The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-22
the CONSCIENTIOUS BURGLAR.
OLD Reginald and The Common Man.

desired 10 speak with him.
He gave orders that the Common MAJ
should he admitted. And admitted tn
Comman Man was.
He was very Common Man, Indeed
tall, stumbling, Ill looking fellow, with al
irresolute manner and shrinking eye. IL
was dressed as costermoI gers are dresset
when following their calling.
what is your pleasure, good sirW sail
Old Reginald.
"Beg pardon, guv'nor," said the Com
mon Man. 81 hope you won't be hard OF
me-"
"Not at all, replied Old Reginald. '
"l'm-Pm burglar" said the Com
mon Man.
Indeed" said Reginald. Take {
chair"
"Thank you, kindly, guv'nor," said he
'but I'd rather stand"
And he did stand.
So far their is nothing very incredible
in my story. But 1t gets more remarkable
rs 1t goes on.
"How do you like your profession?'
said Old Reginald.
"Well,guv'nor." said the Common Man
~ don't like 1t noways, and that's it."
"That's what?"
CHATS why I'm here. I belong to {
gang Of twelve wot's working these part
Just now. We cracks cribs by turns. III
Its my turn tonight"
And the burglar wept like child.
"rhis, | presume, is Remorse," said OLE
Reginald.
mo, guy'nor, it amt Remorse," sale
the burglar. "lt's Funk"
"The same thing" said Reginald.
at amt the being Il burglar that objec
10. It's having to commit burglaries.
like the credit OF it, sir; it's.the danger
object TO-"
81 see."
"Now, by the laws OF our gang, we're
bound to crack cribs in turn. That is tc
say, one OF us cracks the, cribs while the
other eleven stops outside and gives the
office"
81 thought burglars always worked in
twos or threes?' said Old Reginald.
"Praps | ought TO know best?" suggest
ed the burglar.
"rerhaps you are right. Indeed ! am
sure you ought. What crib do you pro-
pose to crack tonight"
"This here one."
"AIinew
"Yourn."
"Ohn
And Old Reginald prepared to ring the
bell.
"Please don't do that, guv'nor. You
amt never agoin' to give me into
custody?'
HT tb;nL haJ hnItaru
mo, no, guvnor don't do that. Listen
to me first, l ain'tagoin' to hurt you. It'f
my turn to crack your crib tonight. Now,
will you help me?"
"Ihardly see my way" said Old Regi
maid, thoughtiully. "still, il can be o.
any use"
Look here, guv'nor, each member o.
our gang is bound to get fifty pounds worth
OF swag from each crib he cracks. II he
don't he's shot. Now, see handsome
silver salver and coffee pot and cream jug
as come in here. Wot might be the val.
lie OF that handsome silver salver and cot.
lee pot?'
"rhe cream Jug is electro. The coffee
pot, with sugar basin and salyer, may be
worth five and forty pounds"
Here ia flimsey for the fifty quid."
And he handed Old Reginald bank
note for the amount.
~ want you, guv'nor, TO be so good as
to leave your bedroom window open to.
night, and place that silver and them sill.
yer traps where l can get 'em. shall
have tracked my crib, bagged my swag
and made myself safe until my turn came
round again"
Certainly" said Old Reginald, holding
mp the note to the light. "But let me ask
how can you afford to pay SO handsomely
for your depreciation"
"There was a dozen on us, sir. Each
on us, cracks crib once in four months
and each swags 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's nine
ty odd pounds apiece. When my turn
comes / pay fair price for the fifty
pounds worth | swag (for / have beer
honorably brought up), and l gets forty
pounds to the good. And forty pounds {
quarter is hundred and sixty pounds {
year. And l live on it. Sometimes I'll
more-now and then it's less, but what
ever it Is lives on 1t.
And the honest fellow took a receipt fol
a note and departed.
Old Reginald was as good as his word
He left his bedroom window open ant
placed the salver wherethe honest burglar
who was a good as his word, at 2 o'cloCl
| in the morning came and found 1t.
So far all was simple and straightfor
ward enough. Dutnow comes the curiou
and incredible part OF my story.
The fifty pound note was part oil th
proceeds OF a previous burglary. Tn
humber OF the note was known, AM
traced to Old Reginald, who had to accoun
for its being in his possession.
Now the twelve burglars had in tn
meantime been arrested by the police (thi
also is Incredibly, and were condemned
10 penal servitude for life.
So Old Reginald had no hesitation Il
stating the facts as have stated them.
No one believed him, as no one will mi
So he appealed 10 the honest burglar
corroborate his story.
But tho honest burglar, having disco'
} cred the whole thing, cotIee.pot, silver an
ali, was the commonest electro, was s
shocked at Old Reginald 8 dishonesty thl
not only did he decline 10 corrobrate b
. story, but actually, and think yer
} properly, identified him as an accomplic
: And Old Reginald was also sentenced
0 penal servitude, and he and the hone
burglar worked for many years togeth'
: on the same works, and had many oppo
tunities Of talking the matter over fro
i It's moral, social and political point
view.
) The Advance In the Price OF Nails.
/ "The recent advance in the price
nails from 81 % to s. per 100 pounds, 4