The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-03-23
old CONFIDENCE KING
. GOES TO AlMSH0USG
James MoNally, Once Had Mil
lions and is Now a
Pauper.
When He Had Money He Squan-
dered it Recklessly on
Idol.

millions of dollars which he squan-
dered recklessly.
James McNally, one time king of
the green goods men who made more
than 100000 in few years of
his active operations limped into the
Tombs police station a tattered and
broken wreck and asked to be sent
to the almshouse. It was with diff
Guilty the sergeant recognized him IN
the palsied Jimmy Mentally of the OLD
days Of prosperity when he was one
of the best dressed men in New York.
He spent his money with an easy
hand. "Why, Jimmy, I wouldn't have
recognized you" said the sergeant who
had known him for twenty years. Il
guess not, sergeant" Mentally replied,
why even my old friends, as they use
to call themselves, all pass me by
now, and 1 am not able to keep up
the struggle with the odds against me.
Prison life, and drugs, and exposure
have made me unfit for work. If I
could find any it's a case of asking
the city for shelter and food, or of
dying in the Streets"
Haven't you anything left?" Ser
geant German asked.
Nothing I can get at. It was all
hard luck money, and it passed out OF
my control when was sent to Joliet
prison. I had comfortable fortune
there, but the lawyers to whom had
intrusted my money died while was
in prison and there was no chance for
me to recover from their estates.
Comes Out Of Prison Broke.
II found that my country place at
Bridgeport, Conn.,, had been sold for
trifling claim against it. I was prac-
tically broke when came out of prison
seven years ago, and have been sink
ing lower and lower ever since"
Touched by the appearance and
story of having been deserted by his
friends some of them who are wealthy
now, German took McNally before
Magistrate Whitman and asked that
he be committed to the almshouse.
Magistrate Whitman said that it would
be impossible for him to send the
man to the almshouse; but he would
commit him to the workhouse for
three months or until he wanted to
come out. ..Fz>
At the suggestion of Judge Whit
Warden Dunlop at the workhouse and
er on Sunday. Dunlop when he found
out who the prisoner was to be, said
he would make an exception as he
had known McNally many years, and
had known him to be always open
hearted and generous with the money
gained by swindling.
McNally's hands were so swollen by
rheumatism and the result of excessive
use of morphine that he could not
sign his name.
McNaIly's Rise and Fall.
The rise and fall of Jimmy Mentally
is one of the most interesting chapters
in the history Of notorious thieves and
swindlers. He was born In New
York, and was employed as mes
senger boy He had saved some
money and formed co-partnership
| with woman and they opened an all
night restaurant in a basement on
Sixth avenue near 30th street. Bon
ME Mcclure was at that time the
leader of a successful gang of green
goods swindlers. He met Mentally
and asked to be allowed to receive
his mail in McNally's place. Permis-
sion was given and McNally was soon
| initiated into the secrets of the sue
cessful swindler.
He Immediately sold out to his wo-
man partner and went to work for
Mcclure, but the police gave MCGUIRE
the tip to keep quiet and Mentally
started in for himself. Money kept
| coming in to him faster then he could
spend it. He met Nellie Maroux, a
| beautiful woman % years old. He
| bought her residence on 9TH avenue
costing him $4,000, furnished like a
/ palace; he allowed her $3.50 week
pin money and an unlimited expen-
diture for clothing and millinery. His
bill for jewelry for her at Fitzpatrick 8
| alone was $4,000. He said he never
was happy except when he was max
| ing her presents.
His Extravaganza Was Great.
Extravaganza was so great that he
was compelled to remain quiet for a
time. He TUNED to the race tracks
for profit end excitement and soon
lost all he had. He said he feared
Nellie Maroux liked his money alone,
and he hesitated about telling her.
When he did she gave MIN $5,OOO and
he again started in the green goods
swindle, and was more successful then
ever. He was at the height of his sue.
cess that he was arrested in Chicago
and sent to prison for three years.
The Maroux woman is dead and
McNally refuses to talk about her or
to say what became of her while he
was in prison.
| The last time saw McNally it was
a year ago last August; he was then
a cashier in one of the concert halls
at Coney Island. The New York
Journal gave him quite write up,
and he was quite a drawing card; but
without money drawing cards don't
last long.
WHEN A DISTRESS
SIGNAL n7nNnT IN