No. 712
Crime, Eccentricity, and the Sporting Life in 19th Century America.
August 7, 2025

Crooks at the Capitol.

Noted Criminals Collared Inauguration Week.
February 26, 2025
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Via Newspapers.comThe following item was something the editors of the “London Times” did not expect to find advertised in their paper.  May 10, 1861:Coblentz, April 25, 1861. In an almost impenetrable ravine in the declivity of Mount Rheineck, which is situate immediately on the banks of the Rhine, between Brohl and Nioderbrel (a district of the Tribunal of First Instance of Cobleutz,
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Strange Company - 8/6/2025
Soapy Smith STAR NotebookPage 20 - Original copy1884Courtesy of Geri Murphy(Click image to enlarge) oapy Smith's early empire growth in Denver.Operating the prize package soap sell racket in 1884. This is page 20, the continuation of page 19, and dated May 6 - May 29, 1884, as well as the continuation of pages 18-19, the beginning of Soapy Smith's criminal empire building in Denver, Colorado.&
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Soapy Smith's Soap Box - 6/1/2025
There’s so much exquisite natural and structural beauty grabbing your attention in Central Park that you probably don’t give the transverse roads much thought. You know the transverse roads. Part of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s 1858 Greensward plan for the park, these four serpentine roads at 65th, 79th, 85th, and 97th Streets are […]
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Ephemeral New York - 8/4/2025
Youth With Executioner by Nuremberg native Albrecht Dürer … although it’s dated to 1493, which was during a period of several years when Dürer worked abroad. November 13 [1617]. Burnt alive here a miller of Manberna, who however was lately … Continue reading
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Executed Today - 11/13/2020
 Read the full story here: The Walworth Patricide.
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Murder By Gaslight - 8/2/2025
Stop by this week as we explore what happened the week before the murders, Emma and Lizzie’s getaway to Fairhaven and New Bedford, and new imagery which will help to tell the story. The pears are almost ripe, August 4th is coming fast, and thoughts begin to turn to that house on Second Street once again. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/lizziebordenwarpsandwefts/ !
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Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts - 7/26/2025
  [Editor’s note: Guest writer, Peter Dickson, lives in West Sussex, England and has been working with microfilm copies of The Duncan Campbell Papers from the State Library of NSW, Sydney, Australia. The following are some of his analyses of what he has discovered from reading these papers. Dickson has contributed many transcriptions to the Jamaica […]
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Early American Crime - 2/7/2019
Night on the Docks. | Concert Saloons Changed to Skating Rinks.

Crooks at the Capitol.

Fighting Marines

Some of Uncle Sam’s land and water police have a genial shindy among themselves at the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y.  

We illustrate a recent riot among the marines at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, during which one of the rioters had his head split open by a sword cut inflicted by the sergeant of the guard.


Reprinted from National Police Gazette, November 5, 1887.

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.