The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-16

were Joined by Eddie Guerin. who was
later sent to Devils Island for robbing
the Bank of France. and Billy Porter,
the English thief, who robbed the
Duchess of Sutherland Of a $4,000
diamond necklace. But they found
gave up the job and went to Paris.
where several months OF work netted
them about $4,000 each.
Lillis lost his at Monte Carlo. went
to England, was caught robbing a
bank messenger and spent two years
in Clerkenwell rison.
On his return to New York Lillis
was arrested In the Fifth Avenue ho-
tel for robbing Clara Morris the actress
of her jewels. The house detective
caught him as he was leaving the ho-
tel. and as the Jewels were found in
his possession he could do nothing.
Clara Morris did not want to prose-
cute him, but Colonel John r. Fell
lows the prosecuting attorney, would
not listen to any suggestion of lenien-
cy. Lillis was sentenced to two years
In Sing Sing. That was in 1875.
His cellmate at Sing Sing was
Colonel" a~scells, the forger, and
1t was there that he got most of his
literary education. He was unable to
do any hard work and he acted as an
assistant bookkeeper in the Warden's
office. He had plenty Of time to him.
out a course in reading for him and
spent the evenings teaching him
philosophy and law. The two years
passed quickly. and Lillis now admits
that they were the W most profitable
years of his life. He returned to New
York determined to give up his pro-
fession and lead an honest life. He
searched everywhere for Employment,
but as ne had no references he could
manual labor. and finally, after going
hungry for 48 hours. he gave up and
went to some Of his old friends. He
went to Chicago. where he was caught
by General Powell Clayton in the act
OF stealing the campaign money from
the Republican national headquarters
In the Grand Pacific hotel.
On his. release from Joliet Lillis
went to Denver with Joe Parish. and
in December of that year robbed the
Tabor bank Of $4,000. They fed to
Omaha. where they started q saloon.
They gambled and lost heavily. how
ever. and within a few weeks the
entire fortune was gone. Lillis had a
passion for playing faro. although he
invariably lost. He pulled off one or
two Jobs in Omaha, but without any
SAC0I ouICCSSs anu early III 1000 ne
went south with a mob Of dips"
The leaders Of this aggregation were
"Beefy" Wilson, Joe Parish and Lillis.
They devoted all their energies to
p~ocketpicking, and did not come to
grief until they reached Mobile, Ala.
There they were arrested and sentence
ed to six years in the state coal mines.
Lillis was too weak to do any hard la
Dor. so he was made boss Of a gang of
negro nn{naPo cnnA hAha,f@~ LH~,,-t%
him release after four years.
Lillis Ven to New Orleans and
worked the town during .Mardi Gras
week. There he met Johnny Lyle,
Whitley" Bob and "sheeny'' Harris,
three notorious English crooks. They
decided to rob the Third National
bank at Syracuse. N. Y, and actually
succeeded in doing so. He and john
ny. Lytle entered the bank by cutting
a hole in the floor upstairs and they
managed to pick the lock of the safe
and get $4,000. While they were at
work two New York detectives, Hell
delberg and Costello. passed down the
street and saw Whitley" and Harris
on the corner. When Lillis emerged
with the money they told him they
had been seen by the detectives. and
ed the police would know whom to
look for. Then Lillis did an almost
incredible thing. He went back into
the bank building. reopened the safe
and placed the money just where he
had found 1t. He sacrificed the money
to a v his pals.
After making two daring "sneaks"
in Central New York. the quartet
parted company and Lillis went to To-
ledo. where he was arrested in the
Body house the cry first day, was
convicted and sentenced to three
years in the penitentiary at Columbus.
That was in 1891. He was a model
prisoner and a released in two
years and three months. He again
decided to reform. hut was unable to
secure employment. Finally. in sheer