William J. Sharkey’s Not-so-great Escape

Summary

Summary of "William J. Sharkey’s Not-so-great Escape" Stuff You Missed in History Class
Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson
Release Date: August 13, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled "William J. Sharkey’s Not-so-great Escape," hosts Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson delve into the tumultuous life of William Jay Sharkey—an infamous 19th-century pickpocket, con man, politician, and murderer whose dramatic escape from New York City's Tombs prison remains shrouded in mystery.

Early Life and Criminal Endeavors

William Jay Sharkey, born in the late 1840s, began his life on a troublesome path early on. Initially gaining notoriety as an expert pickpocket specializing in stealing fine jewelry, Sharkey's knack for crime did not wane even after his first arrest for stealing a pocketbook. His relentless pursuit of a life of crime led him to intertwine with the influential political machine of Tammany Hall under William "Boss" Tweed.

"Sharkey was the son of respected residents of the Ninth Ward, but he went astray early in life and after a brilliantly notorious career of the crooked sort, bloomed out into a successful political adventurer."
— Tracy V. Wilson [03:22]

Sharkey's rise within Tammany Hall saw him become a significant player in the 8th Ward primaries, leading to the establishment of his own club and membership in various influential political organizations within the 5th congressional district. However, his political fortunes waned, leading him back into his criminal pursuits.

The Murder of Robert Dunn

In 1872, Sharkey's gambling ventures took a disastrous turn in Buffalo, where he initiated a game called Pharaoh Bank—a popular card game of the era intended for gambling. After suffering substantial losses totaling $4,000 in five days, Sharkey sought to recoup his losses by funding a new Pharaoh Bank operation through his associate, Robert Dunn. Unfortunately, Dunn's venture quickly mirrored Sharkey's earlier failures.

The tension between Sharkey and Dunn culminated on September 1, 1872, following the funeral of their mutual associate, James Riley. At a saloon on Hudson Street known as "the Place," Sharkey confronted Dunn over the unpaid $600 seed money. The confrontation escalated, leading Sharkey to fatally shoot Dunn.

"Billy, put that away. It might go off and shoot somebody."
— William Welsh, Eyewitness [08:32]

The Trial: Accusations of Accidental Murder

Sharkey's trial, which began nearly ten months after the murder, became a focal point of intense public scrutiny. Faced with eyewitness testimonies placing him at the scene, Sharkey's defense contended that the shooting was accidental. According to one defense attorney, Charles Brooklyn, Sharkey was engaged in a dramatic gesture to illustrate his loyalty and inadvertently discharged the firearm.

"There was a time I would go into a butcher shop and let a butcher take a cleaver and cut that arm off for that son of a bee."
— William Welsh, Eyewitness [09:00]

Despite testimonies supporting both the prosecution's claim of intentional murder and the defense's argument of an accidental discharge, the jury found Sharkey guilty of first-degree murder. The judge, emphasizing Sharkey's intoxicated state during the incident, sentenced him to death by hanging.

"Voluntary intoxication can furnish no excuse or immunity to crimes. And so long as the offender is capable of conceiving a design, he will be presumed, in the absence of contrary proofs, to have intended the natural consequences of his own acts."
— Judge [19:04]

Imprisonment and the Tombs

Sharkey was incarcerated in the Manhattan House of Detention, colloquially known as "the Tombs." Due to his connections with Tammany Hall, Sharkey enjoyed privileges uncommon to typical inmates. His girlfriend—or possibly wife—Maggie Jordan became a constant presence, ensuring he had comforts akin to home, including fine furnishings and even a pet canary.

The Great Escape

On November 19, 1873, under mysterious circumstances, Sharkey orchestrated a daring escape from the Tombs. The escape involved Maggie Jordan disguising Sharkey and smuggling him out of prison. Reports indicate that Sharkey shaved off his mustache and concealed his clothing to facilitate the break.

"At first, reports of the escape were met with disbelief. It seemed so preposterous and even humorous."
— Tracy V. Wilson [35:41]

Despite a substantial reward of $2,000 for his capture, Sharkey eluded authorities, using his political connections to navigate his newfound freedom.

Life Beyond the Tombs

Sharkey fled to Cuba, where he initially found some semblance of restraint compared to his notorious behavior in New York. However, his life took a downward turn following his separation from Maggie Jordan. Various accounts suggest he lived under the alias Frank Campbell, continuing to assert that Dunn's death was accidental. Eventually, Sharkey was arrested in Cuba for threatening the captain and purser of a ship, leading to his return being attempted by the United States. However, without an extradition treaty between the U.S. and Spain at the time, Sharkey's fate became increasingly uncertain.

"Sharkey has more respect for the authorities in Havana than he ever showed for the police in New York and carefully represses himself when there is the slightest danger."
— Harry Davies, Private Detective [37:08]

Reports from Europe in the early 1900s suggested various fates for Sharkey, including joining the Spanish military or dying in Italy, but none were substantiated. His ultimate whereabouts and fate remain unknown to this day.

Maggie Jordan’s Aftermath

Maggie Jordan, deeply involved in Sharkey's life and his escape, eventually married actor William J. Scanlon. Their marriage was tumultuous, with Scanlon being declared insane and committed to Bloomingdale Asylum in 1892. Maggie remained a figure entwined with Sharkey’s legacy until her death in 1898.

Conclusion

William J. Sharkey's life is a testament to the turbulent interplay between crime, politics, and corruption in 19th-century New York. His audacious escape from the Tombs and subsequent disappearance cemented his status as one of the era's most enigmatic criminals. The mystery surrounding his fate continues to intrigue historians and enthusiasts alike.

Notable Quotes

• "Sharkey was the son of respected residents of the Ninth Ward, but he went astray early in life..." — Tracy V. Wilson [03:22]
• "There was a time I would go into a butcher shop and let a butcher take a cleaver and cut that arm off for that son of a bee." — William Welsh [09:00]
• "Voluntary intoxication can furnish no excuse or immunity to crimes..." — Judge [19:04]
• "At first, reports of the escape were met with disbelief. It seemed so preposterous and even humorous." — Tracy V. Wilson [35:41]
• "Sharkey has more respect for the authorities in Havana than he ever showed for the police in New York..." — Harry Davies [37:08]

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This comprehensive exploration of William J. Sharkey's life offers listeners a deep dive into a fascinating chapter of New York's criminal history, combining meticulous research with engaging storytelling to illuminate the complexities of Sharkey's character and the enigmatic escape that defined his legacy.

Transcript

[Tracy V. Wilson]

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This is such a ridiculous story.

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[Holly Fry]

Welcome to Stuff you missed in history Class, a production of iHeartRadio. Hello and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly Fry.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And I'm Tracy V. Wilson.

[Holly Fry]

So this was gonna be an episode about several escaped criminals that have never been found. You know, one of our little smorgasbordy popery episodes.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, we have a six Impossibles on jailbreaks from a few years ago.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, and this was kind of similar, but then I got to reading about William Jay Sharkey's case, and then I was like, well, this is gonna be a whole thing on its own because it's got some fun drama. Also, frankly, I'm in the middle of a lot of travel, and I wanted to do something that would be really fun and engaging that I didn't have to learn telemetry or something for. And I can talk about crime without having to do that. So, for context, William Jay Sharkey was a pickpocket, a con man, a politician, and a murderer. Although whether or not that murder was an accident became the question at the center of a case that gripped New York for months. And then he vanished, sort of.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So in 1879, the sun newspaper of New York described William J. Sharkey this way. Quote, sharkey was the son of respected residents of the Ninth Ward, but he went astray early in life and after a brilliantly notorious career of the crooked sort, bloomed out into a successful political adventurer. He was a power in the 8th Ward primaries, had a club named after him, and belonged to every influential political organization in the 5th congressional district.

[Holly Fry]

Sharkey, who was born sometime in the late 1840s, got into theft at an early age, and he actually became known as an expert pickpocket, specializing in stealing fine jewelry right off of people as they were wearing it. He got arrested after stealing a pocketbook, but that didn't sway him from a life as a career criminal. And then he got involved with Tammany hall as William Boss Tweed was rising to power, and Sharkey rose right along with him. As the New York Times put it, quote, the Tammany ring was seeking a suitable servant in the 8th Ward, and Sharkey was selected as the man. But eventually Sharkey fell out of favor as a politician. There is some indication that Tweed used him as a PA in 8th ward politics until his defeat when running for assistant alderman. And then he was kind of discarded and went back to his criminal enterprises.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 1872, Sharkey arrived in Buffalo. He wanted to drum up a gambling opportunity. He started a game called Pharaoh Bank. Pharaoh bank, sometimes just called Pharaoh, is a card game that was hugely popular in Europe and the United States at the time. And it's one of the oldest card games intended for gambling. In this game, the player bets against the house or bank. And Sharky lost a lot of money in buffalo. A reported $4,000 over the course of just five days.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, Faroh bank is kind of interesting to me. It's spelled F A R O. It is meant to sound like Pharaoh, as in Egyptian Pharaoh, because apparently the French cards originally used for it had Egyptian iconography on them. I'm just fascinated by the way, card games come and go. That one fell out of favor, like in the early 1920s, kind of never to return again in terms of its popularity in the US until now, when.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

People hear about it on our podcast.

[Holly Fry]

And stage a revival now a revival of Pharaoh. After this big series of losses in Buffalo, though, Sharkey went back to New York City. And although he had lost a lot of money in Buffalo, he still thought gambling offered plenty of opportunity. And he actually got involved in the startup of another game of Pharaoh bank in Buffalo, this time through a friend and associate of him. So Sharkey gave a man named Robert Dunn 600 to start up and run the new Pharaoh game, hoping that this one would be more successful and would generate some cash. Dunn theoretically knew a lot about money. He worked at the New York City Controller's Office.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

But Dunn's faro operation went the same way as Sharkey's earlier effort. He lost the $600 seed money, which he had promised to repay Sharkey, and lost some more money besides that. The two men met up again at a funeral of an associate named James Riley on September 1, 1872. And after the funeral, they went to a saloon on Hudson called the Place. They had a drink. Sharkey demanded repayment of his money, and when Dunn could not produce that money, Sharkey shot and killed him. Sharkey just left the place. He was caught and arrested a few hours later at a private residence and charged with first degree murder.

[Holly Fry]

It was almost 10 months before Sharkey's trial began in June of the following year, and when the court date finally arrived, Sharkey's three brothers were in attendance, as was Robert Dunn's widow. Although there were two eyewitnesses willing to testify that they had seen William Sharkey purposely shoot Dunn in the chest at short range. The defense's story was that it had all been an accident. And as the testimony played out, it's not that different from one side to the other. The only major difference that keeps coming up is kind of the perception of intent.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Per the opening statement on June 20, which was made by one of the defense attorneys, Charles Brooklyn, Sharkey was speaking to another friend. And when he leaned forward with his arm on the counter, as he was showing, quote, what he would have done for the deceased, the gun accidentally discharged, seems safe to assume that if he was kind of waving a gun around, talking about what he was willing to do for Dunn, that still does not characterize Sharkey in an especially favorable light. This is not a safe way to.

[Holly Fry]

Handle a firearm or to make your Point.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Right. This was the foundation of the case. Though the defense also stated that Sharkey did not believe the shooting had resulted in a serious wound and that's why he had left.

[Holly Fry]

So as I hinted to you a moment ago, the testimony of witnesses on both sides of this case kind of paint pictures that are not identical to either the prosecution or the defense's version of the story.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The.

[Holly Fry]

They sort of fall in shades in between. The one that most closely matched their account was given by a man named William Welsh. And according to his version, when he got to the saloon at about 8pm Sharkey was pacing around, waving a pistol and calling done names. Welsh stated that he said to Sharkey, quote, billy, put that away. It might go off and shoot somebody. But Sharkey continued to argue with Dunn, and Welsh once again urged him to put the gun down, saying, quote, billy, don't hold the pistol that way. It might go off. And then Sharkey asked Welsh if he was willing to make good on Dunn's debts, to which Welsh said no. This is when Sharkey supposedly made that statement about what he was willing to do for Dunn. If that sounded weird to you, this will be illustrative. He told Welsh, quote, there was a time I would go into a butcher shop and let a butcher take a cleaver and cut that arm off for that son of a bee. That is actually exactly how the paper wrote it up, which I find amusing. And then he attempted to illustrate that loyalty and devotion he had for Dunn in their friendship at that point by kind of gesturing to his arm. And it was as he said that, that the gun went off. And according to. Well, Sharkey was not looking at Dunn when this happened.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This witness would have really helped Sharkey's case had it not been for the fact that on cross examination, it became apparent that he may have attempted to tamper with the prosecution's main witnesses in the case. They were named Betts and Klein. When he was asked directly if he had offered Betts and Klein money not to testify, Welsh refused to answer.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, the court date had actually been initially set to start earlier than it did. And those two witnesses had kind of gotten cold feet for a minute, and so it had had to be postponed. And they think that Welsh might have been the problem there. But even one of the witnesses for the prosecution, a local from the neighborhood who often drank at the place, more or less supported that accidental discharge story. He backed up the account that Sharkey was telling people he would have had a hand cut off for Dunn at one time in their friendship this witness, William Highley, also indicated that Sharkey was not looking at Dunn when the gun went off, but was looking down at his own arm as he dropped the hand down dramatically to demonstrate his point. On cross examination, Hailey also added that Sharkey appeared to be intoxicated when the shooting took place.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

There was also testimony from other bar patrons that Sharkey had loudly said that Robert Dunn had made $1,500 in his gambling setup, so he could easily afford to pay Sharkey back if he wanted to. But Dunn denied that he had been successful with Pharaoh. One particularly damning piece of testimony was that Sharkey had said, quote, make good for yourself. There's only two feet between us, so that's a clear threat. According to one witness, he also challenged Dunn to a pistol duel, which was something that Dunn did not want to do. One reason that these various testimonies all offer different accounts of things that were said and done is just they witnessed different phases of this altercation. When it came down to the moment that Dunn was shot, there's actually a lot of corroboration. And several different people all said that they had known both men for years, that they had a good friendship, and often, according to the coverage of the trial that was published in the New York Times, quote, were in the habit of joking and larking together.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. It's unclear if they're trying to hint like, oh, they got into fights like this from time to time, and that was the dynamic of their friendship, or if they're trying to hint that people were thinking they may not be as angry as they appeared. In some points in time, this may have come up as an issue because some people were asking questions about why did no one try to stop this. The barkeep, Henry Klein, one of those witnesses we mentioned earlier, gave what reads as the clearest explanation, in my opinion, of this accidental firing and what exactly Sharkey was doing in the moments leading up to it. So according to Klein, Sharkey was holding the pistol in his right hand. And with that hand, as he talked about his willingness to lose a hand or arm for Robert Dunn, he was making what seemed like a chopping motion repeatedly to his left arm. And on the third time he dropped his hand to make this chop, the gun went off. The other witness that we mentioned earlier, John D. Betts, completely backed up Klein's version of events.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Last, a police officer testified about how he learned of the shooting. And that word had reached the police station that Sharkey was willing to give himself up. The closing remarks from the defense were that it was clear that this had been an accident and that Sharkey had no actual intention to shoot Dunn. The prosecution felt as though the behavior Sharkey had exhibited was in line with an intent to kill. The prosecution also tried to throw additional blame on the other patrons of the saloon for not doing more to end Sharkey's tirade while he was brandishing a gun, something I feel is understandable considering that he was brandishing a gun.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, yeah, there's a lot of like in the newspaper accounts. There's a lot of intimation of like you guys all clearly knew this guy. Why, why didn't you disarm him? And it's like he's angry and he has a gun and waving a gun around. We are going to talk about what happened with the jury after we pause for a sponsor break.

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[Holly Fry]

As the jury was given instructions on what would qualify as murder in the first degree versus finding Sharkey guilty of manslaughter, one of the notes to them was actually about the intoxication aspect of the defendant's demeanor on the night of the murder, the judge said, quote, voluntary intoxication can furnish no excuse or immunity to crimes. And so long as the offender is capable of conceiving a design, he will be presumed, in the absence of contrary proofs, to have intended the natural consequences of his own acts. Throughout all of this, all of the closing remarks and discussion and instructions to the jury, the New York Times described Sharkey's behavior this way. Quote, the prisoner was bent forward during the delivery of the recorder's address and listened breathlessly to every word, his face occasionally twitching nervously as allusions were made to his character and career.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The jury deliberated for 40 minutes. During that time, they asked to have Sharkey's gun brought to the room for examination, but the defense objected. The jury returned to the courtroom, but it was not to deliver a verdict. They had questions about the gun. They wanted, quote, to know how hard it went off. This actually became an issue of debate in the courtroom. Sharkey's defense attorneys argued that the gun had been sitting in evidence for 10 months. There was no way to guarantee that it was in the same condition as it had been the night that it fired the fatal shot into Dunn's chest. The prosecution thought the jury should get to handle the pistol, but the judge agreed with the defense. The jury once again retired from the courtroom to deliberate. After another 50 minutes, the jury returned. William Sharkey was found guilty of murder in the first degree, with a recommendation for mercy in sentencing.

[Holly Fry]

Sharkey's defense wanted the jury to be asked why they had added that recommendation for a merciful sentence. It seemed like the defense team was trying to see if the jury was actually not fully convinced of intent, which would give the defense some ammunition to pursue a mistrial or fuel an appeal in the case. But this request, after much deliberation in the courtroom, was denied. The defense noted that it was going to start immediately pursuing a new trial on the ground of, quote, misdirection of the jury by the court. When the press approached the jury foreman to ask about the unusual request for mercy for the defendant, the foreman stated that the jury had taken an oath, quote, not to divulge what took place in the jury room. Another juror stated that even if the judge had asked them to explain, they would not, because of those oaths to one another.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Sharkey had worked hard to seem indifferent publicly. But according to press accounts, when he got back to his cell at the Tombs, he, quote, broke down completely. He had very clearly not expected to be found guilty of first degree murder, aside from his closest friends and family. And his lawyers. Sharkey refused to speak to anyone.

[Holly Fry]

That was very unlike him. He often was perfectly happy to socialize with the press and any other visitors. But in the meantime, his defense did file a motion for a new trial. But that motion was denied. And their primary argument was based on something that the judge had told the jury. That there was no question that Sharkey had killed Dunn. And this wasn't really a matter of question. Sharkey and his defense team had been operating with this as an established truth. And their case had been focused on establishing the shooting as accidental. But the claim in the motion for a new trial was that in stating explicitly to the jury that there was no question as to whether Sharkey had killed Dunn, the judge had taken away the option of the jury to acquit. And Sharkey's counsel had stated in his brief that, quote, in felonies, the prisoner has no power to admit anything. But the judge stated later at sentencing, quote, I am not furnished with any case in support of this proposition. And all the clementary books and decisions go the other way.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

On July 3, the sentence was handed down. Leading up to the announcement, Sharkey was reportedly in good spirits. He seemed to have believed that the jury's request for mercy in his sentencing would be honored. The New York Times reported that he was joking and chatting with the court staff. While they waited for the judge and the lawyers to get there. But then, once the sentence was ready, things got serious in a hurry.

[Holly Fry]

Regarding that recommendation of mercy. The judge's statement was this. Quote, this recommendation was not and cannot be made a legal part of the verdict. The latter can only be guilty or not guilty. Even had the jurors presented affidavits explanatory of the technical verdict of guilty, I am of the opinion it would become the duty of the judge not to award weight to them.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Then came the sentencing quote. In Sharkey's case, my reviewing judgment concurs with the jury. I have reread all the testimony, all the requests of the council and my charge. In the spirit with which both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals Must necessarily review hereafter, Sharkey was given a death sentence. And his execution was to be carried out by hanging. That was initially scheduled for August 15th.

[Holly Fry]

Once again, his lawyers, Charles W. Brooks and Peter Mitchell, pursued other options. And they started by filing for a stay of execution with the Supreme Court of New York a few weeks later. Because while the judge in the initial case believed that he had done nothing wrong, the defendant's counsel wanted to take their questions of jury Handling and some other issues to a higher court. The bill of exceptions they filed stated the following quote. That the recorder erred in charging the jury that he could not perceive how they could acquit quit the prisoner. That he erred in commenting on the language used by the prisoner. And saying that a man who would use such language as the prisoner used. And which was testified in the case. Would be almost unfit to live. That the statement of the recorders was calculated to mislead and prejudice the jury. Coming from the judge. That bill of exceptions also mentions the judge dismissing intoxication as a mitigating factor. Mentioning that anyone who picks up a gun can't not intend to do harm. Incorrectly repeating a detail of distance in the crime scene. Like when it came up, he had said that Sharkey was closer to Robert Dunn than he actually had been. And then incorrectly explaining other possible guilty verdicts. That the jury could have found Sharkey guilty on. Such as murder in the second degree instead of the first.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

While he waited, Sharkey was imprisoned in the Manhattan House of Detention. Known colloquially as the Tombs, which is what we called it earlier. As an aside, this jail is said to have gotten that nickname. Because the exterior, designed by architect John Haviland in the 1830s. Was inspired by the style of Egyptian tombs. Maggie Jordan was Sharkey's girlfriend, or maybe his wife. There are apparently some police records that suggest the two of them were married. Maggie kind of gets held up as an almost tropey instance. Of a woman from a good family. Who had a predilection for a life of crime and for criminal men. Sharkey was not her first paramour. To be involved in some kind of illicit activity. But she seemed genuinely devoted to William Sharkey. She went to visit him every day, Spent hours at a time at the jail. Sitting in front of his cell. Or going with him on walks in the building. When he was allowed to stretch his legs. That might sound a little odd, but at this point, the Tombs, like a lot of municipal services in New York. Was run with a pretty lackadaisical attitude. Corruption was rampant in the city government. The political organization known as Tammany Hall. Was directing a lot of New York's government. And if you were in good with Tammany hall, you did not serve time in the way that another incarcerated person would. Sharkey had Tammany ties. So he was staying in a section of the jail that sounds more like a hotel than a prison. Because of that death sentence, he could not leave the premises. But he could often just walk around. Maggie made sure that he had all the comforts of home in his cell, including fine furnishings, a pet canary and the latest magazines.

[Holly Fry]

We will talk about how William Jay Sharkey just strolled right out of prison one day after we pause for a sponsor break.

[Manny]

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[Ice Cube]

The reviews and ratings are in and Ice Cube's Big Three is the surprise hit of the summer this Saturday, 4pm Eastern on CBS with with playoff elimination on the line, the stars will be flocking to Los Angeles to witness the most physical, fiercest and competitive basketball in the world. Miami's Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson must win over Houston to make the playoffs, reeling from last week's savage beating at the hands of Chicago's possessed Montrez Harrow. Last time these teams met, Miami beat Houston, but they are a dangerous team having their manhood at stake. Then breakout star Dwight Howard of the LA Riot was will battle Gary Payton's Boston squad in a do or die match for both teams. Will LA avenge their previous shocking loss to perennial basketball Boston rivals to survive, six teams are allowed for four spots and all must win. Don't miss the Big Three, the three on three basketball league everyone is talking about. There's no crying in the big three and the no hold spot action starts Saturday at 4pm Eastern 1pm Pacific followed by two games on Vice starting at.

[John Lithgow]

6:30 Eastern who presented by iHeart hello, I'm John Lithgow.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We choose to go to the moon.

[John Lithgow]

I want to tell you about my new fiction podcast that's One Small Step for Man. It's about Buzz Aldrin, one of the true pioneers of space You're a great pilot, Buzz. As far as I'm concerned, the best I've seen. That's the story you think you know. This is the story you don't predisposition.

[Lola Blanc]

To depression, alcohol abuse and suicide.

[John Lithgow]

We'll see Buzz try to overcome demons.

[Ice Cube]

What do you say, Buzz?

[Noah]

Another beer.

[John Lithgow]

And triumph over addiction.

[Lola Blanc]

Here's to you, Buzz Aldrin.

[John Lithgow]

Good luck to you and become a true hero.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Buzz and I will proceed into the.

[John Lithgow]

Lunar module not because he conquers space, but because he conquers himself. Buzz, we intercepted a Soviet radio transmission starring me, John Lithgow.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Can you put it through.

[John Lithgow]

On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts?

[Noah]

Columbia. Imagine that you're on an airplane and all of a sudden you hear this.

[Holly Fry]

Attention passengers. The pilot is having an emergency and we need someone, anyone, to land this plane.

[Noah]

Think you could do it? It turns out that nearly 50% of men think that they could land the plane with the help of air traffic control. And they're saying like, okay, pull this until this, pull that, turn this. It's just I do my eyes closed. I'm Manny.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I'm Noah.

[Ice Cube]

This is Devin.

[Noah]

And on our new show, no Such Thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence.

[Holly Fry]

Those who lack expertise lack the expertise. They need to recognize that they lack expertise.

[Noah]

And then as we try the whole thing out for real. Wait, what? Oh, that's the Runway. I'm looking at this thing. See? Listen to no Such thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

November 19, 1873, was a day seemingly like any other when Sharkey had his usual visit from Maggie. She arrived at 10am and she was given a pass instantly, as she was a regular. All the guards knew her. Maggie stayed until 1pm and then another visitor to the Tombs named Mrs. Wesley Allen came to the prison at 12:30. She was there to visit a man named Flood, so her time there overlapped Maggie's by about half an hour. And in fact, she was a friend of Maggie's. She stopped to chat with Maggie and Sharkey briefly before continuing on to visit Flood. Mrs. Allen had requested and was given a pass at the check in. When Maggie exited the building at 1pm it was kind of noted it as odd because she normally stayed much later than that.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

At 1:30pm an unnamed woman who was described as peculiar looking left the jail and turned in her pass at the gate. As she left. She was dressed all in black with a winter bonnet and a green veil over her face. She crossed the street and waited a few moments before boarding a streetcar as it came by.

[Holly Fry]

Then, at 2:05pm Mrs. Allen came out. She was stopped on her way out of the prison by a guard named Johnson, who asked for her pass. But she couldn't find it and she told the guard she must have lost it. This seemed suspicious, so Johnson detained Mrs. Allen and then ordered a walkthrough and inspection of the prison by the guards on duty. And that was when they realized that Sharkey had escaped.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

It did not take long for them to piece together that Sharkey was the peculiar looking woman who had exited the building at 1:30. In his cell they found remnants of his mustache which he had shaved off and his clothes were strewn about. Uncharacteristically, after Sharkey had vanished, the guards recalled that Maggie's skirts had looked extra bulky when she got there. But they assumed that she had been wearing an extra petticoat or two to help keep out the November chill. They realized that she had brought him a dress hidden under her own dress.

[Holly Fry]

Mrs. Allen was arrested, but she was soon released because the only thing that was known conclusively was that she didn't have her pass anymore. She never wavered in her claim that it had simply been lost. But Maggie was soon arrested at her mother's house.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

At first, reports of the escape were met with disbelief. It seemed so preposterous and even humorous. I, in fact, laughed out loud when I first read about him shaving off the mustache. A lot of people rejected it as just nonsense. But a rumor had also started to circulate almost instantly that Sharkey had learned from his lawyers two weeks earlier that they had exhausted all legal means of freeing him and that at that time Maggie had decided she would plan an escape. According to this rumor, she'd been sneaking in in his disguise, a piece at a time. In the weeks that had followed that decision, Maggie was tried for aiding in Sharkey's escape. But unlike in Sharkey's case, the jury never reached an agreement about her guilt or innocence. She was ultimately released on bail.

[Holly Fry]

A reward for Sharkey was offered by the city $2,000, dead or alive. No one ever claimed it. Sharkey was never again taken into custody in New York. And According to a 1931 New Yorker account of the events of his life after the escape, he hid out in New York for three weeks before boarding a schooner bound for Cuba. After landing in Barracoa, which Sits near the eastern tip of the island. He made his way west to Havana, although his location was known and we'll talk more about that in a minute. In the 1870s, Cuba was still a colony of Spain. That status did not change until 1898 when the US gained control of Cuba as a territory, although that did not remain the status quo. But at this point, Spain and the US didn't have an extradition treaty, so Sharkey was theoretically beyond the reach of U S Law.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

As for Maggie, she joined Sharkey in Cuba after her trial. They only stayed together in Cuba for a couple of months though Sharkey reportedly broke up with her and then she returned to New York. Although an article in the New York sun that came out in 1875 makes it sound like she might have just gotten fed up with him and left a little trigger here, it it hints that he was probably abusive with her. The account also gives significant updates to Sharkey's life in Cuba.

[Holly Fry]

And that write up states quote, Private detective Harry Davies of Davies and Company's agency returned from Havana on the steamer city of Havana on Monday in a stay of many weeks in Havana, Mr. Davies was frequently thrown into the company of William J. Sharkey, the escaped murderer, and learned much of his habits and mode of life. As a rule, Mr. Davies says Sharkey is not as boisterous and violent in his cups as he was wont to be in New York. While Maggie Jordan remained with him, he always had a safe and convenient outlet for his natural cussedness, for he knew that she would never complain of him. But since her flight he has had to bottle up some of his passion for want of a fitting object to exercise it upon safely. Sharkey has more respect for the authorities in Havana than he ever showed for the police in New York and carefully represses himself when there is the slightest danger. All the money he has is sent to him by his brothers in New York and although the allowance is liberal, it is not sufficient to enable the escaped convict to cut the figure he did in his native city.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So if that account is accurate, it seems like Sharkey might have been really altered by his trial, sentencing and prison time, even if he did have more privileges than the average person who was incarcerated in the Tombs. It could also simply have been that he did not want to risk Cuba sending him back to the United States to face the gallows. This also mentions that he was living under the name Frank Campbell and he continued to assert that Dunn's death was an accident. Incidentally, that same write up says at the very end that Sharkey actually got arrested in Cuba right before the publication for threatening to kill the captain and purser of a ship.

[Holly Fry]

The month after that account was published, the New York Times ran an update that opened with quote, it was learned by a telegram received from Havana dated the 20th, that William J. Sharkey, the murderer who escaped from the tombs in November last, was arrested on that day in Santiago de Cuba, where he had gone for the purpose of embarking for South America and that he would be returned to the United States.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

But from here, the story gets really fuzzy. Nobody seemed to know exactly where Sharkey was, but he didn't ever arrive in New York. An account in the Evening World in March of 1900 indicated that he had run from Cuba and landed in Europe. After that, there are a lot of sightings claimed, but no real evidence for any of them. There were people who said he had joined the Spanish military and others saying that he died in Italy. That 1900 write up was prompted by a businessman saying that he had seen Sharkey in Europe working as a guide for tourists. His ultimate fate remains unknown.

[Holly Fry]

Maggie Jordan, meanwhile, had married actor William J. Scanlon. Although this is not a happy ending either. Scanlon was declared insane and sent to live in Bloomingdale Asylum in 1892. Maggie became a widow in 1898 when Scanlon died. Mysteries abound.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah. Do you have listener mail?

[Holly Fry]

I do. It's not mysterious in the least. It's delightful. And it's about an episode that you worked on, but about a thing I said. So this is from our listener, Helena. Or Helena I don't know, but they write. Dear Holly and Tracy, after loving your podcast for many years, I finally have to write to you. I listened to the ballpoint pen episode last night while making dinner and my ears perked up. When you mentioned Marie Antoinette's ink splash splotch on her marriage certificate. That caught my attention because I thought I had seen that certificate and did not notice a stain. But it turns out I was mistaken. And it's the marriage contract, not the marriage certificate that I had seen. Apparently she was less nervous or had a better pen when she signed that. The marriage contract is kept at the library where I work, and I was pretty blown away when it casually showed up on my desk a few years ago. We were digitizing a large collection of autographs, and while it contained many very famous people's signatures, Marie Antoinette's marriage contract, as well as some sketches from Leonardo da Vinci really took the cake. And then there's a link to where they are as pet tax. I attached two pictures of the late Ernestine, who was fearless, nosy and opinionated, especially about proper bedtimes for her human and filled my life with so much joy every day she lived with me. I still miss her. Many thanks for the wonderful work you do. I hope you never get sick of it. I sure won't. Kind regards from Switzerland. Helena this is such a fun story and also like I think I would pass out if I had a Marie Antoinette signed document on my desk. So I'm glad you survived that encounter without apparently losing consciousness.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, this is also an email that I, I, I I fished out of our spam filter this morning which contained a number of legitimate emails. So we have said that like we read all the emails but can't answer all of them. We are seeming to have an uptick in the legitimate ones that wind up in spam for some reason.

[Holly Fry]

And Ernestine was indeed an adorable, beautiful baby. So I am glad that she got to live a life very, very loved. If you would like to write to us, although I don't know what you could tell us that would be more brain breaking than having a document in your hands that Marie Antoinette signed. But you could try, try, try to try to surprise us. I'm sure you can. It's really not that hard. You can write to us@history podcastheartradio.com you can also find us through the iHeartRadio app and you can subscribe there or anywhere else you listen to your favorite shows.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Ice Cube]

Ice Cube's Big Three is the surprise hit of the summer this Saturday, 4pm Eastern on CBS with playoff elimination on the line, the most physical, fiercest and competitive basketball in the world. Miami's Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson must win to make the playoffs, and breakout star Dwight Howard of the LA Riot will battle Gary Payton's Boston squad in a do or die match for both teams. Six teams are allowed for four spots and all must win. There's no crying in the big three, and the no hold spot action starts Saturday at 4pm Eastern, 1pm Pacific, presented by iHeart.

[Lola Blanc]

Everyone thinks they'd never join a cult.

[Megan Elizabeth]

But it happens all the time to.

[Lola Blanc]

People just like you and people just like us.

[Manny]

I'm Lola Blanc.

[Megan Elizabeth]

And I'm Megan Elizabeth. We're the hosts of Trust Me, a podcast about cults manipulation and the psychology of belief.

[Lola Blanc]

Each week we talk to fellow survivors, former believers and experts to understand why people get pulled in and how they get out.

[Megan Elizabeth]

Trust me. New episodes every Wednesday on Exactly right. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Lithgow]

Hello, I'm John Lithgow.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We choose to go to the moon.

[John Lithgow]

I want to tell you about my new fiction podcast, One Small Step for Man, about Buzz Aldrin, one of the true pioneers of space. You're a great pilot, Buzz. That's the story you think you know. This is the story you don't. Buzz starring me, John Lithgow, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Crawford]

I'm Bob Crawford, host of American History Hotline, a different type of podcast. You, the listener, ask the questions.

[Holly Fry]

Did George Washington really cut down a cherry tree?

[Lola Blanc]

Were JFK and Marilyn Monroe having an affair?

[Bob Crawford]

And I find the answers. I am so glad you asked me this question.

[Holly Fry]

This is such a ridiculous story.

[Bob Crawford]

You can listen to American History Hotline on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This is an iHeart podcast.