Mary Jane Jackson

Case record: Mary Jane “Bricktop” Jackson

Personal details

Mary Jane Jackson was known as “Bricktop.” She worked as a prostitute in New Orleans and roamed the streets of seedy New Orleans. She was described as “a husky, full-bodied strumpet whose mop of flaming red hair had earned her the sobriquet of Bricktop”.

She was “never bested in a brawl (against man or woman)”. She killed four men and stabbed many others during her career as a prostitute in New Orleans.

The offences

Mary Jane Jackson killed four men over about eight years in New Orleans and stabbed many others.

In 1856, she killed one man after he called her a whore. In the same period, she stabbed another man known as Long Charley. Long Charley was described as “almost seven feet tall.” Jackson used “a specially designed knife which had been made to her order from her own design”.

The knife was described as having “a heavy five-inch blade at each end, with a center grip handsomely mounted in German silver.” With this weapon, she could “slash, cut, and stab in any direction without changing the position of her hand.”

Other people involved

Mary Jane Jackson linked up with John Miller, who had been described as a former boxer and temporary jailer.

Miller had lost an arm and augmented his stump with “a formidable iron ball and chain,” which he used as a weapon.

Bridget Fury was described as a roommate who shared her violence with Mary Jane Jackson. Mary Jane Jackson moved into a house with Bridget Fury in 1857, after having been banned from the dance-houses, and became a prostitute out of necessity.

Timeline

• 1856 — Mary Jane Jackson clubbed one man to death after he called her a whore, and she stabbed another man known as Long Charley.
• 1857 — Mary Jane Jackson moved into a house with Bridget Fury after having been banned from the dance-houses.
• 1861 — Mary Jane Jackson was sentenced to 10 years for one count.
• Nine months later (when Union troops occupied New Orleans) — She was reprieved by a new governor.

The incident involving John Miller

John Miller threatened “Bricktop” with a cowhide whip. She grabbed the whip and delivered him a flogging instead.

During the struggle, Miller tried to strike her with the ferrous prosthetic on his arm. Jackson seized the iron orb in mid-air and “dragged him around the room by his own ball and chain.” She bit his hand when he pulled a knife, then used his own weapon to kill him.

Trial and sentencing

In 1861, Mary Jane Jackson was sentenced to 10 years for one count.

Appeals and outcome

Mary Jane Jackson was reprieved by a new governor when Union troops occupied New Orleans nine months later.

After her reprieve, she was never heard from again.

Aftermath and additional descriptions

She was described as a “serial killer” in later accounts. She was also described as having a “murderous-prostitute roommate,” identified as Bridget Fury. A later account described her as being “mentally ill” and “a complete psychopath,” and it framed her as having a “favorite knife she designed herself,” repeating the knife description that “it had a heavy five-inch blade at each end, with a center grip handsomely mounted in German silver.”

A later account stated that she “also-murderous-prostitute roommate” Bridget Fury was above. Another later account described her as “brutalized” John Miller, and it repeated that Miller had “lost his left arm” and “fastened AN IRON BALL AND CHAIN TO THE STUMP.”

The account described the situation by stating:

• “Miller threatened Bricktop with a whip and said she needed to be lashed.”
• Jackson “snatched the whip defensively and beat him.”
• Miller attacked with his iron ball.
• Jackson took the ball and used it to drag him down to the floor.
• As a last resort, Miller tried to stab her; she pushed him up against the wall and knifed him.