Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-23
HE SET THE PACE.
Career Of Black Prince, tho Worlds
Greatest Crook.

Greatest Crook.
BY wearing the navy blue uniform
of a hotel porter the Black Prince
Alfred has been enabled to preserve
his incognito in New York ever since
his return from the coronation at Lon
don, until a few nights ago his fond
ness for shower attire brought him
to the attention Of three Central Office
detectives, says the New York Tele-
graph.
They picked him up at Sth avenue
and 41st street as he was swinging
along with the air Of cosmopolite.
wearing a natty summer suit and car
rying a slender red cane which was
really too slight for one Of his inter-
national reputation to lean upon.
"As live it is the Black Royalty
said one of the detectives. All three
Of them shook hands with the much
travelled African mogul whose origin
was on 10th avenue in New York city,
and whose ability as lone-hand
"gun," or pickpocket, has made him
the subject Of gossip in police circles
all over the world.
They told him that it was socially
incumbent upon him to come down to
police headquarters and make the ac-
quaintance of the younger detectives,
and they lugged him along somewhat
facetiously while the greatest contin-
entail crook Of the darky race grinned
affably and offered mild protestations
that his presence in New York at this
time had no diplomatic" interest.
1t has been about five years since
this shiny-faced piece Of human char
coal did his "bit" Of one year on
Blackwell's Island. His picture is in
the Rogues' Gallery at police head
quarters in New York, and his cynical
smile adorns the large album Of male
factors cherished by the authorities Of
many other cities for purposes Of
Identification.
Although it has been said that the
Black Prince was always on his good
behavior when in New York, the re-
cords of the police department and the
recollection of senior detectives prove
is by no means commensurate with
the dexterity Of his long, tapering
hands in the art Of picking pockets.
He has been in trouble with the police
To 10 nf hra
ging about his greatness as a crook
and telling of his experiences abroad
that careful detectives would not think
of putting him under the third degree,
for the reason that he would talk him
self into an early decline and pass
away with tuberculosis Of the vocal
chords before his trial could be reach
ed.
1t Is related Of Black Prince Alfred
that he once went into an all-night
quick-lunch emporium and, while
waiting to be served, discovered a
card of dope'-where some woman
of the underworld had left 1t beside
her plate.
The Black Prince thought this lucky
find was molasses and he devoured it
with the gusto of his race. In about
five minutes he was talking to himself
volubly about his determination Of
going out and breaking all the crap
shooting joints in Hell's Kitchen.
He was votary Of the feeble-lamp-
o'dreams.
The Black Prince was called the
African Prince by admirers of his own
race, when he first began a career Of
crime in New York, and he essayed to
be the best dressed "coon" in Hells
Kitchen. His right name is Alfred
Woods, his favorite alias James Rags
dale, also Alfred Lexdalem, alias AL
fred Laxdale.
He would permit his own kind to
call him a "coon," or q negro and take
it all good part. But when arrested
by Central Office men, it was his habit
to inform them that he was a "color-
ed gentleman" The Black Prince
has always boasted of his acquaint-
ances among the white folks" And 1t
is a fact that he was so well received
among the thieves of the Caucasian
race and a certain dissolute class OF
white women here and abroad that he
actually came to believe that he had
a social status far and above that Of