs
e.calR in female attire through the aid
Of hls mistress, who remained IN the Jail
while her lovtr passed out unrecog.
niZed.
Another character frequently found
ut Butler's was George Stanley, alias
Oliver. He was
Noted Craeksmss,
end refused TO ally himself with Tn oss
Of the profession who used either linn.
mys or pistols In their excursions. He
always quietly submitted To arrest when
detected. When about to commit Q
burglary he would INST obtain an i'm.
preston Of the lock or lock, and then
make keys TO At the same. His wife was
a notorious shopllfter, and while with
her on one OF her expeditions both were
arrested. Stanley was sent TO the island
for ak months. He managed to escape
after serving three months and Joined
the navy. While tending gun on the
Runboat Monticello he was manned for
life by Inc recoil OF the gun and retired
on q pension. When he returned 70
this city he petitioned the Governor for
his release, but that Official positively
refused 10 grant II, and the police kept
him under surveillance and he was un-
able to get work. He then returned 70
thieving, and died some years ago In
prison.
Nt0 byOns,
PsrdseS fDas HeAIs.
and husband OF Sophia Levy, died 70
Gently in prison in ConDecticut He was
shot through the lungs some years ago.
but survived the wound. While In the
act Of r0bbiOg q safe In COnDeetious
some yesrs ago he va riddied with
slugs, but did not die for yesn Aftsr-
ward.
Billy Baker, one Of the tuloss Of Dsa
Noble, died years ago In poverty. Il
was this thisfs habit never TO engage In
q burglary unless the amount 70 obtain
would reach the thopsapds.
BIZ Thttfofd, PardneT Of Bakers,
died In Baltimore while on trial fsy .
bank burglary In that city. "Does-
body" 3 he was familiarity called,
died Of deliviun tFemens. He was .
clever Thief, snd one by choice. He
freqo@uy received large Pemittsness
from England TO return snd reform. bat