Evening journal., 1897-05-22
NOTEDCROOK CAUGHT
Arrested IN London, He rs Recog-
nized as Notorious Forger.
LED A REGULAR CRIMINALS LIFE.
Some Interesting Facts Connected with
the Career of the Man In Cus-
tody on the other Side Of
the Atlantic.


the Career of the Man In Gus
tody on the other Side Of
the Atlantic.
New York, May 22.-Captain OBrien,
chief of detectives in this city, has re-
ceived a communication from the as
sistant commissioner Of police at Scot
land Yard, London, telling Of the ar
rest there for shop breaking of a man
who gave his name as Edward Simpson.
He was sentenced TO six months at hard
labor.
The communication also contained
photograph of the prisoner, which was
recognized by Captain O'Brien as that
OF the notorious forger, Charles Fisher
who is wanted here for the robbery of
United States mail boxes and who es-
capped from the Cincinnati jail, where
he was incarcerated pending his trial.
in November, 1895.
There Is a reward of 81 900 for his ar
rest by the postofiice authorities and
another reward by the authorities OF
Cincinnati. His picture Is 1,46l in the
Rogues' gallery in this city.
Fisher, who Is also known under the
names Of Purdy, Foutain and Palmer,
Is one Of the most notorious criminals in
this country. He has not only carried
on his operations here, but he has been
arrested in almost every country In
Europe.
His arrest In London Is considered a
most important one, as he Is one Of the
last two of a gang of robbers which
caused the police authorities all over
this country no end of trouble.
The other man wanted now Is John
Mccarthy. alias Brooklyn Jimmy, who
is still at large.
Fisher was the leader of the gang In
this country who made II their business
to duplicate the keys of mail boxes In
cities all over the country. abstract
checks from letters and secure the cash
from them. 1t is estimated by the po-
lice that the amount of money realized
by the gang by this method foots up 10
more than 100000.
Began a Life of Crime.
Fisher began his criminal career as a
boy, when he was sent to the house OF
refuge for stealing. He was born in
1859, and after he seryed his time in the
house Of refuge he started on the ca
reer that has made him world notori-
Gus.
In 1879 he was arrested for grand lar
ceny and sentenced to 2ia years In pris-
on. Soon after ne was released he went
to Chicago, where he was arrested with
o gang of forgers. but was released be-
cause he turned states evidence against
his colleagues In 1885 he was arrested
in Boston coming out Of a bank, but
was released because no evidence could
be obtained against him that he had
done anything wrong. He was next
arrested in this city and sentenced to
10 years in prison for passing a forged
check. He was released in 1892
It was while Fisher was serving this
z long term that ne conoocted the scheme
, organizing the gang to rob letter boxes
Fisher was at the head Of the gang
, which comprised Robert Wallace. VIII
t liam Hartley, Billy Hamilton. Barney
Kelly, William G. Wheeler, Johnny To-
bin. John Mccarthy, alias Brooklyn
Jimmy, and a well known shoplifter
known as Sheeney Rachel.
The gang began its operations In the
east and went from city to city all over
, the country making duplicate keys to
letter boxes, taking out the letters and
2 abstracting the checks. Fisher always
did the forging by Endorsements of the
3 names of men to whom the checks were
r made out.
2 Fisher, Hartley and Wallace were ar
I rested in Baltimore on June 26. 1895 and
e while they were under arrest Hamilton
= Kelly and Wheeler were arrested In
: this city by Captain O'Brien and De-
, tectlve McCauley while In the act OF
e robbing a mail box Captain O'Brier
got a confession from Wheeler at thai
time. and he implicated the men under
arrest at Baltimore.
e Hartley and Wallace were taken from
s Baltimore to Saltwater, Mimi. where
! tod for n aF q
4 81, 100 check on the Northwestern banl
4 of that city. and Fisher was taken tC
!. Cincinnati, where he was wanted fol
a robbing mail boxes In his pockets wer,
4 found a number OF keys which were
4 duplicates of those to the Cincinnati
= boxes, and while he was awaiting tria
e there he made his escape and has beer
K hunted for ever since.
Wallace and Hartley were sentenced
TO six years each at Saltwater for thl
crime they had committed there.
q The three men arrested in this cit.
I were also convicted and sentenced t.
4 terms Of Imprisonment.
g Tobln was arrested as a burgla
e while attempting to rob a doctor
s house in this city and was sent away
e and Sheeney Rachel was arrested an'
- sent to prison for shopifting. Th
l. only TWO at large were McNaithy ah'
e Fisher. and the arrest OF Fisher make
the last of the gang at large Brooklyn
Jimmy.
Captain O'Brien has communicate
, with the postofiice authorities and the.
= viii communicate with the Scotlan'
= yard authorities. When Fisher ha
q served his sentence out in London h
q will be brought back to this countr
~ 10 stand trial for his crimes here.
y "