Criminal Collection (#76)

Policeman dragging away a criminal at Christmas
A Policeman dragging away a criminal at Christmas toward the Black Maria. His woebegone expresion is the perfect accompaniment to the caption

French highwaymen
A group of French highwaymen take control of a passing carriage, blindfolding the victim and marching him away, with gun against his head. Date: 1899

Songs for a highwayman
Three songs sung by highwaymen: Hurrah for the Road, I ll ask the Sylph who round thee flies and Waving Greenwood Tree. All upbeat and merry, revelling in their life of crime. Date: 1845

Highwaymen at Kentish Town
Two women are robbed and bound by highwaymen in the fields near Kentish Town. Date: 19th Century

French gang of robbers
Two female members of a French gang of robbers, known as chauffeurs who spread terror across France during the last years of the 18th century. Date: 1790s

Frontispiece to Dodds Discourses
The frontispiece to a publication by William Dodd, an English forger and cleric. Date: 19th Century

Nina Lassave, beloved and alleged accomplice of Guiseppe Fieschi, would-be assassin of King Louis Philippe of France. Date: 1835

Outlaw in the American West
An outlaw in the American West shoots from up on a hill at travellers in the valley below. Date: 1888

Charles Price
The notorious swindler and bank-note forger, Charles Price, who committed suicide in 1786. Date: 18th Century

French highwayman
A French highwayman surprises a passing coach and horse, shooting the driver a point blank range. Date: c. 1894

Highwaymen in Germany
A carriage is attacked in the woods by a gang of highwaymen in Germany. Chaos ensues. Date: 13th Century

Stagecoach robbery by women bandits
" Old Man Harverys six pretty and buxom daughters captured while holding up a stage coach near Salmon City, Idaho, by a Sheriffs posse". Date: 19th Century

Title page of Smiths History
Title page of Smiths The History of the Lives of the most Noted Highwaymen, Housebreakers, Shop-lifts and Cheats. Date: 1714

A street riot on Giltspur Street, London
Crowds attack the carriage in which Mr Sloane is riding as he travels to court, accused of horrendous cruelty to a servant girl

L Abbe de la Coste
The French forger, L Abbe de la Coste, looks rather disgruntled, having been tied to a post, hands bound, a dog relieving itself on him

Bandits in Italy
A group of Italian bandits accost an unsuspecting traveller, threatening him with their rifles and stealing anything of value. 19th Century

Bandits in Germany
German bandits attack their victims, one thrown to the ground and one pinned against a tree, during the Thirty Years War. 1643

Bulgarian bandit
Portrait of a Pomak bandit, Yako, hanged at Sophia in June 1889. 1889

Vincenzo Cibolla
The Italian brigand, Vicenzo Cibolla who was eventually caught in 1861. 1860s

Heads of captured Greek bandits
A gruesome engraving showing the severed heads of seven Greek captured bandits nailed to a wall. 1870s

German highwaymen
A group of mounted highwaymen ride out from the woods to attack a passing convoy of wagons, presumably laden with things that the bandits might like to steal. 14th Century

The bandit, Antonio Gomez Rivera
Antonio Gomez Rivera, El Herrero (The Blacksmith), is flanked by two police officers following his capture in 1908. 1908

Harry Power, Australian bushranger is captured
The Australian bushranger, Harry Power is captured by Superintendents, Nicholson and Hare. 19th Century

Chiavone
The Italian brigand, Chiavone, chief of the robbers. 19th Century

Male Quarters, Broadmoor Asylum, Berkshire
Exterior of blocks housing male patients at Broadmoor Asylum, Berkshire. The institution opened in 1863 as the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Date: Date unknown

A Balkan mountain brigand, rifle in hand, sword in holster, uses his vantage point to search for unsuspecting victims. 1779

Italian bandits
A family of Italian bandits including a very young child, hide out in a ruined building, hoping that the officers scouring the countryside below, don t discover them. 17th Century

George Sontag, American train robber who was imprisoned in 1894, and pardoned in 1908. Date: 19th Century

Brothers rob a train at Rocky Cut
Brothers rob a train on the Missouri Pacific Railway at Rocky Cut. 19th Century

A mother dedicates her infant son as a thief Date: 1910

Discovery of Captain Grant and his band
Captain Grant and his gang of Irish freebooters are discovered by a group of officers whilst hiding in a cave 1816

Rosolino Pilo
The Sicilian mafia bandit, Rosolino Pilo. 19th Century

Russian brigands
A group of Russian brigands attack Luganski Monastry to steal precious icons. They retire after killing four people and losing four of their own men too. 1909

William Fredericks
The American stage robber, William Fredericks who was eventually caught and hanged. Date: 19th Century

Ned Kelly- Fight at Glenrowan
Attack on the Kelly gang at Glenrowan. The police finally managed to overcome the gang, killing three of its members and capturing Ned Kelly himself. 1880

The Strangler
A menacing portrait of the Strangler Date: 1883

Charles Bole, American stage robber, known as Black Bart. Date: 19th Century

Bandits attack an express train in America Date: c. 1870

Carl Herman, who discovered the loots of the Browning-Brady train robbery but could only carry away $30, 000 of it. Date: 19th Century

German robbers during the Peasants War
A chaotic scene during the Peasants War showing a group of German robbers, some preparing for their next attack whilst others count the loot from a previous haul. 1530s

John Younger, American train robber
Member of the notorious James-Younger gang, John Younger. 1889

Train robbers in America
Train robbers steal $12000 in New Mexico

chris, evans, american, train, robber
Chris Evans, American train robber, who worked with the Sontag brothers; he was caught and imprisoned in 1894. Date: 19th Century

Ned Kelly- Ann Joness The Glenrowan Inn
The hotel in Glenrowan after the siege. Ned Kelly and his gang attempted to derail a train carrying a number of police officers

frank, reno, american, bandit
Frank Reno, American bandit Date: c. 1866

Grattan Dalton, American train robber, who was killed in a bank raid in 1892 Date: 19th Century

James Whitney seized by a bear while cattle stealing Date: 1680s

John Sontag, American train robber who died in jail in 1893 from wounds inflicted in his last fight. Date: 19th Century

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"The Criminal: A Glimpse into the Dark World" Step into the realm of crime, where shadows dance and secrets unfold. Antonio Maria Fabres y Costa's captivating painting, "The Thief, " portrays a figure shrouded in mystery, his eyes gleaming with cunning as he plots his next move. Influenced by notorious outlaws like Butch Cassidy and his gang, known as "The Wild Bunch, " we delve into a time when bank and train robbers reigned supreme. Their audacious exploits left law enforcement baffled and ordinary citizens captivated by their daring escapades. As we explore the underbelly of society, William Hogarth's plate III from "A Rake's Progress" reveals a world of debauchery and moral decay. In this scene titled "Revelling with Harlots, " we witness the consequences that befall those who succumb to temptation. Fingerprints sheets become crucial evidence at London's Old Bailey, where justice is served for crimes committed. The weighty gavel falls upon those found guilty while Gustave Doré's haunting wood engraving depicts Newgate Prison's exercise yard—a chilling reminder of lost freedom. From infamous events like "The Great Train Robbery" to real-life criminals such as Salvatore Giuliano, whose actions shook Sicily to its core—crime has always held an undeniable allure. Satire on phrenology reminds us that even scientific theories attempted to decipher criminal minds but often fell short in understanding their complexities. Enter the realm of fiction with Sherlock Holmes locked in mortal combat against Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls—the iconic moment immortalized by Sidney Paget’s wood engraving for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Final Problem. ” Holmes' battle against evil showcases both the brilliance and darkness within humanity. Through these glimpses into history and artistry, we are reminded that behind every criminal lies a story.