Tom Flaherty
Encyclopedia
Tom Flaherty, more commonly known under his pseudonym
Old Flaherty, (c. 1824-?) was an American criminal, sneak thief and river pirate in New York City
during the mid-to late 19th century. He was the patriarch of a criminal family in New York's Seventh Ward which terrorized the New York waterfront in the post-American Civil War
era. Flaherty was described as having "long white whiskers and a benevolent smile, but he was one of the most cruel thugs of the Seventh Ward".
Flaherty was considered a powerful underworld figure in his day, one of his criminal associates being Bum Mahoney of the Patsy Conroy
and Hook Gang
s, while he and another young river pirate, James Smith, stole boats from the waterfront and sail to South Brooklyn
. From there, they would sail upriver raiding "farm houses, hen-roosts, canal boats, or anything else that came in their way". He and Smith were eventually arrested by Brooklyn Police and sentenced to five years on Blackwell's Island around 1874. His wife, herself a well-known shoplifter and pickpocket, followed him soon after. Their youngest son was sentenced to 15 years in Sing Sing
for garroting and highway robbery while the oldest, leaving New York for the frontier, was sentenced to ten years in Illinois State Prison for burglary
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Old Flaherty, (c. 1824-?) was an American criminal, sneak thief and river pirate in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during the mid-to late 19th century. He was the patriarch of a criminal family in New York's Seventh Ward which terrorized the New York waterfront in the post-American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era. Flaherty was described as having "long white whiskers and a benevolent smile, but he was one of the most cruel thugs of the Seventh Ward".
Flaherty was considered a powerful underworld figure in his day, one of his criminal associates being Bum Mahoney of the Patsy Conroy
Patsy Conroy
Patrick Conway , commonly known by his alias Patsy or Patsy Conroy, was an American burglar and river pirate...
and Hook Gang
Hook Gang
The Hook Gang was an American street gang and later river pirates active in New York City during the late-19th century. The gang made up some of the most notorious criminals and thugs on the New York waterfront and were a major force in the old Forth Ward and Corlears' Hook districts during the...
s, while he and another young river pirate, James Smith, stole boats from the waterfront and sail to South Brooklyn
South Brooklyn
South Brooklyn is a region or composite neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, encompassing areas of Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Gowanus, Park Slope, and Boerum Hill. Thus it is roughly encompassed by Brooklyn Community Board 6, which in turn approximates the southern half of the 18th...
. From there, they would sail upriver raiding "farm houses, hen-roosts, canal boats, or anything else that came in their way". He and Smith were eventually arrested by Brooklyn Police and sentenced to five years on Blackwell's Island around 1874. His wife, herself a well-known shoplifter and pickpocket, followed him soon after. Their youngest son was sentenced to 15 years in Sing Sing
Sing Sing
Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in the town of Ossining, New York...
for garroting and highway robbery while the oldest, leaving New York for the frontier, was sentenced to ten years in Illinois State Prison for burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
.