Jimmy Hope
James "Old Jimmy" Hope | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1836 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | June 2, 1905 (aged 69) |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery |
| Other names | Old Jimmie Hope, Old Man Hope, Gentleman Jim and James J. Watson |
| Occupation | Criminal |
| Known for | New York burglar, bank robber and underworld figure; he was a member of the Leslie Gang. |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Children | 2 sons, 2 daughters |
| Relatives | Johnny Hope (son) |
James "Old Jimmy" Hope (c. 1836 – June 2, 1905) was a 19th-century American burglar, bank robber and underworld figure in Philadelphia and later New York City. He was considered one of the most successful and sought after bank burglars in the United States during his lifetime as well as a skilled escape artist for his repeated breakouts from Auburn State Prison in New York.
A pioneering career criminal and safe-cracker, he planned and took part in many of the major robberies of the post-American Civil War era including those of the Kensington Savings Bank and, in partnership with Ned Lyons, the Ocean Bank and Philadelphia Navy Yard. He worked with George Leonidas Leslie on the 1869 Ocean National Bank robbery, the 1876 Northampton Bank robbery, and the 1878 Manhattan Savings Institution robbery.