George Leslie

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George Leonidas Leslie was an architect turned robber who was known to law enforcement and the underworld as a criminal genius.

As a young man Leslie studied architecture at the University of Cincinnati. He graduated with high honors. After graduation he moved to New York, and for reasons unknown, joined the criminal underground. By 1874 he was at the head of the most successful gang of bankrobbers known.

Leslie would spend up to three years planning a robbery. After selecting his target (usually a bank), he would obtain, if possible, the building's blueprints. If these were not to be had, he would sometimes rent a safe-deposit box. This gave him an excuse to spend time in the building and observe its layout and operation. Othertimes he would get one of his men hired as a watchman or porter, and this spy would gain the information for him.

Leslie had a model of almost every make and model of vault and safe used in the United States. Before a robbery would be committed, Leslie would find out what type of vault or safe his target used, and then spent up to a week figuring out how to open it without the combination. (Gangs of New York, 188)

When he was certain that the robbery could be committed without being caught, Leslie would select his accomplices and explain to them how to execute the robbery. Sometimes he would set up a room to resemble the inside of the target so that his men could practice the robbery while Leslie watched.

From 1874-1884 it is estimated that Leslie's gang was responsible for 80% of America's bank robberies. (Gangs of New York, 186) During this time he planned and executed over a hundred robberies and stole between seven and twelve million dollars.

In his later years he became a consultant for other robbers. For a price he would travel to wherever the robbery was to take place and plan how the operation should go. This part of his life did not last very long. He had fallen for a couple of women, and by 1884 was spending more time with them than he was on his work. His gang lost faith in his abilities, and on June 4, 1884 he was found murdered. His murder was never solved.

[edit] Sources

• Asbury, Herbert. Gangs of New York. Published in 1927.