Thomas F. Byrnes: Difference between revisions

Thomas F. Byrnes
Thomas F. Byrnes
	Photograph of Byrnes published in his 1886 book Professional Criminals of America
Born	June 15, 1842; Dublin, Ireland
Died	May 7, 1910 (aged 67); Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Signature

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 12:21, 27 May 2024

Thomas F. Byrnes (June 15, 1842 – May 7, 1910) was an Irish-born American police officer, who served as head of the New York City Police Department detective department from 1880 until 1895, who popularized the terms "rogues' gallery" and "third degree".^[1]

Biography

Born in Dublin, Ireland to James and Rose Byrnes, he immigrated to New York City as a child. He worked as a skilled gas-fitter until the start of the Civil War. He enlisted with Elmer E. Ellsworth's "Zouaves" in 1861 and served two years with that unit. After his service, Byrnes became a firefighter, joining Hose Company No. 21 in New York City. He remained as a firefighter until December 10, 1863, when he was appointed a police officer.^[2]

Byrnes rose in the ranks, first as a patrolman, then becoming a sergeant in 1869 and a captain in 1870. He gained renown through solving the Manhattan Savings Bank robbery of 1878. He became Detective Bureau chief in 1880.^[3] As inspector, Byrnes quickly won national distinction. He increased the detective force from 28 to 40 men. In four years it made 3,300 arrests. In 1882, he obtained legislative approval of changes in the department which gave him immense power. In 1886, Byrnes instituted the "Mulberry Street Morning Parade" of arrested suspects before the assembled detectives in the hope they would recognize suspects and link them to more crimes. Also that year, his book Professional Criminals of America^[4] was published. He built up a book of photographs of criminals, which he called the "Rogues' Gallery".

Byrnes was one of the people who popularized the third degree due to his brutal questioning of suspected criminals. From the descriptions, the third degree as practiced by Byrnes was a combination of physical and psychological torture.^[5] Byrnes's techniques were popularized in a series of novels by his friend Julian Hawthorne, son of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, including The Great Bank Robbery, An American Penman, and A Tragic Mystery in 1887 and Section 558 and Another's Crime in 1888.^[6] Jacob A. Riis, who as police reporter for the New York Sun knew Byrnes well, declared that he was "a great actor", and hence a great detective. Riis called him an unscrupulous "big policeman" and a veritable giant in his time.^[7]

In 1891, three years after publicly criticizing London police officials on the way they handled the Jack the Ripper investigations, Byrnes was faced with a similar crime in New York. Amid mammoth publicity, Byrnes accused an Algerian, Ameer Ben Ali (nicknamed Frenchy) of the crime. He was convicted despite the evidence against him being doubtful, but pardoned eleven years later.^[8] Byrnes also successfully obtained a confession from gang leader Mike McGloin, who was convicted and executed for the murder of a tavern-owner during a robbery.

In 1895, the new president of the New York City Police Commission, future President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt, compelled him to resign as part of Roosevelt's drive to rid the force of corruption.^[9] In later life, Byrnes became an insurance investigator, opening a detective agency on Wall Street.

The television documentary Secrets of New York episode of October 22, 2013, credited Byrnes as "a man who invented America's modern detective bureau."^[10]

Death

He died on May 7, 1910, at 9 o'clock at his home, 318 West Seventy-seventh Street, of stomach cancer. He was surrounded by his wife Ophelia and five daughters.^[1] His funeral was at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament at Broadway and Seventy-first Street in Manhattan, New York City.^[11]

In fiction

Julian Hawthorne's series of five novels between 1887 and 1888 were collectively called From the Diaries of Inspector Byrnes^[12]
Byrnes was featured as a fictional character in Jack Finney's time travel novel, Time and Again.
In addition, he was a character in the juvenile detective series, Broadway Billy, as well as a number of other detective "dime novels".
His name appeared as the author on the fictional turn-of-the-century true-crime novel The Bone Collector, which was featured in the film of the same name.
Byrnes also appeared in Caleb Carr's novel The Alienist. In the television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ted Levine.
Byrnes appeared as a character in Rick Yancey's The Curse of the Wendigo.
Byrnes appeared in issues 696 to 699 of italian comic book series Tex.

References

^ ^a ^b "Ex-chief Byrnes Dies Of Cancer. Best Known of All the City's Police Officials Had Been Ill Since August". New York Times. May 8, 1910.
^ History of the New York Fire Department, Ch. 32, Part II Archived 2006-05-10 at the Wayback Machine
^ New York Press article about Byrnes, by William Bryk Archived June 27, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
^ Byrnes, Thomas. Professional Criminals of America Vol 3. New York: Cassell and Company 1886.
^ XIII. Roosevelt comes—Mulberry Street’s Golden Age. Riis, Jacob A. 1901. The Making of an American
^ Panek, LeRoy Lad. The Origins of the American Detective Story. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-2776-5
^ America The Story of Us — Episode 7: Cities — History.com Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ Wolf Vanderlinden, "The New York Affair" Ripper Notes -- part one issue 16 (July 2003); part two #17 (January 2004)[1], part three #19 (July 2004 ISBN 0-9759129-0-9)
^ Investigative Historical Timeline Archived 2006-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
^ Secrets of New York We the Italians
^ "Notables At Byrnes Funeral. Representatives Of City Life Honor Former Head Of Police Department". New York Times. May 11, 1910.
^ Panek, LeRoy Lad. The Origins of the American Detective Story. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-2776-5

External links

Works by Thomas F. Byrnes at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)

[obit-1] "Ex-chief Byrnes Dies Of Cancer. Best Known of All the City's Police Officials Had Been Ill Since August". New York Times. May 8, 1910.

[2] History of the New York Fire Department, Ch. 32, Part II Archived 2006-05-10 at the Wayback Machine

[3] New York Press article about Byrnes, by William Bryk Archived June 27, 2004, at the Wayback Machine

[4] Byrnes, Thomas. Professional Criminals of America Vol 3. New York: Cassell and Company 1886.

[5] XIII. Roosevelt comes—Mulberry Street’s Golden Age. Riis, Jacob A. 1901. The Making of an American

[6] Panek, LeRoy Lad. The Origins of the American Detective Story. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-2776-5

[7] America The Story of Us — Episode 7: Cities — History.com Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine

[8] Wolf Vanderlinden, "The New York Affair" Ripper Notes -- part one issue 16 (July 2003); part two #17 (January 2004)[1], part three #19 (July 2004 ISBN 0-9759129-0-9)

[9] Investigative Historical Timeline Archived 2006-05-15 at the Wayback Machine

[10] Secrets of New York We the Italians

[11] "Notables At Byrnes Funeral. Representatives Of City Life Honor Former Head Of Police Department". New York Times. May 11, 1910.

[12] Panek, LeRoy Lad. The Origins of the American Detective Story. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-2776-5

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Irish-born New York City firefighter, police officer and detective}}
+{{about||the American politician from New York|Thomas F. Byrnes (politician)}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
 {{Infobox person
-| name =Thomas F. Byrnes
+| name = Thomas F. Byrnes
 | image = Thomas F. Byrnes.jpg
 | image_size =
 | caption = Photograph of Byrnes published in his 1886 book ''Professional Criminals of America''
 | birth_name =
-| birth_date =June 15, 1842
+| birth_date = June 15, 1842
-| birth_place =[[Dublin, Ireland]]
+| birth_place = [[Dublin, Ireland]]
 | death_date = {{death date and age|1910|5|7|1842|6|15}}
-|death_place= [[Manhattan, New York City]]
+| death_place = [[Manhattan, New York City]], U.S.
+| signature = Signature of Thomas F. Byrnes.png
 }}
-'''Thomas F. Byrnes''' (June 15, 1842 – May 7, 1910) was an Irish-born American [[police officer]], who served as head of the [[New York City Police Department]] detective department from 1880 until 1895, who popularized the term [[rogues gallery]].<ref name=obit/>
+'''Thomas F. Byrnes''' (June 15, 1842 – May 7, 1910) was an Irish-born American [[police officer]], who served as head of the [[New York City Police Department]] detective department from 1880 until 1895, who popularized the terms "[[rogues' gallery]]" and "[[wikt:third degree#English|third degree]]".<ref name=obit/>
 ==Biography==
-Born in [[Dublin, Ireland]] to James and Rose Byrnes, he immigrated to [[New York City|New York]] as a child.  He worked as a skilled gas-fitter until the start of the Civil War. He enlisted with [[Elmer E. Ellsworth]]'s "[[11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment|Zouaves]]" in 1861 and served two years with that unit. After his service, Byrnes became a firefighter, joining Hose Company No. 21 in New York City. He remained as a firefighter until December 10, 1863, when he was appointed a police officer.<ref>[http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/fire/31-40/ch32pt2.html ''History of the New York Fire Department'', Ch. 32, Part II]</ref>
+Born in [[Dublin, Ireland]] to James and Rose Byrnes, he immigrated to [[New York City]] as a child. He worked as a skilled gas-fitter until the start of the Civil War. He enlisted with [[Elmer E. Ellsworth]]'s "[[11th New York Infantry Regiment|Zouaves]]" in 1861 and served two years with that unit. After his service, Byrnes became a firefighter, joining Hose Company No. 21 in New York City. He remained as a firefighter until December 10, 1863, when he was appointed a police officer.<ref>[http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/fire/31-40/ch32pt2.html ''History of the New York Fire Department'', Ch. 32, Part II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510011022/http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/fire/31-40/ch32pt2.html |date=2006-05-10 }}</ref>
 [[File:Insignia of 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.jpg|thumb|120px|left|Insignia of Byrnes' regiment, the 11th N.Y (1861)]]
-Byrnes rose in the ranks, first as a patrolman, then becoming a sergeant in 1869 and a captain in 1870. He gained renown through solving the Manhattan Savings Bank robbery of 1878. He became [[Detective]] Bureau chief in 1880.<ref>[http://www.nypress.com/14/35/news&columns/oldsmoke.cfm ''New York Press'' article about Byrnes, by William Bryk] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040627173251/http://www.nypress.com/14/35/news&columns/oldsmoke.cfm |date=June 27, 2004 }}</ref> As inspector, Byrnes quickly won national distinction. He increased the detective force from 28 to 40 men. In four years it made 3,300 arrests. In 1882, he obtained legislative approval of changes in the department which gave him immense power. In 1886, Byrnes instituted the "Mulberry Street Morning Parade" of arrested suspects before the assembled detectives in the hope they would recognize suspects and link them to more crimes. Also that year, his book ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Zo4_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA368&dq=joseph+Clark+executed+1853&hl=en&ei=cw-_ToubGKXo0QH1wry5BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=joseph%20Clark%20executed%201853&f=false Professional Criminals of America]''<ref>Byrnes, Thomas. ''Professional Criminals of America Vol 3''. New York: Cassell and Company 1886.</ref> was published. He built up a book of photographs of criminals, which he called the "[[Rogues Gallery]]".
+Byrnes rose in the ranks, first as a patrolman, then becoming a sergeant in 1869 and a captain in 1870. He gained renown through solving the Manhattan Savings Bank robbery of 1878. He became [[Detective]] Bureau chief in 1880.<ref>[http://www.nypress.com/14/35/news&columns/oldsmoke.cfm ''New York Press'' article about Byrnes, by William Bryk]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040627173251/http://www.nypress.com/14/35/news%26columns/oldsmoke.cfm |date=June 27, 2004 }}</ref> As inspector, Byrnes quickly won national distinction. He increased the detective force from 28 to 40 men. In four years it made 3,300 arrests. In 1882, he obtained legislative approval of changes in the department which gave him immense power. In 1886, Byrnes instituted the "Mulberry Street Morning Parade" of arrested suspects before the assembled detectives in the hope they would recognize suspects and link them to more crimes. Also that year, his book ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Zo4_AAAAYAAJ&dq=joseph+Clark+executed+1853&pg=PA368 Professional Criminals of America]''<ref>Byrnes, Thomas. ''Professional Criminals of America Vol 3''. New York: Cassell and Company 1886.</ref> was published. He built up a book of photographs of criminals, which he called the "Rogues' Gallery".
-[[File:Bandit's Roost by Jacob Riis.jpeg|thumb|150px|Bandit's Roost, a [[Mulberry Street (Manhattan)|Mulberry Street]] back alley, photographed by [[Jacob Riis]] in 1888. An example of the jurisdiction Byrnes was tasked with policing]]
+[[File:Bandits Roost, 59 and a half Mulberry Street.jpg|thumb|150px|Bandit's Roost, a [[Mulberry Street (Manhattan)|Mulberry Street]] back alley, photographed by [[Jacob Riis]] in 1888. An example of the jurisdiction Byrnes was tasked with policing.]]
+Byrnes was one of the people who popularized the third degree due to his brutal questioning of suspected criminals. From the descriptions, the third degree as practiced by Byrnes was a combination of physical and psychological torture.<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/207/13.html XIII. Roosevelt comes—Mulberry Street’s Golden Age. Riis, Jacob A. 1901. ''The Making of an American'']</ref> Byrnes's techniques were popularized in a series of novels by his friend [[Julian Hawthorne]], son of novelist [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], including ''The Great Bank Robbery'', ''An American Penman'', and ''A Tragic Mystery'' in 1887 and ''Section 558'' and ''Another's Crime'' in 1888.<ref>Panek, LeRoy Lad. ''The Origins of the American Detective Story''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2776-5}}</ref> [[Jacob A. Riis]], who as police reporter for the ''New York Sun'' knew Byrnes well, declared that he was "a great actor", and hence a great detective. Riis called him an unscrupulous "big policeman" and a veritable giant in his time.<ref>[http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/articles/episode-7-cities America The Story of Us — Episode 7: Cities — History.com<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727092719/http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/articles/episode-7-cities |date=2011-07-27 }}</ref>
-Byrnes' brutal questioning of suspected criminals popularized the term "[[third degree (interrogation)|the third degree]]",<ref>[http://www.barrypopik.com/article/200/third-degree] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316190358/http://www.barrypopik.com/article/200/third-degree |date=March 16, 2006 }}</ref> which was apparently coined by Byrnes. From the descriptions, the third degree as practiced by Byrnes was a combination of physical and psychological torture.<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/207/13.html XIII. Roosevelt comes—Mulberry Street’s Golden Age. Riis, Jacob A. 1901. ''The Making of an American'']</ref>
+In 1891, three years after publicly criticizing London police officials on the way they handled the [[Jack the Ripper]] investigations, Byrnes was faced with a [[Carrie Brown (murder victim)|similar crime]] in New York. Amid mammoth publicity, Byrnes accused an [[Algeria]]n, Ameer Ben Ali (nicknamed Frenchy) of the crime. He was convicted despite the evidence against him being doubtful, but pardoned eleven years later.<ref>Wolf Vanderlinden, "The New York Affair" ''Ripper Notes'' -- part one issue 16 (July 2003); part two #17 (January 2004)[http://rippernotes.com/carrie-brown-murder-part2.html], part three #19 (July 2004 {{ISBN|0-9759129-0-9}})</ref> Byrnes also successfully obtained a confession from gang leader [[Mike McGloin]], who was convicted and executed for the murder of a tavern-owner during a robbery.
-[[Jacob A. Riis]], who as police reporter for the ''New York Sun'' knew Byrnes well, declared that he was "a great actor", and hence a great detective. Riis called him an unscrupulous "big policeman" and a veritable giant in his time.<ref>[http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/articles/episode-7-cities America The Story of Us — Episode 7: Cities — History.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
+In 1895, the new president of the New York City Police Commission, future President of the United States [[Theodore Roosevelt]], compelled him to resign as part of Roosevelt's drive to rid the force of corruption.<ref>[http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/nute/history.html Investigative Historical Timeline] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515222614/http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/nute/history.html |date=2006-05-15 }}</ref> In later life, Byrnes became an insurance investigator, opening a detective agency on Wall Street.
-In 1891, three years after publicly criticizing London police officials on the way they handled the [[Jack the Ripper]] investigations, Byrnes was faced with a [[Carrie Brown (murder victim)|similar crime]] in New York. Amid mammoth publicity, Byrnes accused an [[Algeria]]n, Ameer Ben Ali (nicknamed Frenchy) of the crime. He was convicted despite the evidence against him being doubtful, but pardoned eleven years later.<ref>Wolf Vanderlinden, “The New York Affair” ''Ripper Notes'' -- part one issue 16 (July 2003); part two #17 (January 2004)[http://rippernotes.com/carrie-brown-murder-part2.html], part three #19 (July 2004 ISBN 0-9759129-0-9)</ref> Byrnes also successfully obtained a confession from gang leader [[Mike McGloin]], who was convicted and executed for the murder of a tavern-owner during a robbery.
+The television documentary ''[[Secrets of New York]]'' episode of October 22, 2013, credited Byrnes as "a man who invented America's modern detective bureau."<ref>[http://www.wetheitalians.com/index.php/new-york-news/art-heritage-new-york/5333-secrets-of-new-york-detectives-nyc-life-premieres-tuesday-october-22-8-30pm Secrets of New York] We the Italians</ref>
-In 1895, the new president of the New York City Police Commission, future President of the United States [[Theodore Roosevelt]], compelled him to resign as part of Roosevelt's drive to rid the force of corruption.<ref>[http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/nute/history.html Investigative Historical Timeline]</ref> In later life, Byrnes became an insurance investigator, opening a detective agency on Wall Street.
-The television documentary ''[[Secrets of New York]]'' episode of 22 October 2013 credited Byrnes as "a man who invented America's modern detective bureau."<ref>[http://www.wetheitalians.com/index.php/new-york-news/art-heritage-new-york/5333-secrets-of-new-york-detectives-nyc-life-premieres-tuesday-october-22-8-30pm Secrets of New York] We the Italians</ref>
 ==Death==
-He died on May 7, 1910 at 9 o'clock at his home, 318 West Seventy-seventh Street, of [[stomach cancer]]. He was survived by his wife Ophelia and five daughters.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |author= |title=Ex-chief Byrnes Dies Of Cancer. Best Known of All the City's Police Officials Had Been Ill Since August |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9503E0D71539E433A2575BC0A9639C946196D6CF&legacy=true |quote= |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=May 8, 1910 }}</ref> His funeral was at the [[Church of the Blessed Sacrament]] at Broadway and Seventy-first Street in [[Manhattan, New York City]].<ref>{{cite news |author= |title=Notables At Byrnes Funeral. Representatives Of City Life Honor Former Head Of Police Department  |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D07EFDC1530E233A25752C1A9639C946196D6CF&legacy=true |quote= |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=May 11, 1910 }}</ref>
+He died on May 7, 1910, at 9 o'clock at his home, 318 West Seventy-seventh Street, of [[stomach cancer]]. He was surrounded by his wife Ophelia and five daughters.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |title=Ex-chief Byrnes Dies Of Cancer. Best Known of All the City's Police Officials Had Been Ill Since August |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1910/05/08/archives/exchief-byrnes-dies-of-cancer-best-known-of-all-the-citys-police-of.html |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=May 8, 1910 }}</ref> His funeral was at the [[Church of the Blessed Sacrament (Manhattan)|Church of the Blessed Sacrament]] at Broadway and Seventy-first Street in [[Manhattan, New York City]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Notables At Byrnes Funeral. Representatives Of City Life Honor Former Head Of Police Department  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1910/05/11/archives/notables-at-byrnes-funeral-representatives-of-city-life-honor.html |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=May 11, 1910 }}</ref>
 ==In fiction==
+*[[Julian Hawthorne]]'s series of five novels between 1887 and 1888 were collectively called ''From the Diaries of Inspector Byrnes''<ref>Panek, LeRoy Lad. ''The Origins of the American Detective Story''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.: 2006: 21. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2776-5}}</ref>
-Byrnes was featured as a fictional character in [[Jack Finney]]'s time travel novel, ''[[Time and Again (novel)|Time and Again]]'', and has now and then been a character in other historical novels. In addition, he was a character in the juvenile detective series, Broadway Billy, as well as a number of other detective "dime novels". His name appeared as the author on the fictional turn-of-the-century true-crime novel ''The Bone Collector'', which was featured in the film ''[[The Bone Collector]]''.  Byrnes also appeared in [[Caleb Carr]]'s novel ''[[The Alienist]]''.
+*Byrnes was featured as a fictional character in [[Jack Finney]]'s time travel novel, ''[[Time and Again (Finney novel)|Time and Again]]''.
+*In addition, he was a character in the juvenile detective series, ''Broadway Billy'', as well as a number of other detective "dime novels".
+*His name appeared as the author on the fictional turn-of-the-century true-crime novel ''The Bone Collector'', which was featured in the [[The Bone Collector|film of the same name]].
+*Byrnes also appeared in [[Caleb Carr]]'s novel ''[[The Alienist]]''.  In the [[The Alienist (TV series)|television adaptation]], he is portrayed by [[Ted Levine]].
+*Byrnes appeared as a character in [[Rick Yancey]]'s ''[[The Curse of the Wendigo]]''.
+*Byrnes appeared in issues 696 to 699 of italian comic book series [[Tex Willer|''Tex'']].
 ==References==
-{{Reflist|2}}
+{{Reflist}}
+==External links==
+{{commons category}}
+* {{Librivox author |id=16079}}
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 47: / Line 58: @@
 [[Category:American police detectives]]
 [[Category:New York City Police Department officers]]
-[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923)]]
+[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States]]
-[[Category:People from Dublin (city)]]
+[[Category:Anti-crime activists]]
+[[Category:Police officers from County Dublin]]

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	Germany United States Netherlands Israel Belgium
People	Trove DDB
Other	SNAC