PETER LAKE

Alias: GRAND CENTRAL PETE, LANE

Specialties: BANCO STEERER

No: 93 Last Displayed: 3/29/2021

Description:

Forty-five years old in 1886. Born in United States. Stout build. Married. No trade. Height, 5 feet 7 inches. Weight, 165 pounds. Hair black, turning gray; dark hazel eyes, ruddy complexion, smooth face generally; sometimes wears a brown mustache.

Record:

"GRAND CENTRAL PETE" is one of the most celebrated steerers there is in America, "Hungry" Joe possibly excepted, and persistent banco Like all others of his class, he has been arrested in almost every city in the Union, but seldom convicted, for the reason that as soon as he falls into the hands of the police, his confederates give the victim back his money, and he is only too glad to make himself scarce. He was arrested on March 9, 1877, in New York City, in company of another confidence man named Charles Johnson, better known as "Tip" Farrell, of Chicago, for swindling one John Slawson, the superintendent of the Star Silver Mining Company, of Idaho Territory, out of $100, at the banco game. Slawson was stopping at the St. Nicholas Hotel, and was met by Pete, who had a "sure thing" for him. Lake and Farrell pleaded guilty in the Court of General Sessions, and were sentenced to six months in the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island, and fined $100 each, on March 15, 1877, by Judge Gildersleeve. Pete Lake has been arrested at least fifty times since, but never convicted, for reasons above stated. He obtained his nickname through prowling around the Grand Central Railroad depot, in New York City. Pete's picture is a good one, taken in March, 1877.