The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-07-20
Yeggrnan Caught
i'm Long Chase

planned that peternan Is yegg for
that class Of safe robbers that used
nitroglycerin. After despoiling the Ok
ford post office, John fed to Europe as
Mr. Thomas Dougherty, banker and
planter. For a time he gave London
the benefit Of his presence. frequenting
the race track and the better-class
gambling establishments, winning and
losing with the usual regularity. Once
he vas questioned by Scotland Yard.
but such was his bearing and his ex-
cellent allbi he was not arrested.
But the United States government
was after him. and O'Brien knew II.
He went to Paris and TO the Riviera.
Nice and Monte Carlo knew him as
rich American who gambled like
gentleman. They didn't know that at
least twenty-five Of his years had been
spent within American prisons, and
probably didn't care. He lost and
smiled; won and smiled. Monte Carlo
asks NJ more Of one.
Eventually, however, fortune turned
against him and he lost much Of his
Oxford haul. He landed in Florence.
but American agents were hot on his
trail. ard late in 1927 ne fed westward
to Rio de Janeiro.
He took his remaining $4,000 TO the
| gambling houses OF South America.
working as far south as Buenos Aires.
and so successful was he that at one
time or another HIS fortune grew to be
10000 and more. But we must not
forget that Mr.. OBrien was the vic
tim Of cancer. Age and the feshpots
| had not helped him. He went TO a
cancer specialist in Rio and this doc
tor, being a truthful man, told John
that he was doomed unless an expen-
slve operation should be successful.
Kept After Him.
And all this time the United States
government kept after him, advertis-
| Ing him well and stresslng that can
cerous lip. When he sailed somewhat
secretly from Rio. OBrien must have
had matter of $4,000 or $4,000 In
his money belt. But not one cent OF
this was expended upon luxurious
travel. No, he shipped for New Or
leans on leisurely freighter, com
mon yet uncommon deckhand-the
richest deckhand on record, In fact.
| A trife bowed with years and none
the better for the disease that fate
seemed to insist he retain.
1t was In January, 1922, when John
arrived In New Orleans. Almost at
once he made preparations to have
that lip treated. He made arrange
ments with a specialist and went so
| far as TO engage a room In semi
private hospital when policeman took
notice Of him and, after consulting the
files and thereby refreshing his mem
ory, properly decided that the man
that blew the oxford safe was present.
In some manner John learned OF
his danger. when the policeman called
at the hospital to make his capture
he was told that Mr.. Dougherty (John
hlmself) had failed to enter the insti-
tuition. The hospital people suggested
that the policeman make a report OF
the fact to his chiefs In order that
search for the unfortunate Mr.. Dough
erty be instituted.
''It would do little good" replied the
policeman, 'inasmuch as the police Of
the world have been on the lookout
for him for two years. He'll not be
! back"
Quite right, too. John did not come
back. Instead he moved on West to
FL Paso and thence across the Rio
Grande TO Tia Juana, where gentle
man of means and sporting proclIvi-
ties can disport himself without
great deal of censorship.
Financial Ups and Downs.
The races In Tia Juana took John.
as they say. as they have taken other
adventures. He played favorites; he
played lunches. He lost consistently.
Once he recouped at faro, only to hand
his winnings to the omnivorous
bookies. Once he went completely
broke, only to regain little. And
with his misfortunes came the old
pain and the renewed decision to enter
hospital. John, you must remem-
ber. was sixty-seven or thereabouts,
then, but q mans desire to live Il