[RobbyS]

My theory is that the Irish came with the underdog's lack of respect for the law. To them the law was not based on principle but simply on the vested interests of the (Anglo-American) ruling class. Hence, getting around it was perfectly justified. This fit in perfectly with the general moral malaise of the Guilded Age, which was ushered in by the violence of the Civil War and occupation of the South. As I said, theory.