The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
ANNIE GRAY and tom O'BREN
UARDMAN'S WIFE ONCE HELPED
NOTED CROOK TO ESCAPE.
He Was 1.-The Greatest BuncO Steerer That
Ever Lived" and Robbed Men In Her
PIace--Nhen He Was Caught She Car
ried Out scheme by which lie Got Away


PIace--when He Was Caught She Car
ried Out scheme by which lie Got Away
Although official announcement is still
lacking of the wedding Of Policeman Rob- |
ert r. Ullner. former wardman OF the West |
Forrv-seventh street precinct and Mrs. !
,nnie Gray whose town house is at 2O4
West Forty sixth street. those vino know
the Gray woman had little doubt, yester-
day, that the news of the wedding, which |
eaka out at Police Headquarters on Fri
day when Ullner failed to appear for trial
was authentic At Mrs, Gray's house the
housekeeper said that Mrs. Gray had gone
to Europe twelve days ago Doubtless it
is lllners intention to rejoin her there
II he has not already started.
Some of the Sc familiar with the Gray
voman's remarkable history were inclined
to look upon her wedding with the man
who was wnrdman Of the precinct in which
her house is located as another sample OF
the woman's shrewdness that has been
exhibited often in her career, The prin-
cipal instance OF this. and one which will
ever be remembered by the police. was
when she helped Tom O'Brien, -the great
est bunco steerer that ever lived, accord
ing TO Inspector Byrnes, to escape in Utica
thirteen years ago. She enjoyed immunity
from police interference then, and she has
ever since. Even in the highest days OF
reform in this town the police have given
her little trouble.
The escape OF O'Brien will always be
remembered in police annals because OF
the extreme simplicity OF it. No escape
Of any celebrated criminal is so lacking
in dramatic features, yet the police have
given it the palm among such ahalrs
Although it was the work Of several friends
of O'Hrien, it is generally believed that
the idea originated with the Gray woman
and that it was largely her money and cum
ming that resulted in the escape.
O'Brien had made a record for himself
as a bunco steerer and international crook
when he met the Gray woman. That was
in 1887. when she had place in West Thirty
first street. She was then known as Hunting
ton, that having been the name OF her
first husband. OBrien robbed cashier
of an express company OF 81 900 in the
house one night and had to skip to Canada.
He came back later and became known
as the Gray woman's husband. In 1880
he feeced John NJ. Peck, an Albany man,
out of $4,000 by the confidence game, and
was arrested two years later while living
with the Gray woman in this city.
O'Brien skipped his bail Of 50. 900 and fed
to Europe, lived in lyle at the Hotel Metro
pole on money said to have been supplied
hv the Gray woman, and later went to Paris.
He was recognized one day by a New York
police officer. extradited. and in March.
1892 was sentenced to ten years in Clinton
Prison. The Gray woman, II was said then.
had put up S2O,OOO as a defence. and after
O'Rrien was take to Clinton Prison she
began TO plan his escape: For this more
money was raised, Reed Waddell. q Brien 8
pal whom he afterward murdered in
Paris. putting up $4,000.
The two men who agreed to take charge
of the scheme We're Dave Dshler and Don
Minchin. friends of O'Brien who lived in
Utica They had meeting with the Gray
woman in Troy and then O'Brien's lawyers
were induced to apply for a writ in Utica
city while argument was being heard on
IT, Two weeks before this, James +. Buck
had been made keeper at the prison. and.
although never proved, it was always be-
about by O'Briens friends It was Buck
who brought O'Brien to Utica on April
-. 1892
For one night O Brien was lodged in jail
In Utica. Then, although he was one OF the
most notorious crooks of the time, and
was wanted in nearly every large city of
the country, Buck allowed him to occupy
room at Baggs Hotel. He even per-
mtted him TO go around town with his
friends, keeping watch on him, however,
At first.
The next day the Gray woman arrived.
She had a roll Of money which shepro ceeded
10 spend in entertaining Keeper Buck, to
whom Dishler and Minchin had introduced
her, Before she had been in Utica long
Buck introduced her as his wife and regis
- Hx~t< al hA~x. hsNvu
keeping OBrien. The latter, after the
arrival Of Mrs. Buck" had room all to
himself
On the third night after o Brien's arrival
In Utica, and while argument on the writ
was still going on. Buck got helplessly. in
Of Mrs. Buck" That night, while he was
helpless in his room, O'Brien was sneaked
ont of the hotel and taken in a carriage
10 Norwich. thirty miles away, where he
caught a train to this city and then fed
TO London.
Buck was found helpless the following
morning and the Gray woman WAS with
him. He still insisted that she was his
wife, but day Or so later she babe him an
afectionate good-by at Albany, and dur
ing the parting she was seen TO give him
part of her bankroll. Then she took a
rain to this city, went TO 422 West Seventy
second street and stuck to il that she was
Mrs Buck until she was lost sight OF, The
chagrin felt over o Brien's escape was such
that the police did not seem to have any
desire TO arrest those responsible for 1t.
sthough Minchen was afterward sent 10
prison for another crime.
Gov. Flower offered a reward OF 81 500
for O'Brien's arrest and the police hunted
for him in every part Of the country as
well AS abroad. He was once caught at
Fsvre but succeeded in walking away
from the French authorities az easily as
he had from those of this State.
He turned up some years later in Paris,
and meeting his former pal, Waddell at
the Northern Station one day in March,
1895, pulled out his revolver and without
saying a word began firing. Six bul let's
struck Waddell and he died later in the hos
pi'al 1t was said afterward that Wad-
dell had refused to lend O'Brien money
after his escape and that that was the
cause Of the murder. O'Brien was tried
In Paris and sent to Devils Island, Dreyf,is' e
place Of imprisonment. for life The Gray
woman tried TO save him and remained in
Paris during his trial. spending money
literally. hut without success.
Afterward she returned here and has had
The Fort y-sixth street house for six years.
had escaped or had been released, and that
he was concealed AT the Gray woman =
louse recentlv II il believed. however,
that lie still is on Devils Island Mrs.
GRAY has declared that she would never
"est until she got him free again. and is
sad 10 lave made frequent trips TO Paris