John D. Grady
Encyclopedia
John D. "Traveling Mike" Grady (died September 30, 1880) was a New York criminal and, as leader of the Grady Gang
, financed and organized many of the major burglaries of the 19th century. One of the most prominent fences in the underworld, he was a rival of Fredericka Mandelbaum
.
Although a diamond broker by profession, Grady was known in New York and throughout the United States a major figure in the criminal world during the mid-to-late 19th century. He reportedly made a frequent habit of carrying a sachel which he often claimed contained valuables from watches to diamonds and jewelry which he boasted valued between $125,000-$150,000.
His body was found in his Sixth Avenue
office and, although relatives believed his death to be foul play, an autopsy reported he had died of cardiac congestion related to his suffering pneumonia
during the previous months.
Grady Gang
The Grady Gang was a New York sneak thief gang during the 1860s. Organized by fence John D. "Traveling Mike" Grady following the American Civil War, the Grady Gang operated in Broadway's "Thieves Exchange" where Grady would regularly purchase around $10,000 in stolen goods.He soon formed his own...
, financed and organized many of the major burglaries of the 19th century. One of the most prominent fences in the underworld, he was a rival of Fredericka Mandelbaum
Fredericka Mandelbaum
Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum was a New York entrepreneur and operated as a criminal fence to many of the street gangs and criminals of the city's underworld, handling between $1-5 million in stolen goods between 1862 until 1884. Like her principal rival John D...
.
Although a diamond broker by profession, Grady was known in New York and throughout the United States a major figure in the criminal world during the mid-to-late 19th century. He reportedly made a frequent habit of carrying a sachel which he often claimed contained valuables from watches to diamonds and jewelry which he boasted valued between $125,000-$150,000.
His body was found in his Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)
Sixth Avenue – officially Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown"...
office and, although relatives believed his death to be foul play, an autopsy reported he had died of cardiac congestion related to his suffering pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
during the previous months.