Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-05-05
A TALK ON THIEVES.
What q City Police Inspector
Knows about Them.

Knows about Them.
No Bolder than other Men, but Helped
by Timid Peoples Fears
"Many people have an idca," said In
spcctor Steers recently, "that burglars,
and other lawbrcakers, whose line Of bust
ness is attended with personal danger,
are built on a different pattern from the
average human being. They are supposed
to be without fear and to carry in their
natures a large amount Of terrifying mate
rial, ready to be set off at moments no.
ticc. They are supposed to be rough,
gruff and careless of human life. This is
true in some instances but in the great
majority of cases thieves differ little in
these respects from the ordinary citizen.
They don't like to work, are lazy and
their organ of acquisitivencss is not regu-
lated by a cultivated conscience. 1t is
difficult to understand why man with a
wife and family, who moves in good So
ciety, has an income large enough to live
in comparative luxury, and is respected
by everyone, becomes thief. Hc has
everything to make his life happy, and
yet will give it all up to have littlc
more money. 1t looks good deal like
disease which comes over man, and he
cannot help giving up TO its influence.
Prisons are full of just such people.
"Thicves when committing crime al
ways have in mind a way to escape if de-
tcctcd. They do not want to be caught Or
killed. They will take desperate chan
ccs to get away. If life stands in their
way of escape, they will take it. not as a
matter of hatred Or pleasure, but as a
part of their education and trade. But
this in every case is only last resort,
and no thief will add murder to his crime
unless certain he can get away. As
rule they are not to be feared. a show
of nerve will always unbaancc them.
This applies particularly to the police
man. Even though they know that they
have an advantage over man who wakes
up suddenly in the night and finds a
stranger prowling around they will re-
spect and fear him, if he doesn't show
any sign of fright Scared people help
along their business. But policeman is
on an equal footing with a thief in re-
gard to being awake and armed. If he
is possessed Of the real genuine n"rvc, the
case is soon settled, and the thief will U.S.
ually surrender without trouble. Bluff
will not do. A thief can sec a lurking
sense of fear in an officers heart, and
will make things lively if he finds it. A
quiet determination on the officers part,
that indicates a supreme confidence in his
own ability to take his man or men into
custody, as if it was an every day affair,
is what takes the starch out Of the bold
est rasCals.
"Policcmcn frequently get into tight
places. When they get out of them
alive, and think what they have gone
through, | have seen the most stout
hearted of them shake little. A good
man will never know his danger until it
is over. If he should stop to think when
there are many chances against him, he
would be likely to lose his grit, lie
must think and net like n flash. Hunt
ing for thief in dark house is what
will try man. The recollection of
places have been in at times during my
long experience as an officer will bring
on chill of fright. well remember a
lively burglar went after many years
ago. An alarm had been given, and l
, had him located in the second story of a
high building lie was calmly picking
out the most valuable articles to take
away when surprised him. He was
tall sincwy and slippery fellow, and at
the first sound | made he made leap as
if shot from a cannon. Up the stairs he
flew like streak, and | went after him.
lie evidently knew the building; I did
not, and hit every obstruction | could
find. He gained the roof when was
halfway up the stairs leading to the
scuttlc, and when got there | could just
sec his figure in the darkness going like
the wind. | followed him without hcs-
taton and when he got to the side of the
house he stood a second and then jumped.
was going so fast that l went right off
the house without knowing where |
would land. 1t seemed in the confusion
as if went down fifty feet, before |
! struck anything. Then landed square
on my feet with force that nearly shook
my teeth out. thought for moment
that had fallen between two houses. |
was right on the thicf's heels and before
he could take a step, | caught him. |
was sore from that fall and did not put
tender grip on the fellow. He did not
struggle and took him in quietly. The
next day went around to look at the
houses, and found that | had jumped
from one roof to another, distance of
from fifteen to twenty feet. | never got
over the shock from that jump. My
ankle was severely spraincd, and though
many years have since passed, the ankle
is still Omctrical--indicatc an ap-
preaching storm and is exceedingly pain
full at times in damp weather. .-Ncw
York. Tribune.
She Thought 1t was Lltcr.
/ There was no clock in the hotel parlor.
The young man had no watch. Neither
| had the Young woman on whom he was