The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-21
MICHAEL EGAN.
A Popular Policeman Who
Might Have Won the
Prize if He Tried.
BORN IN JERSEY CITY.
Clever in Detective Work and a
Sworn Enemy Of the Gangs
His Career.
BORN In JERSEY CITY.

|. Detective Michael Egan has dropped
out Of The NEWS great Police Popularity
Contest. From the very beginning up to
within few days ago Egan was one OF
The most conspicuous champions in the
tignl. aud his persistent and. in the ma
joritv of instances, successful efforts to
maintain the lead led some of the specta-
tors to allude to him generally as the
Peerless" Egan. With the splendid score
OF over twenty-five hundred points he
withdrew as the champion, aud has been
lighting just as hard for his old friend
Alex Watson, the "Old Turnkey" VINO
vaIiantly forged his way to the front
when the arena was already filled with
fighting gladiators. To NEWS reporter
VINO asked him uis reason for Withdraw
ing from the contest Egan said:-
1T is because am anxious to gee my
old friend Watson win the race, and /
am going to help him all | can. He Is a
good man and deserves the compliment
which will be bestowed upon the winner
or this contest: and he would MAKE an
excellent representative Of our police de-.
partment."
MAGNANIM0US CONDUCT.
Egan's magnanimous Conduct and self
sacrificing exhibition of friendship has
attracted considerable atEaation. He
was 100 modest to talk with the reporter
about his career, but from various sources
the material for the following brief
sketch was cleaned.
He was born In Jersey City forty
years ago. He received an education in
the public schools, first entering old No.
8 school. Athletic skill, bravery and
general efficiency secured for him a
position-as patrolman on the police
fSrcs-lsy S LAY l. noiiiea, 1870 a eoelsHgs 0hsags
Of municipal affairs led to his dismissal.
along with scores of others, for political
reason a year later. He was reapp0inted
June 2. 1877, and has since conscientious
ly rendered dangerous but effective duty
us patrolman and detective. His first
assignment was to dangerous posts along
Grand street, in the vicinity OF the Canal,
but perhaps the most effective work he
has performed was in assisting to break
up the old Lava Bed gang, whose haunts
were in what is formerly known as the
Old Six Ward.
This gang. headed By the Featherstones,
for many years terrorlzed the people of
that section, what is now a portion of
Little Italy" They thought nothing of
burglarizing a liquor saloon when they
felt dry, grocery store or bakery when
they felt hungry. Pedestrians would be
held up by them in broad day light.
and II they want digger game they'd
rob freight cars on the Pennsylvania ele-
waited trestle and throw whatever of
their contents Ithey chose into the
meadows below, where pals were in
waiting to convey it to some rendezvous.
Aud If cornered they'd fight to kill. This
gang has been almost completely exter-
minated, and itA aain leaders are either
serving long terms in prison or else have
completed them and have learned lessons
~ a nn md ror NO nf
the police that prevent them from reap
pearing III their old haunts ana renewing
their depredations.
HEROIC CAPTURE OF THIEVES.
"With Detective Bob Piersvn. Egan
arrested Mule Haslip and William
Bridge. two notorious membsrs OF the
Lava Bed Gang, who burglarized the
junk establishment of Mrs. Tuite several
years ago after desperate encounter, in
which he was knocked down By Bridge.
Pierson had Haslip In tow aud Exam had
Bridge. When Egan was knocked down
PiersEn made reach for Bridge and
stunned him with his club before he got
away. As Pierson reached for Bridges
Haslip wrested himself from Pierson's
gasp, but was brought down by ball
In one of his legs from Pierson's revol-
vor. Egan had recovered from the blow
he received, and after desperate scrim-
mage with Bridge, finally landed him in
cell in the First precinct station house.
Both Haslip and Bridge are now serv-
ing five year terms in States prison.
Egan's most brilliant achievement,
how ever, is perha aps the running down
ana landing in States prison of several
members OF the old Bridge gang, who
dragged Mary Mcdonald under the Hen
derson street bridge over the Morris Canal
Que dark stormy night some years
ago and horribly assaulted sher. All the
ruffians were captured, mainly by Egau.
and are how serving terms In States
Prison, some for eight years, others for
six. His knowledge of the criminals of
the city and their haunts led to his pro-
motion as a detective on September Is,
1890,