The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-24
A NOTED CRIMINAL
HANGED IN NEW YORK CITY.
The Crime for which he suffered the Death
Ponnlty-Tho Career of n Bad Man.
Chief of the Famous whyo Gang of
TouEhs-Tho Band Broken up.

NEw YoRK, Jan. 23.-Danisl Driscoll
was hanged this morning, he left hil
cell ct 1920, reached the gallows at 7:2s
and after saying prayer, the black cap
was put over his head and the weight fell
a! 1920. He died instantly. Driscoll'l
last words were: "JesuS have mercy on
me-" His neck was broken.
The crims for which Dan Driscoll was
executed was the killing Of Elizabeth Gar
trity, or BseEie Garrity, as she was gsner-
ally called, at o'clock on the morning Of
June 20, 1886. 1t was the closing exploit
OF series Of crimes that had won Driscoll
an evil notoriety among his associates,
and won him the position Of "Ohief Of the
Whyos," one Of the worst OF the many
gangs Of laW.breakers that infest the city.
Dhscoll was born in 1853, In the old
"Bloody Sixth" ward, and grew up to
manhood there. When only seventeen
years old he was arrested for picking pock-
cts and sentenced to the penitentary. A
few months after serving his time he was
convicted under the name Of George
Wallace, Of the theft Of q watch and
was again sent TO the penitentiary.
Another theft earned him third
term, and made the time he
spent in the psnitentisry seven yeara In
all. About this time the Whyos came
into unenviabIe prominence through their
many crimes. The gang was composed OF
young men already hardened In crime,
who lived by stealing and were ever ready
for any desd or violence. They obtained
the name "Whyo" from the peculiar yell
they used as sort Of q battle cry and sig.
nal OF warning.
AS O desperate Driscoll excelIed his
companions and was recognized as their
leader. He was always armed and was
concerned in several shooting afrRys.
Shortly after he served bis third term in
the penitentisry, he and Pat Flaherty,
burglar, quArreled in q saloon at Five
Points. Driscoll was shot in the body by
Flaherty after he had shot Flaherty In the
arm. Driscoll and Flaherty both escaped
punishment as they refused to make COM
plants sgainAt each other.
Not long after this Detective Wood at
tempted to arrest Driscoll on Chatham
street. The Whyo shotst the officer, but
missed him. He was arrested, but ea.
capped punishment. On September q,
1884, he shot John Oliver in the leg.
After being locked up for two months he
was discharged. On November 90, 1883,
he had shooting s6ray with Pat Green
in the latter's saloon In Pell street. Each
shot the other, but neither would make q
complaint. Another Of his exploits was
the shooting OF peddler and his wife in
Christie street for aome iancied atfront.
For this crime he also escaped punish
ment.
During the latter part Of 1885 Driscoll
went to Texas and opened bRrroom in
San Antonio. He had not been there
long when he got into free fight in his
saloon, and was badly slaShed with
sword. He left Texas and came back to
Now York. He had young wife, who is
eaid to be q respectable young woman,
and one child. In the same house lived
his mistress, Beezie Garrity, q drunken
wanton. They were both fresusntsrs Of q
disreputsble den at 1888 Hester street, kept
by John Mccarthy, whose reputation was
no better than DrlsColl's. Early in June,
1886, Mccarthy elected Drscoll from his
den and the latter swore to have Nc
OhILlJ lll0 III AoNChbCs
Early on the morning OF June 20, Dris-
coll and Beezie Garrity were on carouse,
driving in coupe from den to den in the
Sixth ward. Fired by liquor and remem-
bering' his grudRe against Mccarthy, he
resolved then and there to have his re-
venge. He made his purpose known to
the girl, who approved Of It. It was four
o'clock in the morning when they Iesched
McCRrthy's. Beezls entered room on
the first floor, where Mccarthy was seated.
She entered first. MCCARTHY, on seeing
Driscoll, sprang up and threw his weight
against the door to bar him out. Driscoll
succeeded in pushing the door in. Nc
Carthy drew revolver and the woman,
grasping him by the arms, begged him not
to shoot "DAn."
Driscoll drew o heavy 44.cRlibre revol-
yer and fred at his enemy and missed
him. Mccarthy again pushed the door
to and fastened II, shutting Driscoll out,
while BeeIis was within. The girl escaped
to the hall by another door, and as she
emerged DrisColl, miataking her for Nc
Carthy, fred, and the ball entered her
abdomen. InfuIiated by the mistake, the
Wbyo threw himsslf against the door and
iorcsd It from its hinges. When he en-
tered Mccarthy had escaped, having
jumped through window. The sound Of
the pistol shots attracted the police, who
arrested MCCARTHY as he gained the
street. Driscoll dashed from the house
and was pursued by the police to the ten
ement house No. 12S Baxter street, where
bis mother lived. He was found with his
hat and coat of. He pretended that he
had not been out Of the house during the
night. His mother corroberated bis story.
The revolver was missing and has never
been found.
At the trial, however, the crime was
fixed conclusively on Driscoll; he was
found guilty and sentenced to be hanged.