Page 18 - All About History - Issue 28-15

Outlaws

Hall of Infamy Abagnale reportedly

ROGUES&REBELS times, once by scaling a
managed to escape
capture a number of
fence at an airport

The beloved folk heroes and dangerous real life FRANK ABAGNALE JR

criminals who played by their own rules, and often AMERICAN 27 APRIL 1948-PRESENT
Born in Bronxville, Abagnale committed
paidforitwiththeirlives his first con against his father, aged just
15. For the next six years he led the life
Ching Shih of a confidence trickster, adopting a host
CHINESE 1775-1844 of identities and making a fortune in the
Although her birth name is unknown, Ching Shih was a process. Abagnale began by committing
female prostitute who became one of China’s most feared bank fraud, but then set his sights higher
pirates. Shih was captured, but eventually married into by impersonating a pilot so he could travel
a family of successful pirates. Using her new power, she across the world for free, clocking up some 1
ran an impressive fleet of ships known as the Red Flag million miles on more than 250 flights. He
Fleet alongside her husband. The fleet grew from 200 then went on to pose as a physician,
ships to a reported 1,800. After her husband’s death, she attorney and teaching assistant
took charge and set up a strict code that allowed her Abagnale’s before he was finally caught. He
to take ownership of many coastal villages. When the exploits inspired has now put his life of crime
government offered amnesty to the uncontrollable fleet, the film Catch Me behind him, advising the FBI on
she negotiated for months, and was able to retire with all how to prevent fraud.
her loot and a new position in government. Shih took 17 illiterate women and If You Can starring
children into her negotiations with Leonardo
the government
DiCaprio “Letthehandof
USTRALIAN 1854-80
vides opinion today, Kelly’s first the law strike me
was aged 14, when he was down if it will, but
t and robbery. As he was
by police, he began to loathe Iaskmystorybe
d picked on the poor,
own back by rustling heard” Ned Kelly
with his gang. After
ing three policemen, the
n, now dubbed ‘the Kelly Juro Jánošík
ang’, went rogue, robbing SLOVAKIAN 1688-1713
anks and even attempting Jánošík was a Slovak highwayman
to take a whole town who has been transformed into a
hostage. Kelly was semi-legendary Robin Hood figure.
eventually captured and Born in the Kingdom of Hungary,
ntenced to death for his Jánošík joined the army and was
war against the police. employed as a prison guard. When he
The last words Kelly’s
mother said to him were helped a young prisoner escape, the two
“Mind you die like a Kelly” formed a highwayman group that mainly
targeted rich merchants. The group was
ARTACUS THRACIAN 111-71 BCE known for sparing the
le is known of Spartacus’s early life, but it is lives of their victims, as
mmonly believed that he was a soldier who deserted well as sharing their loot
d became a slave, then was sold as a gladiator. with the poor. He was
rtacus, along with a group of fellow gladiators, eventually captured and
naged to escape using kitchen implements. They sentenced to death. One
nded up fellow unsatisfied slaves and began a particularly grisly retelling
entuprisingknownastheThirdServileWar.The of his execution claims
elsachievedimpressivesuccessinitially,butwere Jánošík has been that he was pierced with
Despite common belief, ntuallydefeatedandSpartacuspresumeddeadin the subject of at a hook through his left
there’s no evidence of least nine films and side and left dangling on
Spartacus’s rebellion tle, though this was never confirmed.
aiming to abolish slavery countless books the gallows.
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