He was a criminal, a pickpocket, a Tammany Corridor politician, and eventually, a assassin. But William J. Sharkey was finest recognized for his daring escape from loss of life row, in New York Metropolis’s Tombs Jail.
Sharkey was born in New York Metropolis in 1845, to well-to-do household, which resided within the Ninth Ward in Manhattan. Regardless of the affluence of his household, Sharkey gravitated over to the darkish aspect. He started hanging out with pickpockets, gamblers, and crooks, and shortly he turned a really succesful pickpocket himself, and a gambler of some renown. One unhappy day, Sharkey was arrested for pickpocketing, and he had his image taken by the municipal photographer, giving himself a definitive presence within the legal report part, of New York Metropolis Police Division.
Sharkey quickly elevated himself within the legal ladder, dealing in stolen bonds. With the cash from his endeavors piling in, Sharkey fashioned his personal gang known as “Sharkey’s Guards,” which had their headquarters on the nook of Wooster and Houston Streets. It was there that Sharkey insinuated himself into the native political scene, and shortly he was the darling of the crooks who ran Tammany Corridor. Sharkey dressed himself within the most interesting garments, sporting glowing diamonds on his fingers, and round his neck. Quickly, Tammany Corridor put Sharkey up for election, for Assistant Alderman. Although Tammany Corridor’s had affect, and muscle, working of their favor on the polls, Sharkey by some means misplaced the election. Upset along with his political failure, Sharkey determined to return to his first loves – stealing and playing.
With the cash he constructed from varied unlawful endeavors, Sharkey traveled to Buffalo, New York, and began a faro recreation. Nonetheless, Sharkey was so unfortunate, he managed to lose $4000 in simply 5 days. Downtrodden, Sharkey returned to New York Metropolis, and connected along with his previous pal Robert Dunn, actual title Bob Isaacs. Dunn was an worker of the Metropolis’s Comptroller’s Workplace, however he additionally was a faro supplier, in a Fulton Road playing home. Figuring Dunn was a extra succesful faro skilled then he, Sharkey gave Dunn $600, and informed him to go to Buffalo, and take a look at his hand at faro. Dunn agreed that if he was profitable in Buffalo, he promised to repay Sharkey the $600, plus half his winnings. As luck would have it, Dunn was simply as unfortunate in Buffalo as Sharkey was, and he misplaced his whole stake. Dunn returned to New York Metropolis, and informed Sharkey the unhealthy information.
On September 1, 1872, Dunn and Sharkey attended the funeral of James Riley, a distinguished member of the Michael Norton Affiliation, a political arm of Tammany Corridor. After the funeral, Sharkey and Dunn traveled individually to a saloon owned by Charles Harvey, known as “The Place,” situated at 288 Hudson Road. By the point Sharkey had arrived, Dunn had already imbibed a number of rye whiskeys on the bar. Sharkey ordered a rye himself, and after he knocked it down in a single gulp, Sharkey demanded his $600 again from Dunn. Dunn informed Sharkey he was tapped out himself, and could not repay the cash. Sharkey instantly drew a single-shot Derringer pistol, and pointed it at Dunn’s chest.
Dunn screamed, “Do not shoot, Billy! I will pay you as quickly as I can!”
Sharkey would have none of that. He bellowed again, “You higher pay me now!”
Earlier than Dunn may reply, Sharkey fired the Derringer point-blank at Dunn. The bullet pierced Dunn’s coronary heart, killing him immediately. Sharkey fled the scene of the crime, however he was captured a number of hours later, in a boarding home on Washington Road, close to Perry Road.
Sharkey was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged on the Tombs Jail, on August 15, 1873. Nonetheless, Sharkey’s connections at Tammany Corridor pushed again his execution date to early December.
Whereas Sharkey was imprisoned, he was visited day by day by probably the most lovely Maggie Jourdan, herself a really profitable pickpocket. Miss Jourdan arrived early each morning, and at all times stood till visiting hours have been over. Miss Jourdan was an excellent pal of Mrs. Wesley Allen, the spouse of a burglar, whose brother John Allen owned a bawdy dance corridor on Water Road. John Allen was often known as “The Wickedest Man in New York Metropolis.”
Whereas most prisoners on the Tombs lived in perpetual squalor, Sharkey lived fairly properly on the second tier of the jail, in an space known as “Assassin’s Row.” With the cash Jourdan earned stealing, and likewise by her hocking her jewellery, together with her gold watch, Sharkey was capable of enhance his jail cell quantity 40 (which was by no means locked), with the best furnishings. Jordan purchased Sharkey a walnut desk, a Kidderminster carpet, a canary in a cage, and a book-and-magazine rack, which was suspended from the ceiling by silken cords. Jourdan additionally equipped Sharkey with a gentle mattress for his mattress, a snug chair for his lounging, draperies for his cell door, a sublime dressing robe manufactured from velvet and cherry-colored silk, and velvet slippers.
Jourdan typically informed Sharkey throughout her visits, that if he died, she not needed to reside. “Willie, I may by no means allow you to endure,” she tearfully informed him.
On November 19, 1873, at precisely 10 AM, Jourdan arrived on the Franklin Road entrance to the Tombs. The guard on responsibility gave her the standard cross given to all guests. The underside a part of her physique was noticeably cumbersome, however the jail guards thought she had simply placed on extra petticoats, to guard herself the from the chilly November air. Jourdan instantly went to Sharkey’s cell, and he or she spoke to him for a number of hours. The jail guards have been so accustomed to her being there, they hardly paid any consideration to what she did, and what she mentioned to Sharkey.
Mrs. Wesley Allen arrived on the jail at 12:30 PM. She stopped at Sharkey’s cell on the second tier, and spoke to each Jourdan and Sharkey. Then Mrs. Allen went upstairs to the third tier, to go to a prisoner named Flood. At 1 PM, Jourdan exited the jail, which was fairly uncommon, since she at all times stood till the top of the day.
A half an hour later, a strange-looking lady, with particularly broad shoulders, walked down the second-tier hall, by means of two decrease gates, and out of the jail. As this doubtful girl exited the jail, she handed her cross to the guard minding the exit. This lady wore a heavy black woolen gown, a black coat, an Alpine bonnet, and a thick inexperienced veil, which coated her whole face. Patrolmen Dolan was strolling down Franklin Road, when he noticed this lady nimbly bounce onto a passing streetcar, regardless that she was sporting excessive French heels.
At 2:05 PM, Mrs. Wesley Allen tried to exit the jail. As she handed the guard standing on the exit, the guard requested her for her customer’s cross. Mrs. Allen nervously fumbled in her gown pockets for a number of seconds, earlier than she mentioned, “I put it in my pocket, however I should have misplaced it.”
The guard, realizing one thing was up, instantly summoned Warden Johnson. Mrs. Allen was detained, whereas Warden Johnson ordered all cells within the jail to be instantly searched. Throughout this search, they have been dismayed to search out out that Sharkey’s cell was empty. His elegant garments have been scattered about his cell, and proper above his washbasin, have been the remnants of his flowing mustache, which had clearly simply been shaved off.
Mrs. Allen was instantly arrested, however since there was no concrete proof to incriminate her, the police reluctantly launched her. Jourdan was arrested that night time at her mom’s house at 167 ninth Ave. When the detectives informed her she was below arrest, Jourdan replied, “I’m the happiest little lady on the planet.”
Jourdan was tried in Common Classes Courtroom, and was defended by the notorious legal professional Large Invoice Howe. Howe was so environment friendly in Jourdan’s protection, the jury acquitted her on all prices.
It was later decided, that regardless of the very fact the police had searched all of the piers within the metropolis in search of Sharkey, Sharkey had escaped on the schooner Frank Atwood, and made his solution to Haiti. Not liking that nation an excessive amount of, Sharkey boarded one other boat, and journey to Cuba, the place he settled.
Two years after Sharkey had made his escape from the Tombs Jail, Maggie Jourdan joined Sharkey in Cuba. But for some unknown purpose (in all probability as a result of Sharkey was an incorrigible creature), Sharkey badly mistreated Jourdan, the very lady liable for Sharkey avoiding the gallows in New York Metropolis. Sharkey abused Jourdan a lot, the captain of the ship who had taken Jourdan to Cuba, hustled her again on board, and took her again to New York Metropolis.
Quickly afterwards, Jourdan discovered her real love, whom she married. They presumably lived fortunately ever after.
So far as it may be decided, William J. Sharkey by no means returned to New York Metropolis.
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