Originally written in 1886, Professional Criminals of America contains biographical sketches, including photographs, of over four hundred of the nation's leading criminals. Each profile details the crimes committed and the circumstances leading up to arrest and conviction. Thomas Byrnes is credited with popularizing the term ‘rogues gallery,’ and for both good and ill, according to the New York Times, Byrnes “shaped not just the New York City Detective Bureau, but the template for detective work…in every modern American metropolis.” Also included are short, informative chapters on criminal methods, executions, and fugitives from justice, along with intriguing chapters on mysterious unsolved murders, adventurers, and a list of every prison and state penitentiary in America at the original time of publication.
