New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-27
BURGLARS.

lary. During g-coutinued daily visitation Of po
lice courts aud prisons, We have been thrown IN
contact with g good many Of these people, pos
sensing various degrees of dexterity in tn dss
perae and dangerous calling. And, strange as
il may seem. though society iDsistei that it was
its duty to copfae ere persons within stone walls
and non bars ike 20 many wild beasts Of prey,
there was not one Of them who did not regard
himself az a greatly prosecuted man. We can give
no better idea Of this clsss ard their mode Of
operation, than by reporting the substance Of
long conversation recently held with Villa n Norton,
aliss "Why BILL an expert "cracksmsn," who was
thus chrstened by his associates from HE ltheness Of
limb his wiry and muscular form, and bis peculiar dex
teriy in overcoming al obstacles in the prosecution OF
his business.
William is an Erglisbman, and wss recently
captured IN this ty and held for trial. for beiog en-
gagged in an attempt at burglary. We shall ocSssion
ally give his own language, marked by inverted com
mas az an Illustration Of lhe lingo in which people OF
bis rrofession hold intercourse with each other. He
fays that bis calling 10 now nearly destroyed, o"-
ING not go ,nuch 10 tie increased vigilance and
dexteri,y Of the police "tboCgh the copfers is
citing M ettv fly" as 70 The number Of bnngeFs
who have adopted the profession. Time was wien
the art of housekeeping wac almost nonopohzed
bv his own country men, and whenever AID En-
pisb burglar found London too bot for him, nc vas
sure Of thriving in America. Then there wac some
sense in being burglar; tbs frst-class men were
looked up to as much as they are now looked down
upon. There was not pickpocket or sneskthief in
the country who did not snxously hope for the day
when be would be CT sidered smart enough 10 work
with sscieutfc burglar. Then skillfHl "Crscssmsn'
used TO have his regular engagements made Tor him in
sn the big cities. He would start at stated
periods on q trip from NewONeans and
come North by tie MississiPpi River, stopping
at various places along the route to "crack
crib He had friends in all tbes- places, who wouid
"put up the jobs FIR bim-tha, is they would select
the place that was to be broken into, ascertain the
habits Of the occupants and the various modes Of i;-
eress and egress and exactly where the desirable
goods we're kept. he also found ont gust what bolts
it would he necessary TO remove or what windo"
shutters TO force; or if locks were 10 be overcome
he rad the 1equired skeleton beys ready fitted
THIS friend WISE generally receiver Of stolen goods
When the professional gentleman arnvet az place
where wok bad been prepared for him be was warmly
received by his friends and due Difference pad 20 his
well known abilities. Not night was allo we'd 20
pass in ideness however, for the time OF the artist
was precious As coon the peaceful citizeDc were
fairly asleep he commenced bis abors, being generally
assisted by one OF o re mt robbers of his own
lcton Of second or third rate ability. The required
properly once secured, the proceeds were d .ided-
the money equally, snd the receiver paying what be
chose for The goode stolen. Then the receiver bu.
little ii k for his facilities for Gisposng Of such articles
to pedclrs and others greater than at present.
"Now aft of these fences is only cacklsrs for the
coppers." By daylight the burglar vas well on his
tourney to the neat town, where the same operation
was gone through with In this way he would arrive
in New-York with plenty Of money, ard here be would
remain and epend it in gambling apd rotous living,
pe1siften6y refusing all work tn "the bones run
cross with bin and bis money had disappeared. No
chance work was dor e by the sbillful burglar Time
and money were freely spent in acquiring the requ-
site knowledge in reference 20 the place that 70
be robbed and DO precaution omitted that would
guard against a surprise. Then good craoksman'
scorned TO lift bis hand to accomplish any other species
| of roguery. "Now We is hofen obliged TO goop TO
kOuehing or shopHfting to get liyin account Of
the Irsbers wot his a cutting Of rs out Of our homes;
calm"
At the present day the English burglars perform
very small proportion of the houeebreaking done here
As with all other branches Of purely mechanical
roguery the majority of operators Irlsh.Ameri
young born in this country of Irish parents.
They are not regularly trained te the business but
break into a dwelliDg.house or sstore, wthoui
any positive knowledge of its contents. 4
| majority Of this class are, more properly
| speaking, sneak thieves-halffedged rascals who
prowl about the streets ready to steal small articles
from storedoors, break into unoecupied dwelling,
or snatch penny-Thstle from a twO.year-old baby,
and them chaps 20 call thesselves cracksmen--the
| imperence" Occasional hear of some burglary
committed on an occupied dwelling by two three Of
tbs class az a time In such She operators
| almost invaIisby drunk, and having set out upon
night cruise without any definite ohectn vie and be-
coming reckless from The of liquor, break into
houee to CRAFTY propensity for naleious mis-
chief than to profit by robbery. Theee blundereis
are treated with the utmost and contempt by the
legitimate burglars, who rejoice a. much az honest
people when they are punished. Not only do these
youthful aspirants for buTglaous honOrs bring the
blush of shame to the cheek Of the skilfu arts but
they deetroy lis chances for successful operations in
tho neghborbood. Once in great willie iirstcls's
craftsman will be found in company of this kind but
it IS only when be has ont of money and credit
and has been made drunk for the OCCASION that's
the reason Wy m in this ere blasted cage at this
! ment, just cause ! vas a haas and got lushy."
The buTglaries thst are committed nowadays
mostly done in this h2p-hazard maoner Some Of the
more important ones, however, are long contemplated
and sLillfully executed. In these some we'll
known receiver Of stolen goods is the nsgator, and
he spares no Iains to obtain the requisite information
in regard to the " Glib 70 be d" cracked les
always safer 10 work With a fence, cause they is
judges Of swag and When they is in the pool w they
can't cackle." He will take occasion 70 visit the
premises frequently and to make various purchases
being careful to observe where the choicest goods are