The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-08-02

precision and congratulated them
belves that they left no clue. Blu
The teeth marks left on one Of tn,
gang by faithful bull dog who diet
defending his mistress, proved theil
hndoing. Now let the principal nc
ors tell the story.
DANNY M'eRIDE's STORY.
In the days when masked burglariei
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 as the proper places for them
TO visit. there was no more desperate
gang in the world than that led by
Danny Mcbride, who was a sort OF
Q hero among the lower class of citi
Gems in the old Second Ward. Danny
started out when quite young fellow
as q river pirate, and was just get.
ting a knowledge of the business
when Jerry McAuley, who was after.
ward converted and founded a mis-.
sion, was in his former glory and had
pretty nearly all the ship captains on
the river front terrorized. There was
not the police protection at that time
that there is today, and no mans
property. or even life, was safe after
dark in certain sections Of West,
South and Front streets.
Danny followed thieving on the bay
and river front for several years. but
the business was not very remunera-
tive. as most of the stuff which was
stolen was disposed Of as old junk.
1t was about as safe line Of THE
very as there was going, because
Danny and his gang. which consisted
OF Ben Harper, Skinny" Kelly, cold
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. Every one of them
would kill before he would submit to
capture. and as they invariably went
together and had the sympathy of a
large number of persons in their
bailiwick. it was practically sure
death for any one who cared to test
their strength.
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. 1t was the toss of a cent
who was the better man, Abe Hicks,
the American. or Danny Mcbride.
And, although they had a 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 trifie tho best Of the
argument, and MorriS1ey interfered.
Then on the Morton Street pier oc.
CURED one of the bloodiest fights that
ever took place in the Ninth Ward
Mcbride went to the hospital covered
with wounds and glory, and it was
three months before he was able to
get out.
THAT Morrissey fight" said Nc
Bride, was the worst thing that ever
happened to me, for while was In
the hospital the police got in on the
gang and landed Dobbs, Kelly and
Opp for killing sailor in West street
They got twenty years each, all be
cause wasn't out to help them. This
broke up the old gang, and could
not get good men together for new
one, when I left the hospital, who
could be trusted.
at was along about this time that
JEFF Reynolds, whose life I saved
when Billy Porter was trying to fl
4 him full Of lead, came down from
Sing Sing after doing a stretch Of ter
years, and the first thing he did was
to hunt me up. was then under
& cover for q highway trick on Staten
{ Island, but JEFF knew where to find
!. your uncle. When I found out that
4 the cops had no pipes on me for the
n Staten Island job / went in with JEFF
Ben Harper, Long Sam Wiley and
Spanish Forbes. Forbes was Niger
and as clever q crook as / ever knew
h He had q nerve that would carry him
III through q stone wall. a*.$
len got up q scheme to do the
towns on the East and Hudson River
\ fronts, and travel In q sloop. I q
says liked the water, and this jus,
yuited me. We worked OF the tricks
tlae houses on each side ST the nv