The sun., 1912-07-20
BIG JACK zEu|G BEGAN
As A BOY P|CKPOCKET
Real Name Probably william
Albert-Typical East
Side Product.
Much ARRESTED MAN
But His Police Record Doesn't
Begin to Show the Tricks
lie Has Turned.

Big Jack Zelig. ,he tall leader Of the
Kid Twist gang. had been named by the
police In connection with three murders
before that Of Rosenthal. Early on the
night Rosenthal was killed Zel!g and
Jack Rose. It has been said. had a
spirited conversation on an East Side
corner. followed by much activity on
Zeliss part. Iclig Is now out on bail
charged with carrying a revolver. II
was said yesterday that his case will be
called soon.
AS the present charge is for a second
offense Big Jack faces a possible sem
tence Of fifteen years at Sing Sing. He's
only 80 years old now, Dut those who
know the gan" leader well say that his
mode of III" hasn't helped his physica
condition and that a fifteen year SEN
tence would be equivalent to life in Big
Jacks case.
Primarily Big Jack Zelig is a pick.
pocket Hes good pickpocllet. too;
none better. as Capt. Faurot, the finger
! print expert tcs,ities. Jack began as a
pick pocket about 1896. when he was
"A fourteen-year-od curly head in
Anickerboohcis on the East Side. lie
had bit OF boyishness about him In
! those early days that In a number OF
cases caused clustering complainants to
soften Il bit and finally to refuse to
, press a case against him. Even as late
as April. 1905. Big Jack played baby.
as the police put IL and softcned the
heart of his acCuser and wen; free.
Ills real name is either William
.\,berts or wiliam. Albert. probably the
fo.nor. AMI he was born In Norfolk
, street In i%>,. The name Jack Zelig
was fastened to him about tho time he
began to do less pocket picking and
more shaking down. Then he became
Rig Jack Iclic. bad man and gang
; leader.
The police began to take note of The
thin faced little dip IN 1896. Three or
= four Years later he was recognized
crook with his picture in the rogues'
gallery. From that time until to-day
Big Jack has done tric: after trick in
New York streets and elsewhere ard
mas got away with 1t all without having
any prison sentences Of serious length
20 cut IN upon his working moments.
!. Tho following IS but partial list Of
Big Jack zeiic's sipups in recent years
and few OF the names he bore when
arrested:
Harry Smith. arrested July 2S. 1901
, in Manhattan charged with larceny;
sent to the workhouse by Judge Nc
, Mahon on complaint Of Mary Sheehan.
William Allen. arrested April 10. 1905.
in Brooklyn charged with pocket pick
( ing discharged ny Magistrate Dooiey.
, William Albert. arrested June 25.
1905. in Manhattan charged with lar
ceny and again discharged. this time
by Magistrate Barlow.
William Albert. arrested December
, %, 1905. in Manhattan charged with
= larceny. discharged by Magistrate
Finn.
William Albert. arrested May II. 1906.
in Manhattan charged with attempted
grand larceny: sentenced to one year
, in Sing Sing by Recorder Goff.
> William Alberts, arrested August II,
1908, in Manhattan charged with dis
orderly conduct: sentenced by Magis-
fratc Cornell whom in 1905 he had at
tempted 10 rob, to the workhouse.
: Harry Albert. Arrested February l:.
1909. in Manhattan charged with disor-
dcrly conduct aud sentenced to six
months on the island by Magistrate
lirotcl in default OF $500 BAH TO keep
the peace.
William Albert. Arrested August 10.
1909. in Manhattan charged with grand
larceny and discharged by Magistrate
Butts.
George Williams. Arrested July 23.
' 1910, at Allentown, Pa. a. a suspicious
nd late "A
by the Mayor OF Allentown.
William Albert. Arrested March 4,
1872. in Manhattan charged with fcloni-
I Gus assault and discharged by Magis-
trate Murphy.
! William Albert. Arrested May ~,
1912. in Manhattan charged with carry
ing concealed weapons second Offence)
r and suspicion of robbery. Released on
$4,000 bail.
John Doc or william Albert. Ar.
. rested June 3. 1912. as a suspicious per-
; son following a Chinatown gang shoot
, ing. Also charged with fighting in po-
lice station after arrest.
These arrests. as has been said. are
but a few Of Big Jacks troubles with
the police. Dozens Of times he has
been brought into headquarters or to
the police stations, especially when he
was boy or youth. charged with
pocket picking and released.
On June IL. 1905, for instance. he
. tried to grab diamond pin valued at
$40 from man standing on the Third
avenue elevated station at Forty second
street and was kicked and punched by a
crowd. but he broke away from the
passengers and disappeared eastward in
Forty second street.
on April 8, 1906, he tried to snatch q
diamond pin in the Grand Central sub
way station from a builder named wiz
lam H. Frame. but was unsuccessful d
and was arrested
For a minute 1t looked bad for Big
Jack when, as William Albert, he was
riding uptown in Madison avenue car
In March. 1905. with compa mon and
the two tried to rob Magistrate Cornell,