Boston Curiosities by Ted Clarke

Author:Ted Clarke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing Inc.
Published: 2013-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

THE HIGHWAYMAN

Some strange things have occurred in Boston, starting way back. Take the case of the Highwayman, James Allen. Allen had a long career in crime, including armed robbery. He was known for robbing travelers, and one of them was John Fenno Jr. of Springfield, whom he met on a road north of Boston.

Unlike most victims, the muscular Fenno did not hand over his wallet. Instead, he grabbed Allen and wrestled with him. Allen pulled a gun on Fenno, aimed it at his midsection and pulled the trigger. He hit him square on, but Fenno didn’t die because the buckle on his suspender deflected the bullet. Allen wasn’t as lucky as Fenno. He was eventually caught and jailed as he had been many times before. This time would be his last. He became ill and lay dying, but dictated an account of his life of crime to his jailer. He called it The Highwayman, and he had it published.

As he thought back on his ill-spent days, Allen (who went by several other names) recalled the bravery of Fenno and directed that a copy of his biography be bound in Allen’s own skin and given to Fenno. Fenno’s daughter later gave it to the Boston Atheneum at 10½ Beacon Street, where it remains to this day.

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