was an English gentleman burglar, confidence man, sneak thief and pickpocket active in the United States during the mid-to late 19th century.

Among his exploits included the daylight robbery of the Royal Insurance Company in 1866 and was an alleged participant in the theft of $1,000,000 from industrialist Rufus L. Lord arraigned by George Leonidas Leslie in 1876.

It soon became a popular spot for thieves, burglars and other underworld figures, where Noble became closely associated with the "Long Doctor", "Big" Jack Connolly and Johnny Murphy under whose tutelage he was encouraged to enter the trade himself.

In his first attempt at burglary however, he was caught trying to rob a house on East Twenty-Third Street, and had in his possession nippers, a jimmy and a skeleton key.

Although he was successful in this trade, he was drawn back into crime after becoming acquainted with a group of "till-tappers", Jimmy Price and brothers Fred, Scott and George Newton, whom he later joined.

"He considered it required less skill, less adroitness, and less nerve to slip his fingers into a woman's pocket, and secure the contents, than to jump into a basement and scurry off with whatever he could catch.".

[5] He later headed a group of sneak thieves including Jimmy Griffin, Frank Knapp and Jack Tierney, whose activities he planned and financed.

He intended to return to Washington, DC that same night or early the next morning however, while wandering around the rotunda and public rooms of the hotel Pinkerton was approached by two men.

He convinced the men that he was an army contractor, in town to buy a thousand cavalry horses, and implied that he was carrying a considerable sum.

Upon gaining entry into the gambling resort, and armed with a pistol concealed in his pocket, he bided his time as the two "steerers" as well as other gamblers encouraged him to play.

One of the men, described as "a young man about 30 years of age and having the appearance of an able commercial traveler on a fine salary", took a seat on the opposite side of the table of McDonald and immediately began speaking to him about terms of life insurance policies.

He then explained that he and several others were preparing to go down the Mississippi River to New Orleans on business for their respective companies and were interested in obtaining life insurance during their extended trip to the South.

A few minutes later, the young man concluded his business with the agent, thanking him for his kindness and attention, and promised to call him after consulting his friends.

Griffin met Noble and Tierney outside to delivering the box then returned to the office where he made his excuses and left the building with Knapp following soon after.

He visited France for a brief time, on the Paris Bourse in 1873, he was caught attempting to rob a broker's office and sentenced to five years penal servitude.