The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-22
Black.
RICH AND POOR THIEVES.
How Their Sins Find the TransgressOr Out
and His Iniquities Do Follow Him.
aDoas q thiafa trada pav7p

now InoIrSlns F1n0 the IrAnsRreSeOr
and His Iniquitiss Do Follow Him.
"Does thief's trade psyf"
The question was put to Inspector Byrnes
in his Office at police headquarters By q
World reporter. The Inspector, to his sue.
cess as detective shrewd knowledge of
human nature has contributed no less than
downright ability ss q policeman looked
at the questioner thoroughly, then at the
trophies of triumphant detective skill and ex.
plated crime that lined the walls, knocked the
ashes from his cigar, and said, with lsconic
dry ness, Hardy"
""Ever" was on the lips of the irrevsr-
emit scribe, but warning look of the chief in
the direction of q collection OF battle axes in
the corner made him swallow the word
"Then why do men stesl2" he asked.
'Some because they can not help it, others
because they find the chance. Most
because bad company and lewd women drive
them to it, There are families in which crime
runs like insanity. 1 know of five brothers
born and bred in New York who are now in
prison for theft. Such people, you may
fairly assume, are born to steal Bank cash.
iers and collectors are tempted by their op-
portunities, Young CLERKS on small pay,
whose employers fail to look closely enough
after their personal habits, serve their sp-
prenticeships at such resorts Is McGlorys.
Owney Gecghegans, and The. Aliens,
where they spend their nights with loose
women. The cases of young Stern, WHO
robbed his father, and Jacob Vix,
who stole from his employer, are
Characteristic instances. Drink helps
to drown the voice of conscience
and the gambling-tsbIe finishes
the job. The man turns thief. According
TO his ability, he ranks in that as in all osher
trades. Some steal great sums, other small;
very few keep anything. A common fate
awaits them all. All thieves gamble and
waste the money they steal. Plenty OF them
never "work" unless they are two-thirds
drunk; along with most every report of
burglary comes the story of whisky. bottles
left behind-evidence that the thieves re-
quired stimulants to give them courage.
When their money is drank up or gambled
away they have no alternative but TO steal.
They rarely attempt 1t till driven. The tools
and money are furnished by class of men
who, without participating in the actual
crime, find the funds and get 8 percentage il
the trick is successful. What the thief him.
self gets, be it much or little, goes always
the same way"
"Do none get rich and retire from bust
nessf'
''Very few. Most of them die in misery,
or as paupers, or in their boots-many at
tie hands of their own comrades. Fear and
guilt are the passions that sway them. There
is no such thing as honor among thieves. /
could essily count on my fingers those who
have smassed wealth, and to how many of
them has IL been of user Adam Worth, q
noted bsnk-sneak, is one of them. He is an
American and very skillful mechanic. He
devised several improvements in burglars
tools that proved very useful. His last job
was to rob Boston bank. With the instinct
of an Isrselite he saved what he got. Now
he lives in luxury in London, where his
house is the resort of all great American
thieves who 60 abroad. He drives around
in his dog-cart every day and has all he
wants. let he would give al his wealth if
he could come back to America But
he can't and he knows it. He ia wanted
here"
"Rule Minor, the bank-snesk, who was
caught week or two ago and is now doing
time for robbery in Baltimore-one of the
half dozen big robberies he is wanted for
is another. He is said to own considerable
real estate in New York, but what good is it
TO him now2 Mortimer Kelley,
great thief in his day, who
robbed Larry Jerome of 100000, but
got of for want of evidence and died in an
1AcnHo ka1 III hrlcy lcLt IuuC1 properly
in Boston, where he belonged, but it did not
benefit him. John O'Keefe, alias Johnny
the Greek an expert pick-pocket, died two
years sgo. leaving $4,000. Joe Dollard
and JACK Welsh, two OF the worst men rum
ming around at large, burglars who asso-
cisted with Johnny Dobbs, Jack Irvir,
Billy Porter, and men of their stamp, and
made it very hot for the police of New
York and its suburbs once, accumulated q
coed deal OF money. After working the
south and west, when it was unsafe to stay
here any longer, they concluded two months
ago to try their hands IN Europe. They
went over to England, and were caught
there in burglary three weeks ago. Now
they are both doing time on five years
sentence. Oh, yes, few of them have
money. But the great mass of them are
| poorer than Jobs turkey"
1t required some persuasion, and the men
ton of several well-known burglars as cases
in point, to get the inspector to tell the
other end of his story.
dutch Heinrich" said the inspector, sis
perhaps as fair sample as any He had
been in the stealing of $4,000 900 or S.. 0O0.-
0O0, and had q hand in the largest robbsr-
ies. Five years ago he became a regular
hummer, grew half witted, and used to come
in and get lodging st night in the Melcer
street police ststion. Finally little purse
! was gotten up for him, and he was sent to