The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-09-25
BEHIND THE BARS.
Stray Leaves From the Diary of a Noted
Burglar.


From the Cincinncti Commercial.
There is confined in the village bastile
OF the pretty suburb of Loveland aa in.
dlv1dual who has probably gained con.
siderable celebrity among men of his
profession. He is burglar, man fully
SIX feet high, weighing in the neighbor.
hood of $50 pounds, of fine physique
SOU are-set jaws, high forehead, and
nervous, rowing eyes, that seem to tai e 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
that he related to us, in his quiet Wav.
many incidents connected with his life's
history, only requesting us not to men,
ton real names in case his confession an
peared in print. However let the unfor-
tunate man talk for himself: Yes. sir:
l have only been out of quod few DAYS
and to think I should be collared in this
little village by "fat." I feel like cow
hldlng myself: Wouldn't the "mob';
laugh at me, who was considered so s'fy''
on the ''cross," and to think I let the fiat
take me in, tools and all "a jimmy, pair
OF outsiders, etc). No, sir; won't give
you my right "monaker." I have had
half dozen names in my time.
Here l am Charley johnson. But, al
though a crook my good fathers name
snail never be dishonored by me. He,
poor soul, thinks am square bl oke'
and he shall never know the difference
no, not even when I croak, Father is a
man m OF responsibility and position, and
1t would break his old heart to know that
MS only son was cracksman. The
ola man lives in Kentucky, and has
plenty OF this worlds gear, I have not
Deen nome tor twelve years. I am 90
Ing on 81 years OF age, was born in Per
ry County, ILL.,, in January, lS47. I
never did any thing crooked until 7 was
II years of age. l am carriage black.
smlth by trade; have nearly worked IN
an the shops In Cincinnati, and am con-
sldered good workman. I make all
my own tools used in my professional bus
mess Many of the burglar tools used
are mace IN the penitentiary and smup-
gled out: l trace the beginning of nv
career OF crime to the reading of such
Pernlcious books as Claude Duyal, Dick
d aurp1n, Jack Sheppard and the like.
Why, the hrst trick took Was LIFTING
Beadle dime novel from a book Store
linen l commenced by Jumping board
bills, fnlly got to working the board
ing house l had jumped, all the time
ham1mering away in the lay time at nv
trade. | was first collared, January 1865.
Tor robbing the money-drawer Of a
ss,aasloon-petlt larceny-get twenty DAYS
The cops next pulled me on grand lar.
c1eny' easing boarding house of money
box containing fifty dollars; got clear on
thls. l next went through a residence
up IN Warren County, Went in at a VIM
DOW with my arm over my face; was rec
ognlzed, arrested and got the stretches at
columbus. After my time was nm 7
worked some eighteen months 81 nv
traoe In Cincinnati aud other cities. and
was square bloke all that time, and.
wlshed to God I had continued; but to
oe taken In now by country flat Oh.
what will the "gang" say? - .'
!. ABOUT the period am speaking of
tlmes got very hard and could not make
nV1ng at my trade. I got throuphlv
11sgusteo, and meeting an old pard. Tom
Harris, we went to the city of d
where some blokes had set up a lob. W.
went through the building, a dwell,oe
house. getting silverware and two fine |
overcoats; but as usual the swag gave ia
away, and the cops visited our BOARDING.
house and found the stuff in our trunks
This job gave us five years each IN COZ
ambus, and to think, only got out the
other day from serving these five stretch
's, and here I am to quod again. Ifit
vas not. for those confopnded tools. I
1ont mind the Mayors sentence of $50
md costs, but don't want to 90 up the
Dad again. If I was only clear of this
ob, I would be square bloke from this
l lime Just think, only 80 years of age,
md years of that time spent in prison!
Ny God, its fearful, amt it, sir. This
quealing about i'll treatment of the men
nd mismanagment of the affairs of the