HARRIS GREENTHAL

Alias: , BROWN, HERMAN GREENTHAL

Specialties: PICKPOCKET

No: 153 Last Displayed: 9/27/2022

Description:

Fifty-eight years old in 1886. Jew, born in Poland. Married. No trade. Medium build. Height, 5 feet 5 inches. Weight, about 150 pounds. Brown curly hair, turning quite gray; brown and gray whiskers, high forehead.

Record:

HARRIS GREENTHAL, a brother of the "General's" (152), is also an old New York thief and member of the "Sheeny gang" of pickpockets, who have been traveling through the country robbing people for a number of years. He resides in New York City, and is well known in all the principal cities in the United States and Canada. Harris Greenthal, alias Brown, the "General," alias Meyers, and Samuel Casper, the "General's" son-in-law, were arrested in Rochester, N. Y., on March 1, 1877, charged with robbing William Jinkson of $1,190 in money, at the Central Railroad depot. Jinkson was a farmer who sold his farm in Massachusetts, and with the proceeds had started West. The "Sheeny gang" had seen him showing his money in Albany, N. Y., and had followed him from that city. At the Central depot in Rochester they told him he would have to change cars. One of the trio took his valise, and the entire party entered another car. In jostling through the crowd the "General" relieved Jinkson of his pocket-book containing the money, which was in bills. They escaped, but were arrested about an hour afterwards. They were indicted, tried, and convicted. The "General," alias Meyers, was sentenced on April 19, 1877, to twenty years at hard labor in Auburn, N. Y., State prison. Harris Greenthal, alias Brown, received a sentence of eighteen years, and Casper fifteen years. Harris and Casper were pardoned by' Governor Cleveland in December, 1884, the "General" having been pardoned some months before. See record of No. (84). Harris's picture is an excellent one, taken in March, 1877.