ELLEN DARRIGAN

Alias: ELLEN MATTHEWS

Specialties: SHOPLIFTER

No: 123 Last Displayed: 4/22/2019

Description:

Thirty-three years old in 1886. Born in England. Married. Housekeeper. Medium build. Height, 5 feet 4 1/2 inches. Weight, about 135 pounds. Red hair. hazel eyes, light complexion. Her nose has been broken.

Record:

ELLEN DARRIGAN is a well known New York shoplifter. It is claimed that she has been married three times, first to Jerry Dunn, next to John Mahaney, alias Jack Shepperd (62). He is a thief who gained considerable notoriety on account of escaping from a number of State prisons and penitentiaries. Billy Darrigan (180), the lady's third spouse, is an old New York thief, whose picture is in several Rogues' Galleries throughout the United States. Mrs. Darrigan was considered a pretty woman until Billy broke her nose in December, 1875. She is well known as Ellen Matthews. Ellen was arrested in New York City on December 13, 1875, for shoplifting, and was sentenced to four years in State prison. She has served terms in several other cities since. She finally fell into the hands of the police again on April 1, 1885, with Margaret Bell, another notorious shoplifter. They were arrested after leaving Altman's drygoods store, on Sixth Avenue, New York City, taken to police headquarters, and searched. Nothing was found on Mrs. Bell, but a large pocket ("kick") in Mrs. Darrigan's skirt contained a piece of beaded cloth, valued at $50, the property of James A. Hearn & Son, No. 30 West Fourteenth Street, New York. In this case they were both tried in the Court of Special Sessions, in the Tombs prison, New York, on April 9, 1885. Mrs. Bell was discharged, and Mrs. Darrigan was convicted and sentenced to five months in the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island, by Justice Kilbreth, the presiding magistrate. Her picture is an excellent one, taken in 1875.