Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-04-01

gang of twelve wots working these parts
just now. We cracks cribs by turns. It's
it's my turn tonight"
And the burglar wept like child.
''This, presume, is remorse," said old
Reginald.
'No, Guv'nor, it amt remorse, said the
burglar. ''It's funk"
''The same thing" said Reginald.
''It amt the being a burglar that object
to. It's the having to commit burglaries.
| like the credit Of it, sir; its the danger
object to.' e.
Il see"
Nov, by the laws of our gang, we're
bound to crack cribs in turn. That is TO
say, one of us cracks the cribs while the
other eleven steps outside and gives the
office"
81 thought burglars always worked in
twos or threes p said Old Reginald.
''P'raps | ought to know best" sUg-
gested the burglar
''Perhaps you are right Indeed, | am
sure you ought. What crib do you pro-
pose to crack tonight -
This here one"
"Mine? 2"
'Yourn." "
"Oh!"
And Old Reginald prepared to ring the
bell.
please don't do that, guv'nor. You
amt never agoin' to give me into custody?"
81 think had better"
''No, no, guv'nOr; don't do that. Listen
to me first. | amt agoin' TO hurt you. It's
my turn to crack your crib tonight. Now,
will you help me 2"
"a hardly see my way" said old Regi-
mold, thoughtfully. ''Still, if can be of
any use"
''Look here, guv nor, each member of
our gang is bound to get fifty pounds worth
of swag away from each crib he cracks If
he don't he's shot. Now, see handsome
silver salver and coffeepot and cream jug as
l came in here. Wot might be the value
of that handsome silver salver and coffee
pot?
The crcam-jug is electro. The coffee
pot with sugar basin and salver may be
worth five and forty pounds"
That's. near enough. I'll take EN-.
Here's a tlimsy for fifty quid.'
And he handed Old Reginald bank
note for the amount.
'Still don't quite understand"
81 want you, guv'nOr, to be so good as
to leave your bedroom window open to-
night, and place that silver and them silver
traps where | can get em. | shall have
cracked my crib, bagged my swag and
made myself safe until:my turn came round
again"
Certainly" said Old Reginald, holding
up-the note to the light. 'But, let me ask,
how can you afford to pay so handsomely
for your depreciation ~
''There was dozen on us, sir Each
on us cracks a crib once in four months,
and each swag's at least fifty pounds worth
often more, but at least that. After
each plant the profits are divided. Last
quarter the twelve cribs cracked brought
us in eleven hundred pOunds-that'snin
odd pounds apiece When my turn comes
pay a fair price for the fifty pounds worth
of swag (for | have been honorably brought
up), and gets forty pound to the good.
And forty pounds a quarter is hundred
and sixty pounds year. And | lives on
it. Sometimes it's more-now and then
it's less, but whatever it is, lives on it. "
And the honest fellow took receipt for
The note and departed.
Old Reginald was as good as his word.
He left his bedroom window open and
placed the salver where the honest burglar
was as good as his word, and at 2 O'Clock
in the morning he came and found it.
So far all was simple and straightforward
enough. But now comes the curious and
incredible part Of my story. .
The fifty pound note was part of the pro-
ceeds of a previous burglary. The number
of the note was known, ana traced to Old
Reginald, who had to account for its being
in his possession.
Now the twelve burglars had in the
meantime been arrested by the police Ohis
also is incredible), and were condemned to
penal servitude for life
So Old Reginald had no hesitation in
stating the facts as have stated them.
No one believed him, as no one will me.
So he appealed to the honest burglar to
corroborate his stGry.
But the honest burglar, having discovered
the. whole thing, cotfee-pot, salver and all,
was the commonest electro, was SO shocked
at Old Reginald's dishonesty, that not only
did he decline to corroborate his story, but
actually, and think very properly, identi
fed him as an accomplice.
And Old Reginald was also sentenced to
penal servitude, and he and the honest
burglar worked for years together on the
same works, and had many opportunities
of talking the matter over from lis moral,
social and political point of view.