JAMES WELLS

Alias: "FUNERAL WELLS", PICKPOCKET

Specialties:

No: 150 Last Displayed: 10/4/2021

Description:

Forty-four years old in 1886. Born in United States. build. Height, 5 feet 9~ inches. Weight, 145 pounds. complexion. Generally wears a full beard, light color. sunken.Married. No trade. Slim Gray hair, gray eyes, light H is eyes are small, weak and

Record:

"FUNERAL WELLS" is an old and expert New York pickpocket. His particular line is picking pockets at a funeral, with a woman. The woman generally does thework and passes what she gets to Wells, who makes away with it, the woman remaining behind a little time to give him a chance to escape.Wells has served a term in Sing Sing prison and in the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island, New York, and is known in all the principal cities. He has been traveling through the country lately (1886) with Billy Peck (157), and Jimmy Murphy, two other New York pickpockets, working the fairs, churches, etc.He was arrested in New York City on April 3, 1880, charged with having attempted to rob one Ambrose P. Beekman, a merchant, residing in Jersey City, N. J., while the latter was riding on a cross-town horse-car. The complainant was unable to identify him, and he was discharged.Wells was arrested again in New York City, on June 19, 1885, under the name of James Hayden, in company of James McKitterick, alias" Oyster Jim," and sentenced to three months each in the penitentiary, on June 30, 1885, in the Court of Special Sessions, for an assault with intent to steal as pickpockets. .McKitterick is a hotel and sleeping-car thief, pickpocket, and banco man. His home is in Hudson, N. Y. He is a great fancier of dogs and fighting cocks. , Sometimes he has a full beard, and again a smooth face; at other times, chin whiskers. He was arrested in Schenectady in 1883, tried in Albany for picking pockets, and settled the matter by paying a fine of $800. He has been the counsel and adviser of thieves for years, and has been what is termed a "steerer." F or a partner he has had James, alias �� Shang" Campbell, Thomas Hammill, Funeral Wells, Peck, alias Peck's Bad Boy, and others of note. He was arrested some years ago in Brooklyn, N. Y., for picking a man's pocket. A Brooklyn judge who met him on the steamer for Florida identified him as his gentleman companion, and he was discharged. Soon after the close of the war, on the Mississippi he robbed a woman of $1,700. She demanded a search of all on the steamer. Jim had been so kind and attentive to her that he was not searched. A short time ago he was stakeholder for a dog fight in Boston to the amount of $300, and made off with the funds.He took $1,000 worth of bonds from a gentleman in Philadelphia in 1868. His first experience in the East was when the Ball robbery was committed in Holyoke, . Mass. He was in it, and was the principal.He, with another, about two years ago, followed a well known lady of Springfield from New Haven to her home for the purpose of stealing her sealskin cloak. The theft was left to his partner, who failed for want of heart to do his work. This noted thief has been known in New York and all the principal cities of the United States under fifty different names. About two yeats ago, at Bridgeport, Conn., he was on a wharf to see an excursion party land from a steamboat. A man fell in the dock. A policeman standing on the edge of the wharf helped to get the man up. Jim, for fear he might fall into the dock again, kindly put his arms around him to hold him, and robbed him of his watch and eight dollars in money.In 1880, when the Armstrong walk occurred on the Manhattan Athletic grounds, New York City, Jimmy was stakeholder for $480 wagered on the event. Jimmy "welshed," and the winners never saw the color of their money.Wells's picture is an excellent one, taken in December, 1885.