take it on the Arthur Duffy, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

take it on the Arthur Duffy v.

also do an Arthur Duffy, pull off an Arthur Duffy, take it on the Arthur K. Duffy, …the Dan O’Leary, …the Jesse Owens, take an Arthur Duffy

[proper name Arthur F. Duffy, US world record-holder of the 100-yard (100m) dash (1902–5); Dan O’Leary ‘the champion long distance walker of the world’ (fl. 1900s); Jesse Owens (1913–80), winner of four Olympic gold medals in the 1930s]

(US) to run, run off, to escape; thus Arthur Duffy n., a sprint (not necessarily evasive); duffy v., to run off.

1914		T.A. Dorgan Indoor Sports 6 May [synd. cartoon] If them greasers don’t do an Arthur Duffy I’m willing to be shot.
1919		T.A. Dorgan In Judge Rummy’s Court 23 Oct. [synd. strip cartoon] Take an Arthur Duffy to the street or I’ll put you in the cooler.
1922		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 66: Lamping the village commuters as they pull off their morning Arthur Duffy for the 8:26 rattler.
1926		Times Despatch (Richmond, VA) 17 Oct. 7/7: Took it on the Arthur Duffy [...] Ran away .
1935		D. Runyon 14 Sept. [synd. col.] 273: I am figuring on taking it on the Dan O’Leary away from there before somebody gets to thinking we do Cecil some great wrong [W&F].
1936		(ref. to 1920s) L. Duncan Over the Wall 112: As I was climbing from the car, I took it on the Arthur K. Duffy.
1938		D. Runyon ‘Cemetery Bait’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 524: It may be a good idea for you to take it on the Jesse Owens until the beef is chilled.
1944		D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 120: Let us duffy out of here.
1945		Time XLV 16/3: They not only took it on the Arthur Duffy from the Council Bluffs, Iowa, ‘escape-proof’ jail, but they called the play first, like Babe Ruth.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 56/2: Dan-O’Leary, on the. (Irish-American) In flight [...] ‘We were making the in (entrance) to that slum-joint (jewelry store) when some crumb (busybody) rumbled (noticed) us and started beefing (calling for police). We took it on the Dan-O’Leary fast.’.
1952		(con. 1920s) G. Fowler Schnozzola 49: He pointed out that the customers were ‘taking an Arthur Duffy,’ or running for the door.
1960		(con. 1950-1960) R.A. Freeman Dict. Inmate Sl. (Walla Walla, WA) 3: Arthur Duffy – to run away; to lam.
1972		J. Blondell Center Door Fancy 97: ‘Let’s take it on the Arthur Duffy.’ ‘What’s that, Dad?’ Judy asked. [...] ‘Pull out, get going, skedaddle.’.
1983		P. Lovesey Keystone 211: I wouldn’t mind betting he’s taken it on the Arthur Duffy to some place safer than this.