The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-13

pistol. girl leaned VLYEEx-L y
out Of the coach JACK SHEPPARD
window and demanded to know what
he wanted. With a sweeping bow the
| thief answered:
only the honor of dancing one
measure with your fair self"
| Helping her gracefully from the
coach, he proceeded to go through a
| stately dance with her, then and there
IN the dust Of the road. After which
he handed her back into the coach.
| bowed low again, sprang to the sad
die and galloped away, having stolen
nothing except five minutes of a pref
ty girls time.
The htghwayman was Jack Sher
pard. And the odd adventure set ev
cry one in England to talking abou
him. Which was just what his van
ity-crazed brain wished. (Dick TUT
pin, Claude Duval and other scour
drels Of the road are said to have
done the same thing-from the same
motive)
Jack Sheppard's adventures have
formed the plsts of dozens of dime
least one famous book and play Boys
in olden times, reading a garbled tale
Of his exploits, were wild to become
highwaymen. AS a matter of fact,
Jack Sheppard was merely a low-born.
reckless pickpocket and hold-up man.
with twisted, depraved nature and
degenerate brain. The accompanying
illustration Reproduced from a genu-
inc portrait) shows he was not the
handsome daredevil that the dime nov
els have made him. His homely face
is not unlike that Of q criminal idiot.
Sheppard was only twenty-five when
he was hanged. He was born in Lon
don in 1902 and was brought up in a
poorhouse. When he was old enough
to work he was apprenticed to a car
penter. Then it was that he learned
much about locks and bolts and the
best way to cut through walls. That
seems to have been all he mastered
! of the carpenter trade. But it was
| enough for his purposes.
| He deserted his master and began
to pick up living by petty theft.
Being mentally deficient, he found this
/ an easier way to get on than by work
ing He was soon caught and brought
! before magistrate as a runaway
! apprentice" He was released and at
/ once entered on career of wholesale
/ robbery. He afterward confessed that
he stole from every one he could.
This sort Of thing brought him a GER
tain nOtoriety, but not enough He
was very ordinary, cheap kind Of
burglar. So he took to eccentric
feats to get himself talked about. The
dance lh the road was but one or sew
eral Such anucs. lie used to dispose
or MS p.under through one Jonathan
via, who was not only receiver Of
stolen goods but sort Of thief-catcher
as well. When Wild had gotten all
the money possible cut OF a crook he
would turn the Fellow over to Justice
Thus he made al excellent living in
both ways.
Sheppard quarreled with Wild, who
! thereupon SET the officers of the law
upon him. Jack was arrested, brought
to trial and condemned to. be hanged.
/ He was locked into one of the strong
( est cells IN NeWgate prison. For al
/ ready he had reputation as clever
1ail-breaker He was handcuffed and
was chained to the cell floor. Yet he
/ got away. Here is the story (proba-
oiy exaggerated oy the writers OF that
gay OF MS escape:
he Ireed nlnset OF his chains, bur
ro"ed INTO TIE thlck' hl-made wall
win such instruments as he could
ma at mana WIiggled through the
gap ne made in the masonry and
reached an inner yard. There he