Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24
A REMARKABLE CRIMINAL.
The Career Of John u. Shea, Murderer and
Burglar.

Aue career OF JOnn H. snoos N uruefor ana
Burglar.
HE COMMENCED HIS CROOKED WORK IN This crTY
| HAS ESCAPED FROM Jan. MANY TIMES AND
| THR DETECTIVES ARE NOW LOOKING FOR HIN
| SOME EXCITING INCIDENTS IN HIS LIFE.
John D. Shea, murderer and burglar, il
probably the most remarkable criminal in the
| United States. He il native OF this city,
where he spent his younger days and began his
record Of crimo, which has probably not yet
come to an end, although he has served time
in several prisons and was once under SEN
| tencc of ninety-nine years in the Missouri
state prison. This remarkable criminal is now
about thirty-three years old, and his face is
| familiar to all the older members Of the police
force, who knew him when he first started out
as tough. His parents kepta corner groggery
| at Delaware avenue and + street southwest
and John started his crooked career when he
dispensed cheap liquor to gang Of suspected
criminals with whom he afterward kept COM
pany. He was younger than most of his ;,s-
soclates and he served many of them with free
liquor from his parents establishment. His
father at one time got into difficulty and
struck and badly hurt policeman named
Williams, and ne afterward went to the insane
asylum. His mental trouble was caused by the
quality of the liquor which he drank and which
he dispensed over his bar for cents drink.
One OF Johns most intimate friends was Sam
Morris, who killed the pencil peddler and
served Six years In prison for his crime.
ARRESTED IN THIS CITY
Johu was arrested number of times in this
city for such otfenses az fighting and disturb
ing the public peace, and he il still supposed
to be wanted here for a burglary for which one
of his companions has long ago paid the
penalty. After leaving here John turned up in
Mary land, where he was arrested for burglary
and for which he was given six years in the
Baltimore penitentiary That was after he had
deserted the United States army. His mother
and father moved to st. Louis, where the for
mer conducted a cheap boarding house. That
was about 1880 or 1881, and John appeared
there and tried his hand in the burglary bust
ness. He was not smart enough to cover his
tracks and the officers caught him and sue
ceeded in landing him in the penitentiary.
John here began his hand at prison breaking
and subsequent events show him to be one of
the smartest Jail deliverers living. He had
served but a small portion of his sentence when
he escaped and remained at large some little
time without leaving the city OF st. Louis.
KILLED A POLICEMAN AND CAPTURED.
One evening about dark the officers got on
his track and while being pursued through the
streets Policeman Doran happened to be COM
ing out Of an alley into which the criminal was
about to enter and as the officer threw out his
arms Shea drew his pistol and fired. The officer
fell dead upon the spot. Shea ran into tho
bind alley and was captured. The indictment
against him for murder was tried and he was
convicted and sentenced to ninety-nine years.
At that time John was not the only member
OF his family who was in trouble for his brothers
Dave anu Dan were under arrest for burglary
committed in Cumberland and they were given
six years and six months each. Dave was re-
leased last August and Dan was set free last
month, he having to stay longer than his
brother because he made an attempt to escape
while serving his sentence. After John had
received his long sentence he remained quietly
in prison for some time until his counsel had
managed to get the sentence reduced tc fifty
years.
AGAIN BROKE JAIL
John again worked at well-organized plot
to break jail, and one morning at roll call John
and several other convicts were missing. From
st. Louis he came to this city and was followed
by Detective Browning of the Four Courts. He
was seen here on the streets and his house was
watched, but he was not captured. Later on
he appeared in Pennsylvania and committed a
burglary in Pittsburg. There be was convicted
under the name OF j. ID. Sullivan. He was
obliged to use a name of his own initials because
they were on his arm in India ink. In 1888 he
was serving a siX-years sentence In the Alle-
ghany (Pa) prison, and while there he was
identified oy fellow convict, who gave him
Detective Browning went to the prison for
Shea but he refused to leavethe prison and return
to st. Louis. Owing to the popularity of the
laws of the state Shea could not be forced to
accept pardon, and SO he remained in the
prison until the expiration Of his sentence.
Then he was taken back, and his second trial
was set for December 81.
ESCAPED WITH TEN OTHERS.
But John had made two escapes and carried
others with him each time and he concluded
that ne would rather be fugitive than take
his chances in court again and perhaps have
to suffer the death penalty. His plans, like on
the former occasions, were well laid. and when
ne escaped he took about ten other prisoners
with him, several of whom were charged with
murder and the others were burglars and al
legged bank sneaks.
Chief Harrigau Of the st. Louis police force
has sent out a circular with the pictures of the
fugitives, offering a reward Of $50 for the APP
prehension of each of them and an additional
$50 for the capture of Shea. The description
given OF Shea is that he is thirty-three years
Old hve feet ten and one-fourth inches high,
slight build, black hair, dark gray eyes, thick
nose, oval face. may have mustache heavy eye
brows, scar two inches long on left side Of face
near chin. scar three inches long on left side
OF neck low down, cross and five dots in India
ink on left hand. The police here, who are
well acquainted with him, say they would not
be surprised to hear of his coming to this city.