The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-09
DANNY M'BRIDE's STORY.

DANNY M'BRIDE's STORY.
In the days when masked burglaries
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 sort Of
4 hero among the lower class Of citi-
Gems in the old Second Ward. Danny
started out when quite a young fellow
as river pirate, and was just get
ting q knowledge Of the business
when Jerry McAuley. who was after.
ward converted and founded q 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,
SOutu ana FRONT 6tToetS.
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, "Old
Nan" Dobbs, Pete Beller and Jack
Opp, were such cold-blooded cut
threats 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 q bitter battle did they
have single-handed or together with
the champions Of the Ninth, or
American Ward, as 1t 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 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 a trifie the best of the
argument, and Morrissey 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 1t 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 a new
one. when left the hospital, who
could be trusted.
ut was along about this time that
Jef Reynolds, whose life | saved
when Billy Porter was trying to fill
him full Of lead, came down from
Sing Sing after doing a stretch Of ten
years, and the first thing he did was
to hunt me up. l was then under
cover for highway trick on Slater
Island, but JEFF knew where to find
your uncle. When I found out tina,
the cops had no pipes on me for the
Staten Island job l went in with JEFF
Ben Harper, Long Sam Wiley and
Spanish Forbes. Forbes was q nigge,
and as clever q crook as I ever knew
He had a nerve that would carry hin
through stone wall.
Jeh got up a scheme to do tn.
towns on the East and Hudson Rive
fronts, and travel In a sloop. al
ways liked the water, and this jus
suited me. We worked OF the trick,
In the houses on each side of the riv
ers one after the other. 20 a. 4
throw down the police. All our sail
Ing was done in the night, and Forbes
who travelled on shore es . beggar
planted the places for us. II wal
dead easy work. and more like q pic
mic than anything else. calling up peo