Buy me a coffeeIkey “Fagin” Solomon
Ikey Solomon an English criminal who has is extremely successful receiver of stolen property. He gained unwanted fame for his crimes, escape from arrest, and his high-profile recapture and trial.
- Gender – Male
- Race – Human
- Occupation – Fence
- Religion –
- Allies –
- Enemies –
- Abode/ Base of operations – London, Kingdom of England
- Nationality – English
- Languages – English
- Alignment –
- Affiliation (s) –
- Significant others –
Early life and marriage
Ikey was born in the East End of London. He was one of nine children. His father, Henry Solomon, was a fence and introduced him to the criminal trade. Ikey married Ann the daughter of a coachmaster, of Aldgate.
Criminal life
Ikey opened a jeweller’s/pawn shop in London, in the vicinity of Petticoat Lane. Solomon used the shop to carry on business as a receiver of stolen goods, known as a fence, becoming one of the most active Londoners in the “trade”. He was arrested and found guilty of stealing a pocket book and bank notes. He was sentenced to penal transportation, to spend the rest of his days in Australia. However, he remained in England, imprisoned in a prison hulk for four years, before escaping.
Solomon returned to London and set up as a fence and pawn broker. He continued until Jonathan Wild seeing him as a rival had him arrested again with theft and receiving. Solomon was committed for trial and lodged in Newgate Prison.
The Turnkeys took him to Court where he was convicted and the guards led him to a hackney coach for the return to Newgate. Unknown to his captors, the coach was driven by Solomon’s father-in-law. The turnkeys approved a detour through Petticoat Lane. At a prearranged place, some of Solomon’s friends overpowered the guards and released Ikey.
Abscondment and his wife’s arrest
Ikey fled England, going first to Denmark and then to America, his escape from custody was prominent news throughout England. Enraged by his escape Wild arrested Solomon’s wife, Ann, and charged her with receiving stolen goods. She was found guilty and sentenced to penal transportation to Tasmania. The judge allowed Solomon’s children to accompany Ann on the transport ship. Ikey’s father was also charged with theft and transported despite his old age.
Journey to be with his wife
In New York, Ikey learned from newspapers that his family had been transported. He decided he would sail to Van Diemen’s Land to be with them. Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land ‘s capital, was the enforced home of many of Solomon’s old criminal colleagues and customers. These individuals quickly recognised Ikey when he arrived. Solomon’s London escape had made him a notorious fugitive, but he had not broken any laws in Van Diemen’s Land. As a result, he could not be arrested without a warrant from London . However unbeknown to Ikey the Colonial Office quickly wrote to London requesting one.
This warrant took 12 months to reach Van Diemen’s Land. In the meantime, Solomon opened a tobacco shop/general store in Hobart. He also began petitioning to have his wife assigned to his household. Ann Solomon had initially been assigned as a servant to a Colonial officer, but quarrels broke out and she was sent to the Van Diemen’s Land‘s Female House of Correction.
Ikey made a number of requests that Ann be assigned to him. Lieutenant-Governor Arthur finally agreed to the assignment after Ikey entered into a 1000gp bond to guarantee that his wife would not escape from the colony, and a number of local publicans and merchants, entered into sureties of 100 or 200gp each.
Arrest and return to England
When the warrant finally arrived and he was immediately arrested and placed on board a ship and sent back to England.
Trial and return to the penal colony
Ikey’s trial caused a sensation and was extensively reported in the newspapers and the pamphlets of the day. He was tried on eight charges of receiving stolen goods, found guilty on two, and sentenced to transportation for fourteen years. Solomon was sent back to Hobart where he became a convict constable.
Family break-up
When Ikey was released from prison he tried to reunite with his family. Solomon had become estranged from his wife and children and there were violent quarrels. The children took their mother’s part turned out their father out of his house. Ann Solomon was returned to the Female House of Correction as a result of some of these altercations. Ikey and Ann have lived apart for the remainder of their lives.
Ikey remained living at New Town until he received his certificate of freedom, after which he returned to London.
Current Activity
Described as “disgusting” to look at, Fagin is the leader of a group of children, the Artful Dodger among them, whom he teaches to make their livings by pickpocketing and other criminal activities in exchange for a roof over their heads. At the time of the novel, he is said by another character, Monks, to have already made criminals out of “scores” of children who grow up to live – or die – committing the same crimes as adults. Bill Sikes, one of the major villains of the novel, is hinted to be one of Fagin’s old pupils, and Nancy clearly was. Whilst portrayed as relatively humorous, he is nonetheless a self-confessed miser who, despite the amount he has acquired over the years from the work of others, does very little to improve the squalid lives of the children he takes in, allowing them to smoke pipes and drink gin “with the air of middle-aged men”. It is shown, that he cares less about those children who are eventually hanged for their crimes and more about the fact that they do not “peach” on him and the other children. Still darker sides to the character’s nature are shown in his attempted beating of Oliver for running away and allowing himself to be taken in by the kind man Mr. Brownlow, and in his own involvement with various plots and schemes throughout the story. He could also be said to be indirectly responsible for Nancy’s death, due to his informing Sikes – mistakenly – that she had betrayed him.
| Ikey “The Fagin” Solomon |
| Human CR 9 XP 6400 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 16, Touch 15, flat footed 12 ( Quilted Cloth, Shield, none) (+3 Dexterity, +1 armour, +1 feats, +1 deflection) |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 13, Dexterity 17, Constitution 11, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 8, Charisma 14 Base Attack 7 CMB 8 ; CMD 23 Feats: Coax Information (Ex), Fast Stealth, Rogue Crawl, Slow Reactions, Survivalist, Armour Prof Light, Deft Hands, Dodge, Evasion, Exotic Weapon Prof, Fast Picks (Ex), Simple Weapon Proficiency, Skill Focus (Escape Artist), Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand); Skills Acrobatics 9, Appraise 14, Bluff 15, Climb 1, Craft Locksmith 2, Diplomacy 6, Disable Device 7, Disguise 12, Escape Artist 22, Heal 0, Intimidate 2, Know Dungeon 1, Know Local 14, Linguistics 1, Perception 17, Perform Oratory 4, Sense Motive 12, Sleight of Hand 26, Stealth 16, Survival 5, Swim 1, Use Magic Device 8, Use Rope 5 Languages Common |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Evasion Reflex save no damage instead of 1/2 Grand Hoax (Ex) Gains the rumormonger advanced talent,Improved Uncanny Dodge Can no longer be flanked Natural Born Liar (Ex) If deceives with a Bluff, bluffed takes -2 penalty on Bluff checks for 24 hours Uncanny Dodge Retains Dexterity bonus if flat footed |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment Any Organization Company 10-20, Band 30-100, Squad 4-8 |
| MAGIC ITEMS (max value 10050) Total Value = 10900 |
| Lens of detection (+5) +5 perception + 5 survival, Bag of holding (Type I) 250 lbs, Horn of fog -, Potion of Undectable alignment -, Ring of Protection (+1) +1AC, Masterwork Club, Masterwork Pistol, coat, |