Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-24
THE CYCLONE BURGLAR.
Pat McDermott a Notable in
His Line.
He Has Record Which Is a
C0rker.
He Has Stayed at the Hollenbcck and
Elbowed Ofhcers while in This
City-A Desperate, Daring
Mans Career.

The story Of the criminal career of
Pat McDermott, alias Pat LAWN and
Pat Gibson, the safe burglar who was 40
cleverly captured last week by Deputy
Sheriff Russell and Detective Will Smith
Of the Southern Pacific road would make
a sensational volume in the history of
crime.
Since McDermott has been incarcer-
ated in the county jail he has been very
reticent, saying little, and the rumor
which somehow got into circulation that
he had squeaied on his pals is absolutely
without foundation. McDermott is not
that kind Ut . man. He has had many
desperate experiences with Billy Pinker-
toms men and Inspector Byrnes's men,
and with other noted thief takers in the
east.
McDermott has been known in the
west, in Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Colo
RADIO and in New York 90 the s'cyclone
burglar" He got this pseudonym from
the fact that when he goes into q COM
munity to work ct his profession OF safe
breaking, Immediately goes to work and
blows hall dozen or more safes in such
an incredibly short space Of time that
the local authorities are paralyzed with
astonishment, and before they recover
their self possession McDermott has hied
away to other scenes of action. In order
to accomplish results so quickly he has
experienced assistants who 20 ahead of
him and spy out the land, SO to speak.
They locate number of safes that can
be reached readily, and study the habits
of watchmen and local officers, and then
armed with this data Mel Dermott arrives,
stops at first-class hotel. blows the
safes, secures the "swag'' and gets
safely out Of town. ~
McDermott was in Los Angeles sew
eral times while operating in this Sec
ton and stopped at the Hollenbeck,
passing the officers OF the city daily,
with nonchalance and audacity that
indicated the nerve of the man. He is
known in the east as . man of desperate
courage, and while doing job in New
York was shot in the side, ,:partially par
alyzing one OF his shoulders He was
shot in the knee by the Santa Fe watch
man, after blowing the safe Of that rail-
road at Redlands, but got away and i'm
mediately went east and blew another
safe, returning again to resume opera
tionH here.
He is an utterly fearless burglar, and
has done long stretches in Auburn
prison, New York: Caffon City, Col. !;
in the Kansas pen, and other prisons.
He located in Omaha, Neb., at one time
in his career, and became well-known
Republican politician in that state, until
he had to skip out by the accidental
discovery of his record.
At the present time he is wanted in
Iowa on three separate indictments for
safe breaking, and heavy rewards are
outstanding for his apprehension. Nc
Dermott has been associated with some
of the most expert safe breakers in
America, and is the peer in that line Of
Shiny Williams, Red Austin, George
Spencer, Jimmy Carter, Bart Kelly, Bill
Trailer, Tom Bigelow, Big Ed Hennessy,
Phil Deffe, Johnny Lamb and Charley
Dennis. The three latter safe blowers
were convicted of the murder of Officer
Race in Chicago, and McDermott was
in Nebraska with Big Ed Hennessy be-
fore. the latter was shot by an officer
while pursued for safe robbery.
He was also in line with the Lowery
gang and the thieves protective associa-
ton, which sent party of accomplished
crooks over to London to rescue Burns,
Connors and big Frank Nolan from
squod" for a e75,000 bank robbery in
England. $50
Sheriff Gibson aud Deputy Sheriff
Russell and Detective Will Smith de-
serve the thanks of the community for
running this notorious safe blower to
earth at last.