The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1859-04-01
Big Thieves ys Little Thieves.

Big Thieves W Little Thieves.
Brown the associate. editor Of the Cleve.
land Plain Dealer. gives the following
autobiography Of low thief which ha,
a peculiar significance at the present time
when the Treasury swindle is being again
agitated. It makes its own points, and
will hit more big thieves in Ohio, than
the Treasury swindlers. More people than
Jim Origins haye often 'msditated on
this subject Of filing up the snitentiary
with little thieves, while the big ones. who
steal their Thousands, are permitted to en-
Joy the fresh air and sunshine, with piles
Of gold in their pockets. But here is
Jim's story. Read it: r. .iassq
my name is Jim Origins I'm low
thief Ny parents was ignorant folks and
my advantages for getting eddycation
was limited. Ihave been to the peniten-
tiary once afore and served out my time
like man. Invent for prigging a watch.
Now am locked up again for stealing
two or three ornery overcuts. I'm to
stay three years. I shall always censure
my parents for not eddycatin me. Had l
bin eddycatid 1 could, with my brilliant
native talents, have been a big thief--I
believe they call EN- "defaulters." In
stead Of confnin' myself to prigging over.
cuts, watches and such like, could have
plundersd thousands and thousands of
dollars and the law would never tech me,
for should be smart enough to get elect
cd State Treasurer, or have sumthin to
do with banks, and herhaps little of both
Most likely should. The two bizzinez-
Is seem to. be one and insufferable. Then.
ye see, could ride in my carriage live
in big house with stun front, drive
fast team, and drink as much gin and su-
gar as wanted to. A investigation
might be made and the nosepapers would
come down on me heavy, but what the
ID would care about that, having pre-
viously taken precious good care of the
money? Besides my 'party' would stoutly
swear that I was as innersunt as a new
born babe, and great many good people
would wink very pleasant and say, We'll,
Origins understands what HE'S bout! HE
doss!' -aa ..l.-- i-a1l IS la-a1- /
But having NO eddycasion, I'm only q
low thief-a stealer Of overcuts and
wstches--a ornery cuss any how--and
the Law puts me through without mercy.
It's all rightI s'pose, and yet l sometimes
think its darned hard To be shut up here,
wesrin checkered clothes, q liyin on cold
vittles, sleepin on iron beds,stids, a
lookin out upon the world through iron
sketers bars, and poundin stun like
thunder, day after day. week after week
and year after year, while my brother
thieves (for, a'tween you and l., there aint
no difference between a thief and de.
faulter. except that the latter is forty
times wuss, who have stole thousands
Of dollars to my one cent. are walkin out
there in tber bright sunshine--dressed
up TO Kill, store clothes on their backs and
piles Of gold In their pockets! But the
Law can't tech defaulters. Not ANY.
Who was it that said there was no diff.
srence tween tweedledum and twesdle-
dee? He lied in bis throat like villain as
he wasl tell ye there is tremendous
difference! Oh!that / had been libel ally
JIM GRrae1Ns. g Fl
Penitentiary. Columbus, March, 1859.