Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-12-25
BURGLARS.
Some OF the Chara ct.risfics of Tho
Graf.
From the Boston Commercial Bulletin

| Graf.
From the Boston Commercial Bulletin.
The princi pal haunts Of the profes-
sional ''cracksmen" of New York are
in the Sixth and Eighth Wards,
where in narrow ana foul smelling
streets that lead to the river, they
find congenial homes, or rather so
journing places, for your genuine
burglar rarely stays long in single
place. AS soon as he has completed
Il job which seems likely to create
trouble for him, he migrates to some
distant part Of the city, or leaves it
altogether, until he considers it safe
to return. Formerly the most skill
ful of the craft were Englishmen who
had left their country for their coun-
try's good-and their own, too. Now
the Americans can discount the for
eign articles.
Some Of the "ncatest" Jobs in the
safe and bank line have been done
by graduates in the metropolitan high
schools Of burglary. The English
professors used to be of the genuine
Bill Sykes stamp, low-browed, heavy
jawed scoundrels, who never enjoyed
securing the "swag" without knock
ing out the brains Of the watchman.
The American is altogether different
i'll style, but is nevertheless Just as
dangerous when driven into corner,
as many policeman and detective
has good reason to know. They de-
pend more upon science than violence
yet when there appears to be need Of
force they are not found wanting.
Some Of them are men Of fair educa-
ton and refined manners, capable of
earning good living in a square
way. But criminals seem to be born
as well as poets, and no amount of
education appears to be Of effect in
making them honest.
Contrary to popular belief, the pro-
fessional burglar is rarely ever ad-
dicted to liquor. As class they are
abstemious, and some of them are
thoroughly teetotal. They need clear
heads and still tongues. The aristo-
cratic bank-breaker affects XII. gloves,
broadcloth clothing, and the opera,
and has thorough contempt for
what he calls 'mean thief as Il
Church of England bishop has for a
dissenting minister. His wife is al
ways arrayed in purple and fine lin
en-, and gorgeous in diamonds, and
his children attend fashionable board
ing schools. The former is almost
always privy to the affairs of her hus-
band, and is sometimes an exceeding
ly valuable assistant in arranging the
preliminary work Of Il difficult job
She can do the piping" as well, if
not better than a man, as she would
hardly be suspected of burglarious
purposes. She finds out the habits
of the bank officers and the watch
man; what time the latter enters and
when he leaves the bank; whether
there is dog to be got rid of, and
whether the adjacent buildings, if
any, are occupied by persons who
would be apt to notice any unu> ual
noises in the bank.
Every point that is important is
thoroughly known to the cracksmen
before the attempt is made. The
children are, in nearly every case, ig-
norant of the antecedents and real
character Of their parents. We refer
solely to the higher class of crimi-
nails. They are sent away when not
more than five or six years old, to an
other city or into the country, where
they are frequently visited by their
mother.
There is at present at Il private and
fashionable educational establishment
fer young ladies in this city, Il beau
tiful and talented girl of sixteen or
seventeen years of age, and daughter
of Il notorious New York bank rob
Der, who, seven years ago, was tried
for manslaughter and only escaped
by the liberal use of the money he
had been industriously boarding for
years. 1t must have cost him at least
$4,000 to keep his neck from the
halter. OF this and other facts con-
cerning her father, the girl has not
the slightest knowledge. To her he
is a prosperous lawyer, moving in
the best social circles, and she looks
eagerly forward to the time when
she shall return to that home for
good, which she has never entered
a dozen times since she can remem-
Der. Instead of that she will probab-
ly be taken to Europe by her mother,
where her accomplishments and mon
ey may find her husband. If not,
she will return to find her father ''re-
tired from business" and settled in
Boston, Philadelphia or Baltimore
that is, if he is lucky enough to keep
ont of the hands of the police all that
time.
The lower grade of house breakers
generally consort in the saloons
along Greenwich street, and in the
"dives" in that nest of thoroughtares
on the west side, running from the
river to Broadway. They are for the
most part a rutfianly set. Bank
breaking and safe opening are above
their capabilities. They break into
private houses, and carry away plate
and spoons, and everything else Of a
portable character which is of value,
ready at all times to kill or MAIN any
one interfering with them.
Women and Housework.