James Joseph Hope was born 7 Jan 1837 in Philadelphia, PA. to Patrick Hope & Catherine O'Hare.
This Prison photo was featured in a book called 1886 Professional Criminals of America. The above photo was one I found on Ancestry in their criminal records. Photo was taken June 1881 while in California Prison system.
James Married Margaret Theresa Hagerty and they had four children.
John, Patrick Henry "Harry", Ellen & Catherine Hope. In some of the census records you will find them under the surname as Watson, which was one of alias'.
This is his Tulare Jail Record from California in Nov of 1881, this records can be found on Ancestry in their record collections.
Above is his San Quentin Prison record from California, USA he was Inmate #10108 arrested in San Francisco, CA and Received in prison on 1 Nov 1881 and discharged 16 Oct 1886.
He has two tattoos one of a wreath & ship on his right forearm and American Coat of Arms and flag on his left upper arm.
Here's a newspaper article on his California crime.
The Sacramento Union
PAGE 4
Sacramento, California
Thursday, November 03, 1881
This is James using his alias James J. Watson in Auburn Prison record in NY for Dec 1870, he escaped this prison.
Several Warrants were issued here's one.
He would be captured and back in prison in 1889
This is his record from 1889 to continue his sentence for burglary.
Newspaper article
The Sun
New York, New York · Sunday
November 24, 1889
James died 1 Jun 1905
Transcript-Telegram
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Mon, Jun 05, 1905 · Page 7
James' son John also had a record
Sing Sing Prison, NY 1879 Robbery 1st degree,
he got 5-9 years. The book Professional Criminals of America mention him briefly in his father's bio, It says he was serving a twenty year sentence at Sing Sing for robbery. He had been arrested for pick pocking in NYC in 1877. But in his own Bio in the book Bryne says he was a clever burglar, he was arrested 18 Feb 1879, for robbing the Manhattan Savings Institution with his father who didn't get caught.
Here's the article
Also mentions his brother Harry.
John Hope died 2 Mar 1930 in Manhattan, NY
Seem he wanted to live an exciting rich life like his father. I didn't find any obituary for him. His father is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Manhattan, NY. There is a find a grave memorial, see link below.
Margaret Hagerty-Hope died in 1911
Inspector Thomas Byrnes wrote in his book, 1886 Professional Criminals of America, that James was called Old Hope, he was a daring and skillful bank burglar. He committed some of the most notorious bank robberies committed in this country for the past twenty-five years. Not only for his burglaries but also for his successful escapes from Jails and prisons. He was first noticed by the law in 1870, in connection with the Philadelphia Navy Yards paymaster safe. He was never arrested for this, but it was well known that he an Ned Lyons were in on it.
Next he received a five year sentence for the robbery of
"Smith's Bank" at Perry, Wyoming Co., N.Y. he was sent to Auburn Prison 28 Nov 1870 as James J. Watson. He Escaped with a man called Big Jim Brady, Dan Noble and Charles McCann, on 3 Jan 1873. He had two years and six months left on his sentence.
Hope and four other burglars rented a house next to door to non other than a bank, the National Bank of Wilmington, Del., 7 Nov 1873, they captured the cashier and his family. The servant escaped and reported the matter and they were arrested. The gang included Big Frank McCoy, Tom McCormack, Big Jim Brady and George Bliss. They were tried and sentenced to forty lashes and ten years each in prison on 25 Nov 1873.
Guess what happened next, yep they all escaped the Jail before even getting to prison.
In Feb 1878, James Hope and Abe Coakly were arrested for attempting to rob the Deep River Bank, at Deep River, CT; they were sent to jail, and while there the murder of the Cashier Barron. of the Dexter Bank of Maine, occurred. They tried to get Hope to tell who did it as they knew he would know, but he wouldn't give up a thing. Hope was taken to Lime Rock, Maine, and placed on trial for the Lime Rock Bank Robbery, which had taken place in May of 1870. After being on trial for a week he was acquitted.
He was also thought to have been involved in the Wellsboro, PA,. Bank robberies , which had taken place in Sep of 1874 and again in 1875. His most successful robbery was of the Manhattan Savings Institution, on the corner of Broadway and Bleecker Street, NYC, on 27 Oct 1878, where he and his comrades got away with $2,747,700, the larger part was in the registered securities. The plan for this robbery took three years of planning.
Hope headed to San Francisco, CA., and on 27 June 1881 he was arrested for attempting to rob the safe in the banking house of Sauther & CO. of San Francisco. The safe contained $600,000 on that day in money and securities. His trial and given a $10,000 bail by Judge Rix, he was tried and convicted and sentenced to seven years and six months and received at San Quentin Prison 1 Nov 1881. His comrades whom were with him in this job all escaped.
On 16 Nov 1886 Hope walked out of the San Quentin Prison just to be re-arrested and returned to Auburn Prison in NY to finish his sentence there.
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Thank you all and remember to add your naughty ancestor to your tree, see you again soon.
Great sleuthing! I love cracking ancestors who went by aliases! And, if the paper trail runs cold, the DNA trail will help crack it! :)
ReplyDeleteMe too, I agree. Thank you for leaving a comment, can you please press the follow button for me. Thank you.
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