Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-17
Perhaps you are right. Indeed, l am
sure you ought. What crib do you propose

sure you ought. What crib do you propose
TO crack to.nightT'
"This here one"
"Mine?'
"Yours."
"Ohp
And Old Reginald prepared 10 ring the
bell.
"Please don't do that, eov'nor, You
amt never agoin' to give me into custo-
dyY
Il think had better"
"No, no. guv'nor: don't do that. Listen
10 me first. l amt agoin' to hurt you. Irs
~! turn 70 crack your crib tonight. Now,
will you help meW
II hardly Gee my way," said Old Reei.
nald, thoughtfn)ly. "still, if can be Of
any use"
"Look here. guv'nor, each member Of our
gang is bound to get City pounds worth Of
swag away from each crib he cracks If he
don't he's shot. Now, I see handsome
silver salver and coffee pot and cream Jug "a
| came in here. Wot might be the value Of
that handsome silver salver and that coffee
potp
''rhe cream jug is electro. The coffee pot
with sugar basin and aalver, may be worth
Eve and forty pounds"
That's near enough. I'll take 'em. Here's
a fimsy for fifty quid."
And he handed Old Reginald a bank note
for the amount.
"Still don't quite understand"
II want you, guv'nor, to be 40 good - to
leave your bedroom window open tonight.
and place that silver and them silver traps
where l can get 'em. shall have cracked
my crib bsgRed my swag and made myself
safe until my turn came around sgsin."
Certainly" said Old Reginald, holding
up the note TO the light. "But, let me u. (.
hos can you afford to pay 90 Handsomely
ior your depreciation ~
There was dozen on us, sir. Each on
Us crack 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 qnart.r
the twelve cribs cracked brought us in
eleven hundred pnnnd.-that's nine y odd
pounds apiece. When my turn comes |
pay fair price for the fifty pounds worth
If swag (for have been honorably brough,
np), and | gets forty pound to the good
And forty pounds quarter ia a hundred
and sixty pounds year. And lives on
It. Sometimes it's more-n0w and then it,.
less, but whatever it ia, lives on it,"
Aud the honest fellow took a receipt for a
note and departed.
Old Reginald was as good a. 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
he morning he came and found it.
So far all was simple aud atraigbtforw ward
enough. But nov come. the curious and
incredible pa Of my story.
The tif = pound note was part of the
proceeds of previous burglary. The
nuInber Of the note was known, aud traced
To Old Reginald. who bad to account for
its briog in his possession.
Now the twelve burglars bad in the
meantime been arrested by the police (this
''so is incredible). and we're condemned to
penal serv,ude for life.
So Old Reginald bad no hesitation 10
stating he facts as have stated them
No one believed bin az 20 one will me.
So he appealed to the honest burglar to
corrnhorate his story.
But the honest burglar, having discover.
I'd the whole thing. coffee pot, salver and
All, WAS the cnmmonest electro, was 30
shocked at O'd R. ginald's dishonesty, that
not only did be decline to corrobors,e hls
story. but actually, and think very prop
er'y. identified him ss an accomplice.
Anu Old Reginald was also sentenced to
penal servitude, and be and the honest
burglar worked for years together on the
same works, and had many opportunities
of talking the matter over from It's moral,
social and political pOint of view.