The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-04
HE'S A LETTER-BOX THIEF.
THOMPSON, HHOM THE DETECTIVES
MAD TO SHOOT TO NAE,

belonged co n Gang tbst Has Stoien Thou
snnds-whle In Prison IN Trenton he
Invented the Lock that Secures All the
Cells at.Once, Now In General Usei In Jaiis.
The two men who were arrested In East
Eighty-fourth street early Thursday, one
OF them after he had been shot In the wrist by
a Central ONCE detective. turned out to be big
ger game than the detectives who spent several
hours OF the night pursuing them even hoped.
AT least one Of them proved n notable capture.
lie Is John Thompson. alias George johnson,
alias Howard. alias Tobin, ana alias several
other names. His companion was John b. Fer
guson.
with these two mon was another man. ana
the three were chased by Detectives Reap and
Foye and Policemen Flay, Berkeley, and Frank
Rice, who had been looking for pick pockets
along the line OF the circus parade. The third
man got away. but the capture OF Thompson
makes up for this in the eyes Of the police.
The Post ONCE inspectors have been looking
for Thompson for two years. lie is one of q
gang of Post ONCE burglars which made large
sums by n series OF operations. the history Of
which is familiar to newspaper readers. Four
OF the gang are now under sentence. One Is
dead. Thompson will make the sixth taken out
OF the way of opportunities for crime.
Prior to Thompson's operations with this band
In New York and elsewhere In the United States
he had served twenty years in state prison at
Trenton. the Post Office inspectors say. and was
released from there about six years ago. He is
now about 40 years old. Two years ago he W ont
to England with Billy Hamilton. Charles Fisher.
and Steve Boyle, all members Of the gang that
had been operating here, and started in to swim
die banks by wholesale.
The scheme was planned by Fisher and Ham,
lion while they were in prison. In one OF the
first ventures, however, II was nipped short
Hamilton presented q forged order for n check
book for an East Indian firm at the Bank Of
pened to be In the bank at the time, and Hamil-
ton was arrested. He was released from Jail
because Of a consumPtiye condition, real or
now In Jail, and Boyle is dead. Fisher, who
made the seventh one Of the gang here, was ar
rested In Cincinnati not long ago. buthe escaped
Both Ferguson and Thompson were loaded
down with burglars tools when they were ar
rested, and II Is eaid at the office OF the Post
Office inspectors that, undoubtedly. the local
authorities will send both men up for long
deal with THOMPSON Just yet. Both men were
To be examined in York vile Court yesterday.
but Thompson was unable to leave Bellevue
Hospital, where he is confined. because of the
bad shot wound In his wrist, so the examination
Of Ferguson was put off until to-day:
the lock that locks ali cell doors at once Which
T. now in general use throughout the country:
The history OF the Post Office box robheries Of
recently in connection with the arrests and
trials of the other men. Thompson has figured
also in other burelaries and attempts at burg
larry in New York.
Drs. Hubbard and Smith OF Bellevue Hospital
performed an operation yesterday afternoon
on Thompson's wrist. DR.. Hibbard said later
that the operation was a success. and that
the man would regain the use Of his hand, but
that it would never be as we'll as before he was
shot. In taking out the bullet one Of the small
wrist bones was found to be crushed, and 1t had
to be removed. The bullet was OF 80 calibre.