Thomas Draper
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Shang" Draper was a professional criminal in New York City
.
Draper ran a waterfront saloon
in his native New York City where he performed a confidence scam
using an underage girl to lure a mark
to a dark hotel room (which Draper owned) only to rob him. Draper acquired his distinctive nickname "Shang" from the "Shanghaiing
" trick he used to play on his unsuspecting patrons. Draper would drug a bar patron with laudanum
and by the time the fellow awoke, he would have been pressed
into merchant marine or naval service, sometimes for a foreign land.
Draper was a contemporary of Frederika Mandelbaum, a notorious gangleader in her own right. Mandlebaum installed Draper, one of her trusted lieutenants, in a bank robbery
gang fronted by George Leslie.
Draper died in 1883 in New York.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Draper ran a waterfront saloon
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in his native New York City where he performed a confidence scam
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
using an underage girl to lure a mark
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
to a dark hotel room (which Draper owned) only to rob him. Draper acquired his distinctive nickname "Shang" from the "Shanghaiing
Shanghaiing
Shanghaiing refers to the practice of conscripting men as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery, intimidation, or violence. Those engaged in this form of kidnapping were known as crimps. Until 1915, unfree labor was widely used aboard American merchant ships...
" trick he used to play on his unsuspecting patrons. Draper would drug a bar patron with laudanum
Laudanum
Laudanum , also known as Tincture of Opium, is an alcoholic herbal preparation containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight ....
and by the time the fellow awoke, he would have been pressed
Impressment
Impressment, colloquially, "the Press", was the act of taking men into a navy by force and without notice. It was used by the Royal Navy, beginning in 1664 and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, in wartime, as a means of crewing warships, although legal sanction for the practice goes back to...
into merchant marine or naval service, sometimes for a foreign land.
Draper was a contemporary of Frederika Mandelbaum, a notorious gangleader in her own right. Mandlebaum installed Draper, one of her trusted lieutenants, in a bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
gang fronted by George Leslie.
Draper died in 1883 in New York.