Eastern Colorado times., 1912-08-02
DANNY -m'sR,oE's STORY.

were In vogue, and all the villages
within one hundred miles Of New
York were considered by these spe-
cial students of the dark lantern and
Jimmy 40 the proper places for them
to visit, there was no more desperate
gang in the world than that led by
Danny Mcbride. who was sort Of
q hero among the lower class OF citi-
xens in the old Second Ward.
Danny followed thieving on the bay
tho business was not very remunera-
tive, as most Of the stun which was
stolen was disposed OF AZ old junk.
It was about az safe line OF THE
very a. there was going. because
Danny and his gang. which consisted
Of Ben Harper. "Simmy" Kelly, "old
Man" Dobbs. Pete Beller and Jack
Opp, were such cold-blooded cut
throats and careless handlers of the
knife and revolver that no one, not
even the police, cared. about running
up against them.
They were known as the greatest
collection Of rough-and-tumble fight
ers, and many bitter battle did they
have single-handed or together with
the champions of the Ninth, or
American Ward. as it was known at
that time. It was the toss OF cent
the American, or Danny Mcbride.
And, although they had dozen fights
in which all the work was done while
they were lying in the street, they
always came out about even. The
last fight they had, John Morrissey
was the referee. and he was in SYM
pathy >with Mcbride. Hicks seemed
to be getting tribe the best Of the
argument, and Morrissey Interfered.
Then on the Morton street pier oc-
Cured one Of the hoodiest fights that
ever took place in the Ninth Ward.
Mcbride went to the hospital covered
with wounds and glory, and 1t was
three months before he was able to
get out.
ut was along about this time that
Jeff Reynolds. whose life l saved
when Billy Porter was trying to I'LL
him full of lead. came down from
Sing Sing after doing stretch Of ten
years, and the first thing he did was
to hunt me up. was then under
cover for highway trick on Staten
Island, but JEFF knew where to flnd
your uncle. When I found out that
the cops had no pipes on me for the
Staten Island job went in with JEFF,
Ben Harper, Long Sam Wiley and
Spanish Forbes. Forbes was q Niger.
"Jen got up scheme to do the
towns on the East and Hudson River
fronts, and travel In sloop. al
ways liked the water. and this Just
suited me. We worked OF the tricks
in the houses on each side Of the riv-
ers one after the other, so as to
throw down the police. All our sail
sdng was done in the night. and Forbes,
who Travelled on shore as a beggar.
planted the places .or US. It was
dead easy work. and more like a-pic-
nic than anything else. calling up peo-
pie in the night with masks on and
relieving them of their wealth. We
had plenty Of luck on the Hudson
River front and raided over forty
: houses. The game got 30 hot that
committees went out at night with
rides to hunt for crooks and we pulled
OF for a while as It never pays to be
q target even for bad hunter.
while laying on picked up pa
per and read Of . swoll wedding At
Englewood at the house OF q man
named Baldwin one Of the wealthiest
ducks In the nelghborhood and some
fellow had figured up the presents In
jewelry and silver plate az being
worth $780, 900. / showed It to Jeff,
and said that we ought to give the
place Z call before any OF the pres
snts were sold. He agreed with me