320:, an underworld rival, resulting in Walsh drawing a pistol and killing Irving. O'Brien then drew his own weapon and killed Walsh and was immediately shot by Draper. He was seriously wounded but eventually recovered from his wounds (at least one account claims he fled the saloon after killing Walsh and was arrested by a nearby police detective). He was arrested for the shooting and charged with murder, however, he was acquitted by a jury on November 20, 1883. Almost a year after the trial, O'Brien and Irving, then running the so-called Pachen Avenue Gang in Brooklyn, were among those suspected in the unsolved murder of
340:. The robbery, which occurred the same month he had left the country, resulted in the theft of $ 14,000 in jewelry. He was taken back to Troy to stand trial and it was expected that, were O'Brien not convicted, he would be tried in a separate robbery in Brooklyn where he was suspected of robbing Haydn's jewelry store a year before. The same day of his arrest, Kurtz was arrested in
42:
299:
where, with Joe
Dollard, they burglarized C.R. Linke, then a major jeweler in the city, breaking into its safe and stealing watches and silverware valued at $ 15,000 on June 27, 1879. Three days later, the three successfully eluded private detectives sent from New York to capture them. On July 23, he
230:
inches. Weight, about 145 pounds. Black curly hair, dark eyes, dark complexion. Has fine set of teeth. Has the following India ink marks: Sailor with
American flag and star, in red and blue ink, on right arm; star and cross on outside of same arm; crucifixion of Christ, woman kneeling and man
287:
at O'Brien's
Brooklyn residence at No. 152 Pachen Avenue. O'Brien was charged with the burglary of Martin Ibert's Sons' flour and grain store on Graham Avenue which had occurred the previous day. He was tried twice for the burglary, both trials ending in a
201:
in 1850. He was a printer by trade but began his criminal activities at a young age. By early adulthood, O'Brien had been arrested in almost every major city in the United States and was considered "second to no one in his business". According to former
304:
but O'Brien was eventually apprehended in New York on
September 28, and delivered to Sheriff Reilly in Brooklyn. He was tried and convicted by Judge Moore on October 23, 1879, and sentenced to five years imprisonment in the Kings County Penitentiary.
327:
During his imprisonment at "Crow Hill", O'Brien's mother died and left him $ 12,000. O'Brien is claimed to have "well provided for his mother and sisters". He kept a low profile following his release and soon left for
270:
for stealing $ 2,000 worth of silk hat linings from E. Tilges' warehouse on Broome Street. He was held in custody in default of a $ 4,000 bail set by
Justice Morgan, but was subsequently released from police custody.
332:
with "Sheeney" Mike Kurtz in
February 1884. They had considerable success committing burglaries in England, France and Germany, netting them each $ 25,000 each, before returning to the United States in January 1885.
282:
in which $ 5,000 worth of silk and $ 1,400 in cash were stolen. Neither man could be properly identified, however, and charges were dropped. A little over two months later, the two were arrested in the company of
590:
336:
That same month, on
January 14, 1885, O'Brien was arrested in New York City for his alleged involvement in the robbery of Emanuel Marks & Son, another jewelry store, in
266:. It was during this period that he took part of a number of major robberies with his partners in crime. On October 11, 1877, he was arrested with Irving, Joe Dollard and
451:
Recollections of a New York Chief of Police: An
Official Record of Thirty-eight Years as Patrolman, Detective, Captain, Inspector and Chief of the New York Police
174:. O'Brien then killed Walsh and was himself gunned down by Shang Draper. Although surviving his wounds, he was tried for, and acquitted of, Walsh's death.
585:
181:
and his gang. Nearly a year after the Walsh murder trial, he was among those suspected of Leslie's murder in 1884. He was among those profiled in
570:
500:
231:
standing up, on left arm. He is a bright, sharp-looking fellow. Dresses well, and has plenty of nerve. Generally wears a black mustache.
480:
Our Police
Guardians: History of the Police Department of the City of New York, and the Policing of Same for the Past One Hundred Years
580:
433:
352:(1888). The latter publication referred to O'Brien as "one of the most celebrated crackmen and bank burglars in America".
575:
317:
255:
171:
344:
and extradited to Troy where he was tried as an accessory. In the late-1880s, his criminal career was profiled in
313:
296:
321:
279:
267:
259:
178:
565:
341:
198:
62:
462:
301:
236:
155:
496:
429:
220:
Thirty-six years old in 1886. Medium build. Born in Boston. Married. Printer. Height, 5 feet 5
402:
209:
206:
182:
103:
Burglar and underworld figure in New York City during the late 19th century; member of the
274:
O'Brien was again arrested with Irving on June 5, 1878, and transported to authorities in
263:
46:
An illustration of Billy Porter from "Recollections of a New York Chief of Police" (1887)
421:
337:
77:
177:
Like many of the Dutch Mob, O'Brien was also associated with the infamous bank robber
559:
151:
66:
309:
284:
167:
292:, and he finally escaped with Irving from Raymond Street jail on June 1, 1879.
278:
where they were wanted for the burglary of Mr. Betterman's dry goods store in
247:
163:
289:
262:. He and Irving were among the many underworld figures also associated with
244:
240:
159:
104:
17:
275:
41:
426:
The Gangs of New York: An
Informal History of the New York Underworld
329:
251:
467:
The American Metropolis from Knickerbocker Days to the Present Time
308:
On the morning of October 16, 1883, O'Brien accompanied Irving to
316:
saloon. While there, they became involved in an altercation with
203:
552:. Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Company, 1943.
453:. New York: Caxton Book Concern, 1887. (pg. 275, 286, 400-402)
295:
The two fugitives fled to Boston, and from there traveled to
550:
Sodom by the Sea: An Affectionate History of Coney Island
409:. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1969. (pg. 143-145)
170:'s saloon in which Irving was shot and killed by rival
154:
during the mid-to late 19th century. He and partner
150:, was an American burglar and underworld figure in
111:
99:
91:
83:
73:
51:
32:
495:. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2000. (pg. 75)
469:. London: The Authors' Syndicate, 1897. (pg. 210)
378:. New York: D. Buchner & Co., 1888. (pg. 105)
324:, which had occurred back in the summer of 1878.
218:
545:. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1986.
428:. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. (pg. 183)
166:. He was present during the 1883 gunfight at
8:
591:Prisoners and detainees of New York (state)
482:. New York: John J. Hickey, 1925. (pg. 64)
40:
29:
445:
443:
441:
417:
415:
398:
396:
394:
392:
390:
388:
386:
384:
528:. London: Walter Scott, 1890. (pg. 154)
361:
300:and Irving also escaped from police in
407:1886 Professional Criminals of America
27:American burglar and underworld figure
371:
369:
367:
365:
7:
543:Dictionary of Culprits and Criminals
491:Lardner, James and Thomas Reppetto.
138:(1850 – unknown), better known as
25:
346:Professional Criminals of America
250:gang, which operated east of The
235:By the mid-1870s, he and partner
214:Professional Criminals of America
187:Professional Criminals of America
586:American prisoners and detainees
511:"An Eventful Career of Crime".
162:along with Little Freddie and
1:
548:Pilat, Oliver and Jo Ranson.
158:were longtime members of the
571:Criminals from New York City
318:John "Johnny the Mick" Walsh
216:(1886), he was described as
197:William O'Brien was born in
172:John "Johnny the Mick" Walsh
142:but also known by the alias
493:NYPD: A City and Its Police
164:Michael "Sheeny Mike" Kurtz
87:Billy Morton, Billy O'Brien
607:
39:
581:Criminals from Manhattan
297:Providence, Rhode Island
376:Defenders and Offenders
350:Defenders and Offenders
268:George Leonidas Leslie
239:became members of the
233:
179:George Leonidas Leslie
129: in (1.66 m)
342:Jacksonville, Florida
199:Boston, Massachusetts
63:Boston, Massachusetts
449:Walling, George W.
302:Passaic, New Jersey
576:People from Boston
524:Ellis, Havelock.
501:978-0-8050-6737-8
133:
132:
16:(Redirected from
598:
541:Kohn, George C.
529:
522:
516:
509:
503:
489:
483:
478:Hickey, John J.
476:
470:
460:
454:
447:
436:
419:
410:
400:
379:
373:
229:
228:
224:
210:Thomas F. Byrnes
207:police detective
183:Thomas F. Byrnes
128:
127:
123:
120:
84:Other names
44:
30:
21:
606:
605:
601:
600:
599:
597:
596:
595:
556:
555:
538:
536:Further reading
533:
532:
523:
519:
513:New York Times
510:
506:
490:
486:
477:
473:
461:
457:
448:
439:
422:Asbury, Herbert
420:
413:
401:
382:
374:
363:
358:
264:Marm Mandelbaum
226:
222:
221:
195:
136:William O'Brien
125:
121:
118:
116:
69:
60:
58:
57:
56:William O'Brien
47:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
604:
602:
594:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
568:
558:
557:
554:
553:
546:
537:
534:
531:
530:
517:
504:
484:
471:
455:
437:
411:
403:Byrnes, Thomas
380:
360:
359:
357:
354:
338:Troy, New York
194:
191:
131:
130:
113:
109:
108:
101:
100:Known for
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
85:
81:
80:
78:Irish-American
75:
71:
70:
61:
55:
53:
49:
48:
45:
37:
36:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
603:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
563:
561:
551:
547:
544:
540:
539:
535:
527:
521:
518:
514:
508:
505:
502:
498:
494:
488:
485:
481:
475:
472:
468:
464:
459:
456:
452:
446:
444:
442:
438:
435:
434:1-56025-275-8
431:
427:
423:
418:
416:
412:
408:
404:
399:
397:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
385:
381:
377:
372:
370:
368:
366:
362:
355:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
334:
331:
325:
323:
322:George Leslie
319:
315:
311:
306:
303:
298:
293:
291:
286:
281:
277:
272:
269:
265:
261:
260:Fifth Streets
257:
253:
249:
248:pickpocketing
246:
242:
238:
237:Johnny Irving
232:
217:
215:
211:
208:
205:
200:
192:
190:
188:
184:
180:
175:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
156:Johnny Irving
153:
152:New York City
149:
145:
141:
137:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
79:
76:
72:
68:
67:United States
64:
54:
50:
43:
38:
31:
19:
566:1850s births
549:
542:
526:The Criminal
525:
520:
515:17 June 1878
512:
507:
492:
487:
479:
474:
466:
458:
450:
425:
406:
375:
349:
345:
335:
326:
314:Sixth Avenue
310:Shang Draper
307:
294:
285:Gilbert Yost
280:Williamsburg
273:
234:
219:
213:
196:
186:
176:
168:Shang Draper
148:Billy Morton
147:
143:
140:Billy Porter
139:
135:
134:
34:Billy Porter
18:Billy Morton
463:Moss, Frank
348:(1886) and
74:Nationality
560:Categories
356:References
243:, a major
115:5 ft
92:Occupation
290:hung jury
245:Manhattan
241:Dutch Mob
193:Biography
160:Dutch Mob
105:Dutch Mob
276:Brooklyn
254:between
189:(1886).
95:Criminal
256:Houston
225:⁄
144:William
124:⁄
59:c. 1850
499:
432:
330:Europe
252:Bowery
112:Height
497:ISBN
430:ISBN
258:and
204:NYPD
52:Born
312:'s
212:in
185:'s
146:or
562::
465:.
440:^
424:.
414:^
405:.
383:^
364:^
65:,
227:2
223:1
126:2
122:1
119:+
117:5
107:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
