The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-29
CRIMINALS AND THEIR WORK.
A Talk with PinkertOn, the Detective, About
People Who Live by Stealing.

Robert A. Pinkerton, of the well-known de-
tective system bearing that name, was in the
city yesterday. His visit was accidental, through
missing connection for Chicago. In Willing
away the hours of waiting he strolled around
the city to get the impression, as he expressed
1t, of Indianapolis being very quiet on Sunday"
He added his evidence to that of other observers
that no liquor was sold and that it was difficult
to get cigars. "In New York, said he, 1.-The
Sunday laws enforced as strictly as they can
be. More attention is paid to liquor sellers
than ever before. No one can get a
drink in any Of the saloons without
he is known Not only are the front doors
closed, but the back doors are guarded. Saloon
keepers on this day have the system Of watching
common to gambling houses and every one ask
ing admission is closely scrutinzed. 1t is i'm
possible for stranger to enter any of the
saloons unless he has some who will speak
for him. Your police force has a good reputa-
ton abroad. Indianapolis is city in which hut
little crime of an important character occurs.
The fact is that the police forces in all the large
cities are being improved, and believe the laws
in most Of them are being more rigidly en-
forced"
Your presence here suggests probability of
its connection with the late Missouri express
robbery"
mo. I am here by accident 1t is only re-
Gently that personally went into the investiga-
ton. am in New York and the East mostly,
and it is rare that go West further than Chi
caeo. There has been great deal of letter
writing presumably, by Jim Cummings, but
only two of the letters the one dated at st.
Joseph, Mo-, and the other at Topeka, Kan,
were written by him. We have had hundreds of
like letters claimed to be signed by him, but all
Of how A 90 @hox,o
has never been given to the public"
us your work nearing a successful point in
regard to this robbery?"
Il am not at liberty to say To answer your
question as you would want me to would involve
business secrets"
What proportion do the important crimes
of the day hold to those of few years ago9"
"There is very little big work done now. The
race of the nrst-class professionals is dying out
Some Of them are serving long sentences while
others are dead or have retired from active
work. Bank robberes of any magn-
tude have not occurred for several
years. Bigelow, who was buried in Windsor
Canada, few days ago, was of the
brightest and most intelligent men of the upper
class of crooks He was born on farm in Penn
sylvania. and had good education, but before
he reached manhood he became a gambler and
then the associate of thieves. His fine physique
gentlemanly address and gifts as a conversation
ast made him a leader He was about the last
of the tlp-top bank sneaks Although arrested
many times he was never convicted but he was
sharp enough to know that his time would come
IL he continued actively in crookedness. He
owned considerable property in Windsor, the
savings of his stealings, and few years ago he
retired. He went to New Orleans on
spree. l don't think he had
any job of stealing on hand, but the spree and
ill-health killed him. Crooks Of his character
saving OF money to some extent although
Bigelow was open-hearted and gave readily in
assisting any of the destitute of his class There
is method in professional criminals securing
property They know the chances of arrest are
against them and when in trouble this property
comes in good service In feeling lawyers
Speaking of professionals, the safe blower
has easy time of it, compared to the trouble
he once experienced. Fire proof safes only are
attacked, and they can readily get on the inside.
An expert can drill into the door and turn the
lock within fifteen minutes Not long ago safe
blower drilled into the lock, opened the door,
and pocketed the contents without waking man
sleeping in the same room. In New York State.
recently jeweler, his wife, and dog were
sleeping in a room leading into his store. Elk
perts went into the safe. robbed it of its con-
tents, and were out of the house within fifteen
minutes The jeweler knew nothing of his loss
until the next morning"
What is the average life of criIninal2"
mot greater than thirty-five years. After
twenty five years the chances of man going in
to crime as means of livelihood decrease. Pro-
fessional criminals begin their career at An early
age. They first tap tls or do petty sneak thiev-
ing Thrown among crooks their talents develop
very rapidly, and the penitentiary gets them
generally before they are twenty-five years old