Rock Island Argus., 1896-02-10
like JACK SHEPPARD.
The Unique Jail Jumping Rec
ord of John Mahony.
WAS A TERROR IN HIS YOUTH.

Refuge and Devoted His Life to Getting
Into Jail and Out Again-Ma,y Daring
Escapes.
One of the most remarkable careers IN
the criminal history of this country Is
that of John Mahony, alias Mahanoy, who.
because of his numerous escapes from pris-
ons and penitentiaries, gained for himself
the sobri9uet Of the American Jack Shep-
pard. Mahony became known to the police
officials of nearly every big city in the
country, but was especially active in New
York, Boston and Philadelphia. He has
been prisoner in the penitentiaries OF
half q dozen states. however, and has made
his escape from more tight places probably
than any other American criminal.
While serving five year term in
Charlestown. Mass. Mahony wrote long
and interesting account of his career, and
told in detail the causes which led him
into evil ways. This article was written
in 1870, when Mahony was but 26 years
old. but he had already had a long expert
ence in crime. 1t shows that he could
handle a pen with almost as much facility
as he could n jimmy.
1t seems that Mahony was born bad
AS schoolboy he was a habitual truant
and terror to HIS teachers. The son of
the teacher of French boarding school
on Long Island gave him his first lessons
in iniquity and taught him to chew to-
bacco.
He was an apt pupil in wickedness and
soon became too bad for the boarding
school. His mother, who was widow
and lived in New York, sent him to the
house of refuge in that city. Instead of
reforming him, this institution proved to
be for him, rs it was for many other bad
boys, q sort oil preparatory school for Grim.
inals. Mahony met there boys who were
older and more wicked than himself, and
he acquired much knowledge of criminal
nature.
His mother transferred him to private
institution of better character, but the
managers there could not keep him shut
up. He filed the iron shuckles which they
put ON his ankles and escaped with reg
ularity that was discouraging
Mahony was sent back to the house of
refuge, where he says he was treated with
great cruelty. Taking the first chance
| that offered, he left the refuge and wan
| dered to Five Points, New York. where
he met some graduates of the refuge and.
| under their tutorship. commenced to steal
| for a living. His mother periodically per-
| suaded him to abandon his evil ways and
return home, but he would regularly fall
from grace and go back to stealing.
| He finally foil in yrifh n rntorip,,S \ of
| known as italian Dave, who gave him
practical instruction in the gentle arts of
burglary, sneak thieving and highway
| robbery: He assisted in the robbery of
| stores and residences and took hand in
waylaying men at night on the streets.
| He was at last arrested and held as wit
| ness against Italian Dave, but managed
| to escape from the house of detention as
often as he was rearrested.
| After robbing jewelry store in New
Jersey he was caught and put in the IA
nous old Tombs prison. This had always
| been considered a safe prison. but Mahony,
though only boy. did not have much
trouble in getting out of it, He picked
the lock of his cell door and crawled
| through the bars of a window opening on
the street.
| After this exploit he remained in hiding
| aG the nome OF a relative on Long Island
for few months, but committed bur
glary in the neighborhood and barely
avoided arrest. He went next to Jersey
City, where he was promptly arrested. and
as promptly escaped from Jail. For the
next two years he confined his attentions
to New York and robbed with great sue.
cess, until he was finally arrested and sen,
to Sing Sing. Here at last he found walls
that We're strong enough to hold him, and
consequently he staid there for two years
Upon being released Mahony returned
to New York and was arrested for robbery
This time he got>off with six months
sentence to the penitentiary on BLACKWELL:
island, but he again proved too slippery
to hold, and escaped.
He then took short trip to New Or
leans. but drifted back to the metropolis
and was caught while stealing. He man.
aged to evade arrest. however, but wa:
forced to enlist in the army He was sen,
south. but deserted, and after a rumbe,
of thrilling escapes and recaptures got
back to New York
After leading life of crime and dissi
patton for several years without being ap
lprehended he was again caught and sen.
fenced to long term in Sing Sing. Know.
Ing that once behind the bars there he