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.

After serving multiple prison terms he became a notorious hustler and conman.

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.

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