No. 798
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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Tag: Bicycle

Time Works Many Changes.

Men used to flock to the beach, now they seek sections were roads are good.

9/12/2023

A Velocipede Riding-School.

Scene in a velocipede riding-school, New York City.

9/10/2018

The Bicycle Tournament at Springfield, Mass.

Perhaps the most successful bicycle tournament ever held in this country was that which opened at Springfield, Mass., on Tuesday, September 18th, 1883, and continued for three days.

9/29/2015

Burglars on Bicycles.

Burglars in Massachusetts utilize the flying wheels in their midnight depredations.

12/31/2013
During the 1950s, Martin Caidin was the official historian for America’s Fifth Air Force during his stint in A-2 military intelligence.  In that capacity, he had full access to military combat files.  In his book “Ghosts of the Air,” he described a story he found in one of those files that was reported from air force operations in North Africa during WWII--a story that he admitted was “
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Strange Company - 6/29/2026
"As his son I am proud of hisefforts to succeed in life"Jefferson Randolph Smith IIIArtifact #93-2Jeff Smith collection(Click image to enlarge) oapy's son hires a legal firm to stop the defamation of his father's name. At age 30, Jefferson Randolph Smith III, Soapy and Mary's oldest son, was protecting his father's legacy and his mother's reputation from "libel" and scandal. He was also
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Soapy Smith's Soap Box - 10/13/2025
The 1876 Centennial was an all-out party in Gotham—fireworks, military parades, musical performances, and thousands of American flags and bunting draped over the windows of city buildings, houses, and hotels. But the Sesquicentennial, or America’s 150th birthday? By comparison, it was much more low-key. The big national celebration took place at Philadelphia’s Sesquicentennial International Exposition. […]
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Ephemeral New York - 6/29/2026
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
 Charles Kaiser conspired with Lizzie DeKalb to murder his wife for insurance. When the plot was uncovered and the murderers tried, both claimed that they acted under the hypnotic power of James Clemmer, the insurance agent who conceived the plan.Read the full story here: The Kaiser Conspiracy.
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Murder By Gaslight - 6/27/2026
Be sure to stop by our Facebook page tomorrow for a Prosecution Marathon of witnesses. Here are the witnesses for Wednesday, June 14th, Day 9 Rufus Hilliard, City Marshal, Mayor John Coughlin, Mrs. Hannah Gifford (seamstress and dressmaker), Anna Borden ( wealthy socialite who was on Lizzie’s grand tour of Europe, distantly related to Lizzie), Lucy Collett (watching the office of Dr. Chagnon day of the murder), Thomas Bowles ( handyman who once rented a room from Addie Churchill and was wa
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Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts - 6/13/2026
  [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.

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.