River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-09-26
BEHIND TIE BARS.
stray Leaves From the Diary of Noted
BatgIar.


stray Leaves From the Diary of a Noted
BatgIsr.
From the Cincinncti Commercial
There is confined in the village bastile
of the pretty suburb of Loveland au in
dividuaI who has probably gained con-
siderable celebrity among men of his
rofession. He is a burglar, man fully
feet high, weighing in the nelghbor-
hood of $50 pounds, OF fine physique,
SOU are-set jaws, high forehead, and
vOus, rowing eyes, that seem to take in
all the surroundings at a glance. His
movements have the quiet, springy mo-
ton of an athlete.
through little kindnesses we gained
this crooks confidence to such a degree
thar he related to US in his quiet way,
many incidents connected with his life's
has Org, only requesting US not to men
Ii III real names IN case his confession APP
pearel in print. However let the unfor-
tunare man talk for himself: Yes, sir;
| have only been out of quod d few days
ami 10 think l should be col.ared in this
little village by a "fat." | feel like cow
b, ing myself. Wouldn't the mob
lau4,h At the, who was considered so "tly"
on the cross" and to think let the flat
take mt in, tools and all "a jimmy, pair
CT out-idcrs. etc). No, sir; / won't give
ven my right "monaker." / have had
halt dozen names in my time.
Here I am Charley Johnson. But, al
though a crook, my good fat e 3 name
shall never be dishonorcd by me. He,
fhfulra / ifoi-
aad he shall never know the difference,
no not even when | croak. Father Is a
man Of responsibility and position and
it wnu'd break his old heart to know that
his only son was a craftsman. Tue
old man lives in Kentucky, aud has
plenty of this worlds gear, l have not
been bone for twelve years. I am 90
ing on 81 years OF age, was born in Per
~ County, III, in January, IS47. !
never did any thing crooked until | was
OF years Of age. ] am a ,cal riago black
smith by traie; have nearly worked In
al. the shops liz Cincinnati, and am con
sidered a good workman. I make all
my own tools used in my professional bus
mess. Many of the burglar tools used
are made in the penitentiary and SNUG
gled cut. l trace the begining If my
career OF crime 10 the reading of such
pernic;oUs books as Claude Duval, Dick
Turpin, Jack Sheppard and the like.
Why. the FIRST trick took Ha3 lifting a
Beadle dime novel from q book store
Then ! commenced by jumping board
bills, finllv got to working the board
ing house l had jumped, all the time
hammering away in the day time at nv
trade. | was first cOlared January. 1869.
for robbing the money-d-awer Of
saloon-peht larceny-get twenty days.
The cops next pulled me on grand lar
cenv, easing a boarding house # money
box containing nifty dollars; got clear on
this. / next went through a residence
up in Warren County, Went in az win
dow with my arm over my face; was rec
ognized, arrested and got the stretches ut
Columbus After my time was up |
worked some eighteen months at NV
trade in Cincinnati aud other cities, and
was square bloke all that time, and,
wished to God | had continued; but to
be taken in now by a country flat! Oh,
what will the gang say!
About the period | am speaking of
times got very hard and could not make
living at my trade. l got thoroughly
Disguised and meeting an old pard, Tom
Harris, we went to the city Of c.,
where some blokes had set up job. We
went through the building, a dwelling
house. getting siiverwarc and two fine
overcoats; but as usual the swag gave Us
awaY, and the cops visited our boarding
house aud found the stuff in our trunks.
This job gave us tive wears each IN Col
umbus. and 10 think, | only got out the
81.
T., and here l am TO quod again. If ii
was rot Tor those COnfOunded tools |
don't mind the Mayors sentence of $50
ana costs, but don't want to 90 up the
road again. II | was only clear of this
Job | would he a square hloke from this
time just think, only 80 years Of age,
ami wears Of that time spent in prison /.
My God, is fearful, aIn it, slI. This
squeailng about i'll treatment of the men
au3 IN smanagment Of the affairs of the
ONO Prn;tentiary Is all bosh. WHY. sir,
no man that obeys the rules is punished.
DItins my time | was several times put
in the dungeon, burit was jHst and right
had disobeved the rules.
The men who squeai are those who ex
p q so 90 as they please. OF course your
treatment q penis on tAe guards good
deui me guards are more Kindly dis
p sci than others, while some feel their
position and like to show their authority
The dEokin@ stool, buck and gag aud
dungeon might he used only In extreme
cas,s Let the Warden and Board OF
Directors have the authority to add 10 oi
take from mans time according to hi,
conduct, | think that would work vel
an I have a sanitary effect. Use the duck
ing stool, etc, only in case of insu0ordI
nation.
Under Colonel James We were muct
better fed, and, in fact. the Colonel mad,
Improvements IN many different way
tnst conduced to the benefit of the men
Yes, we were compelled to attend chspe
on Sund +, ami | can assure YOU this 90
ing To listen - q second class iournevmai
soul saviour Is tedious work The salsr
paid a Chaplain IS 50 small that they ge
very inferior material. like TO listen t
good talSer but such mbugs as ar
TOSSED oil on the poor convicts have n
use Tor. | tell you, SIR, while trying I
punish aud reform the crooks, peopl
should looN a. the temptations. Tn
prodigal display OF lswelry and wealt
made by the members of family Oite
leads to the robbery of their house; nc
Is the job always set up by crooks.
have known men VINO occupied prom
nent positions ia society setting up jobs
recall lawyer living in the upper par
of the State, who. to use our professions
vernacuiar, was known rs square bluke
but in consequ nee of Mr.. Lawyers hav
ing lost heavily az tne gaming table. b
gave friend away to some Gro ks, an
Shared in the sNa- Society, in whic
he is such f4yorire, would be terTibI
shocked if they knew MIR Lawyers wea
points Ia tie prison every thing goes o
like clock-work In the morning IL