Edward Lyons was a New York City gangster in the 19th century. Born in Ireland July 15, 1839, he immigrated to America as a child and settled in Lowell, Massachusetts. A burglar and bank robber, he learned his criminal trade in New York City. He was sentenced to Sing Sing Prison, from which he escaped in 1872 with his wife, Sophie Lyons. After serving multiple prison terms he became a notorious hustler and conman.

Ned Lyons
Lyons recuperating in a hospital after being shot by police
Born
Edward Lyons

(1839-07-15)July 15, 1839[1]
Ireland
Died(1907-05-22)May 22, 1907[2]
NationalityIrish-American
Other namesRobert E. Hapgood, Edward T. Sanman, George Jackson and George F. Lenning
OccupationCriminal
Known forNew York burglar, bank robber and underworld figure
SpouseSophie Lyons (wife)
Children2 sons, 4 daughters

Ned learned to understand how people think and react, and although impaired by extreme near-sightedness, he was capable of quickly identifying liars, earning himself a high powered position among the gangs of New York. Physically, he had a strikingly large head.

References

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  1. ^ U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992
  2. ^ New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948

Further reading

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  • Asbury, Henry. The French Quarter: An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld. New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1936. ISBN 1-56025-494-7
  • Davidson, Shayne. Queen of the Burglars: The Scandalous Life of Sophie Lyons. Jefferson, N.C.: Exposit Books, 2020. ISBN 978-1-4766-8254-9
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