The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-09-19
HE SET THE PACE
THAT FEW CAN FOLLOW
Career of Black Prince, the Worlds Greatest
Crook.-Tells of His First Offense.
Has Served Many Sentences.

Alfred has been enabled to preserve
his incognito in New York ever since
his return from the coronation at
London, until a few nights ago MS
fondness for Shower attire brought
him to the attention of three Gen.
trail Office detectives, says the New
York Telegraph.
They picked him up at Sth avenue
and 41st street as he was Wlnglns
along with the air of a cosmopollte,
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.
LAS live it is the Black Royal
ty,'" 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-
ouaintance of the younger detectives,
and they lugged him along somewhat
facetiously while the greatest contln-
entail crook of the darky race grim
ned affably and offered mild protesta-
tions that his presence in New York
at this time had no "diplomatlc' IN
terest.
It has been about five years since
this shiny-faced piece of human CHAR
coal did his "bit" of one year on
Blackwells Island. His picture is IN
the Rogues' Gallery at police head
quarters in New York, and his cynl-
cal smile adorns the large album OF
malefactors cherished by the authorl-
ties 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 that the ability of his mental
forces is by no means commensurate
with the dexterity of his long, taper
ing hands in the art Of picking pock-
cts. He has been in trouble with
the police many times. : He is so
fond of Dragging about his greatness
as a crook and telling Of his expert
ences abroad that careful detectives
would not think OF putting him un-
der the third degree, for the reason
that he would talk himself into an
early decline and spass away with
tuberculosis of the vocal chords be-
fore his trial could be reached.
1t is related of Black Prince Alfred
that he once went into an all-night
auick-lunch emporium and, While
waiting to be served, discovered a
"card of dope"-where some woman
of the underworld had left it beside
her plate.
The Black Prince thought this
lucky find was molasses and he de-
voured it with the gusto of his race.
In about five minutes he was talking
to himself volubly about his determ-
ination of going out and breaking all
the crap-shooting joints in Hells
Kitchen
The Blick 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 HelFs Kitchen. His right name is
alfred Woods, his favorite alias
James Ragsdale, also Alfred Lex
dalem, alias Alfred Laxdale.
He would permit his own kind to
call him "coon," or a negro and take
all SOUu pdlI- DoI " iASAA @@A WV.
by Central Office men, it was his hab-
At to inform them that he was col
.ored gentleman" The Black Prince
has always boasted of his acqualnt-
ances among the white folks And
tits a fact that he was so we'll recelv-
ed among the thieves, of the Caucas'
ian race and a certain dissolute class
of white women here and abroad that
he actually came to believe that be
had a social status far above that o:
of the ordinary negro that robs
chicken roost and goes regularly tc
prayer meeting.
Although he generally worked
alone the Black Prince was always
fond of the companionship of white
guns" or pickpockets. He huns
out with them at Fox's saloon at 35tt
street and 7th avenue, New York
which was torn down about five year;
Ao1N -,