Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-14
Glory or CRIMINAL LIFE
MCCARTHY RELATES HIS
.,,ofRleNeEs AS A Ysoe MAN.

y. Strenuous Career and viii Hav,
!. pobljshed--some Facts about Hi
History
ne and Adventures of Reformed
,racksman is the title OF Tho
W. which John F. Mccarthy, the bur.
~ who is now serving time in states
s.,.oa for helping rob the Newfan'
&c, hank, has written and intends
soye published within a short time
~ story deals with Mccarthy's ad'
= a,res since he became involved In
ame and contains accounts OF many
listing and exciting experiences
Ih'''e ,,nrv of McCarthy's life. as taxi
lhe ~, the pages of the manuscript
q h.nhIishsd in a recent edition OF
va 5 ss Herald and will no doubt
US 3n,syest 10 the people OF Windham
''nnty and vicinity.
e w.aGSarthy was born in Philadelphia,
~ ., iS7q. His parents are middle
w weu-to-do people, and bear an
U.s.. ..SsIent reputation. The lads grand
s mn set her heart on his entering
y. S.T n,riesthaod. and TO that end he was
N II p an altar boy al ST. James
l saIob He had been there but a short
a.uisn when in a spirit of recklessness
ius srank the wine intended for COM
~ The loss of the beverage
NUM- sns, have been forgiven. but the boy
llsH' nod intoxicated. and did not
No. Ia let people know II. That
-" ,Se rnpardonable disgrace, and
Mas snbiected to heavy penance
y Y, ""omnelled 10 give up his place. He
a .anSad the public schools until he
.s' u wears old, and then was given
nlace in a white lead manufacturing
,,pcern also working for time for
Io5n Wanamaker. In both places he
s.S nositions of trust, and with the
...r,sr concern he was accustomed to
y ~ the Centennial bank every FRI
~ anJ draw $500 for the next days
s.. Wy rol He was fast atoning for the
ssorace suffered as altar boy, when
" made the great mistake of his life
!. tho finn. he was IS years of age.
The Sehuylkill river divides the city
,to East Philadelphia and West
psiladeIphia. The latter section was
is97 a rendezvous for yeggmen of
,sa worst class. In some way or an
rb4r he became acquainted with a
r.gg known as New York Red ana
' X him was fired with enthusiasm for
' NJ merry 60 life it was represented
,bs class led. All sorts of promises or
| IN Easy existence and plenty of money
vsrs held out TO him. and he nnally
agreed IN ioin the man and act as MS
assistant in getting money. Aug. Il,
I'd he left Philadelphia and gave up
name parents and everything which
rgd aid him to become a worthy
md hopored citizen and went on the
mad The brilliant visions of ease
md comfort were soon dispelled, how
ever
As the punk" of New York Red
| he was compelled to do all the begging.
While the locker" Ca yegg who mas
| bw 10 beg for him) loafed. Mccarthy
| yas supplied with letter purportlng
| 10 be written by clergyman, IN Wnlch
| h was stated that he was an orphan
nov proceeding to distant point 10
hin his relatives, and urging all char
| ably disposed persons to aid him all
| IN their power. 1t was a very erect,
| wl method of gaining money, ana
Mccarthy was able to turn in from 70
10 SO a day to the COCKER. After ne
turned over the cash late in the AFTER
/ noon he was then compelled to go out
and beg food. newspapers and tobacco,
| Or find "snipes" for the man to smoke,
as no true 'yegg' will pay cash Tor
|ayhing but liquor, and the lad found
|he life anything but what he had
Imagined ii to be when he listened TO
|he highly colored tales told by the
|pgg as they We're seated about the
gangs campfire in TIE outskirt lots OF
West Philadelphia
Even with such excellent records,
| New York Red" was not satisfied with
|tle efforts of his punk, and declared
| That he ought never to return Win
ass than SO or s12 daily. as he did
when he was a boy. Then he said tnat
Mccarthy could never hope to become
frs-class cracksman until he was
|NO / plinger,' which is the yegg
Term for beggar. About that time the
| boy wanted to go home. but the DIRE
|tll threats of New York Red OF the
| horrible fate TO which he would pc
subjected should he attempt to get
|sTay drove all idea of leaving from
|NCarthy's mind, and he continued
|the disagreable work for his heartless
Flask master. The boy was known then
4 Pennsylvania Kid" When he was
Graduated from the punk" ranks ms
|slbrQuet was 10 be Pennsylvania
Johnny For two months the pair
|2veled through Delaware, Maryland
IND Virginia, and in that time the
|sompunctions of the lad finally gave
|Eay to the stern necessities of his po--
|sion, and he made up his mind that
70 long as he was in yeggdom ne
|lght as well remain there.
At the expiration of the two months,
\ be letter game having become quite
|Fel known it was decided by the
Nys master to put a I've bug on NC
|taFthys arm. This horrible torture
|sllts eventually in a hideous Sore
|smeh is certain to arouse the SYM
|lslhy of all those who observe it ana
II rarely identified by physicians. Inc
" Is applied to the skin in dry
Eale and is then gradually saturated
|@'h lukewarm water until the skin
/ l1s black and the flesh drops out.
NcCarthy's arm a hole was maze
E@at two inches in diameter and one
(.al an inch IN depth and a deep scar
|rlay bears evidence of the horrible
aIufe Of nearly eight years ago. me
| re was very effectual, however. anu
II lad succeeded in averaging S25
fas Tor his locker. completely de-
[adhs physicians who examined the
F'tiole Sore, not a few of whom gave
fueE certifying that the bearer was
[a,sihly a worthy subject for the
[sall'aoly inclined. The pair travele9
|4vash West Virginia and Maryland
iar as Cumberland, where New
I1h Red had timed his arrival 10
f@ld convention of yeggs from all
'sf The country.
n That place Mccarthy had the
,aoIal honor of meeting some OF
most prominent of the cult in the
LILY and he was introduced TO
In. prominent worthless as Nevada /
E. tne founder of the clan: COCK
now serving 21-year sentence
-e Maryland state prison at Bait
~. ri Ior bank robbery. the Biddle
5s who subsequently became