No. 705
Crime, Eccentricity, and the Sporting Life in 19th Century America.
February 26, 2025

Crooks at the Capitol.

Noted Criminals Collared Inauguration Week.
February 26, 2025
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Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.Robert Sprague, a normally peaceful man, was spending a quiet evening with his family in their home in Jasper, Iowa, on February 17, 1868. He was reading the Bible with his mother, wife, and children when his 70-year-old mother asked him a question in relation to a religious meeting the night before. At the previous night’s meeting,
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Murder By Gaslight - 9/27/2025
Before Riverside Park, before Riverside Drive, before the sparsely populated Manhattan district known since the 18th century as Bloomingdale was urbanized into the Upper West Side, there was a lone modest house. Perched on the edge of the Hudson River in the West 80s, the two-story, pitched-roof dwelling appears to have no neighbors. A back […]
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Ephemeral New York - 9/29/2025
New to Warps & Wefts? We’ve been online since 2007 with hundreds of articles, posts, over a thousand images, animations, colorizations, newspaper coverage and clippings of the murders and trial day by day, cartoons, AI and imagined imaging, videos, profiles of important people in the case, on the road field trip vlogs and much more. We post every day on Facebook, usually 6-10 posts on various topics so everyone can find something to enjoy reading- why? Because we want a bit of the Borden case every day! We sign off every night around 10 p.m. and upload every morning around 9 a.m. Visit our Facebook and Youtube channel links below. Please do like and follow our Facebook page  Send us your questions! No Patreons or monetization ever. No detail too small to be considered. Stop by to see us- we learn something new every day!  https://www.facebook.com/lizziebordenwarpsandwefts/ https://www.youtube.com/@LizzieBordenWarpsandWefts See less Comments Author Lizzie Borden Warps &
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Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts - 9/26/2025
Via Newspapers.comTime to saddle up those ghost horses!  The “San Francisco Chronicle,” December 30, 1931:Horses, horses, horses. Three phantom black horses, galloping soundlessly with the speed of the wind, have set Berkeley agog with a mystery that has even the scientific police department of that community guessing. The horses have been seen in the Berkeley hills north of the
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Strange Company - 10/1/2025
Before Riverside Park, before Riverside Drive, before the sparsely populated Manhattan district known since the 18th century as Bloomingdale was urbanized into the Upper West Side, there was a lone modest house. Perched on the edge of the Hudson River in the West 80s, the two-story, pitched-roof dwelling appears to have no neighbors. A back […]
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Ephemeral New York - 9/29/2025
Soapy Smith STAR NotebookPage 24 - Original copy1884Courtesy of Geri Murphy(Click image to enlarge) oapy Smith's "STAR" notebook page 24, 1882 and 1884, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland. Steamer Ancon. This post is on page 24, the last of the "STAR" notebook pages I have been deciphering and publishing for the last two years, since July 24, 2023. The page is two separate notes dated 1882
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Soapy Smith's Soap Box - 9/17/2025
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.Robert Sprague, a normally peaceful man, was spending a quiet evening with his family in their home in Jasper, Iowa, on February 17, 1868. He was reading the Bible with his mother, wife, and children when his 70-year-old mother asked him a question in relation to a religious meeting the night before. At the previous night’s meeting,
More...
Murder By Gaslight - 9/27/2025
Via Newspapers.comTime to saddle up those ghost horses!  The “San Francisco Chronicle,” December 30, 1931:Horses, horses, horses. Three phantom black horses, galloping soundlessly with the speed of the wind, have set Berkeley agog with a mystery that has even the scientific police department of that community guessing. The horses have been seen in the Berkeley hills north of the
More...
Strange Company - 10/1/2025
New to Warps & Wefts? We’ve been online since 2007 with hundreds of articles, posts, over a thousand images, animations, colorizations, newspaper coverage and clippings of the murders and trial day by day, cartoons, AI and imagined imaging, videos, profiles of important people in the case, on the road field trip vlogs and much more. We post every day on Facebook, usually 6-10 posts on various topics so everyone can find something to enjoy reading- why? Because we want a bit of the Borden case every day! We sign off every night around 10 p.m. and upload every morning around 9 a.m. Visit our Facebook and Youtube channel links below. Please do like and follow our Facebook page  Send us your questions! No Patreons or monetization ever. No detail too small to be considered. Stop by to see us- we learn something new every day!  https://www.facebook.com/lizziebordenwarpsandwefts/ https://www.youtube.com/@LizzieBordenWarpsandWefts See less Comments Author Lizzie Borden Warps &
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Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts - 9/26/2025
Night on the Docks. | Concert Saloons Changed to Skating Rinks.

Crooks at the Capitol.

Crooks

Crooks collared at the National Capital during inauguration week

Noted professionals who obtained places in the "Rogues Gallery" at Washington, D. C., March 3-4-5.

Fifty-one noted professional crooks of various grades were taken in custody in Washington, D. C., during inauguration week. Some of them were arrested and merely held in custody until the inauguration ceremonies were over. Those against whom no definite charges were made were then placed on trains and run out of the city. The NEWS presents in this number the portraits of the most important.

Details of the collared crooks.

William Vosberg, an old thief and pickpocket, was arrested March 4 by Officer McTaggart, of the 6th precinct, for picking a gentleman's pocket of $123. He was held by Judge Snell, of police court, for the grand jury, and has recently been indicted. Is out on $500 bail. Is well known in New York.

William Baker, alias Barrick, William Edmonds and William S. Reynolds, bunco men from New York, were seen on F street, March 4, by Detectives Carter and Cox, and arrested before they had an opportunity to work their game. They were held until the crowd was out of the city, and then sent off on the train.

John Gardiner, a swindler, was arrested by Officer Lee, of the 6th precinct, for representing himself as the agent of a Philadelphia publishing house, and collecting subscriptions for a paper called the "Musician," when in fact no such paper is published in Philadelphia. He was tried on a number of charges of petit larceny and sentenced to the district jail for three years.

John Hanrahan, alias Boston Jack; Dan Morgan, alias Jack Manderfield; J. C. Moore and James McGlue were arrested and held until the inauguration ceremonies were over and the crowds dispersed from the city. Their photographs were taken and they were then sent away from the city on trains.

Charles Hallert, alias Red Hyle, alias Cincinnati Red, is an expert hotel thief. He was arrested March 6, by Detectives Raff and Block, on suspicion of having robbed the American House, the St. James and the Metropolitan hotels on the 4th of March. He was committed for trial. When the case was called the witnesses had left the city, one having gone to Kansas and the other to Texas. He turned up most of the articles stolen, and was released.

Charley Williams, alias Shane Campbell, was Red Heyl's companion, and is widely known as a professional pickpocket and all-around thief.

Harry Hoffman, alias Carl Schultz, was arrested by Detectives Edelin and Mattingly, March 12. Hoffman was arrested in Washington ten years ago for hotel robbery, and got three years. His reappearance was noticed by the detectives above named, who arrested him on the street on suspicion. It was found that he had a room at an obscure lodging and also a room at a prominent hotel. The description of a fine overcoat worn by Hoffman was telegraphed to neighboring cities. The Baltimore authorities answered that Hoffman had robbed a room in a hotel of that city, getting clothing, money and a certificate of deposit for $3000. He is a fine musician and is fond of playing the piano in the evening at the first class houses of prostitution. He is 40 years old, 5 feet 8 3-4 inches high, has dark brown hair, long,. light brown moustache, weighs 165 pounds, and was born in Prussia. On plea of guilty he was, sent to the Maryland penitentiary for three years.

The descriptions of the above named are as follows:

William Vosburg, alias Thomas Lee, pickpocket and general thief, 55 years old, 5 feet 10 inches high, weighs 165 pounds, brown eyes, smooth face. Arrested by Officer McTaggert.

William Baker, alias Barrick, bunko man, 30 years old, born in New York, can read and write, height 6 feet 8 1-2 inches, weighs 140 pounds, has light hair, blue eyes, fair complexion. Arrested by Detective Carter.

William Edwards, alias "The Doctor," bunko man, age 35, can read and write, was formerly a Boston crook, is stout built, weighs 160 pounds, has brown hair, dark eyes, full face, medium. complexion. Arrested by Detective Carter.

William S. Reynolds, alias Raymond, bunko man, age 35, can read and write, height 5 feet 8 inches, weighs 160 pounds, has dark hair, dark eyes, full face.

John Gardiner, swindler and confidence man, age 46, height 5 feet 61-2 inches, weighs 200 pounds, has black hair, brown eyes, full face. Arrested by Officer Lee.

John Hanrahan, alias Boston Jack, pickpocket and confidence man, age 40, height 5 feet 7 inches, full dark whiskers, mixed with gray, heavy built, has one leg crippled with rheumatism. Arrested by Detective Carter.

Dan Morgan, alias Jack Manderfield, pickpocket. Age 40, can read and write, height 5 feet 8 inches, weighs 135 pounds, has dark hair, hazel eyes, dark complexion. Arrested by Detective Carter. Hails from Philadelphia.

J. C. Moore, alias Skinner, burglar and pickpocket. Age 47, height 5 feet 9 inches, weighs 160 pounds, bald-headed, has blue eyes, dark complexion. Arrested by Detectives Raff and Block. He has holes in his ears for ear-rings.

James McGlue, film-flam worker and confidence man. Age 27, height 5 feet 8 inches, weighs 150 pounds, has dude hair, eyes and complexion. Arrested by Detectives Edelin and Mattingly. He sometimes wears full whiskers.

Charles Hallert, alias Red Heyl, alias Cincinnati Red. Age 19, height 5 feet 6 inches, has short side-whiskers, light red hair, florid complexion, and weighs 153 pounds. Arrested by Detectives Raff and Block.

Charley Williams, alias Shane Campbell, pickpocket. Age 30, born in Cincinnati, has light brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion. Arrested by Detectives Raff and Block.

Harry Hoffman, alias Charles Schultz, hotel thief. Age 90, born in Germany, can read and write, height 5 feet 8 3.4 inches, dark brown hair.. Arrested by Detectives Edelin and Mattingly.


Illustrated Police News, April 25, 1885.