Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-12
BY TIL; Way.
Open Secrets ahout tn Pcnp'e We
Nee; and What hoy are Doing.

Y0u VIII probably say: "Weil, what is
there particularly interesting in the fact
that bank burglar died AID was buried"'
Read it and FL tell you:
DETROIT, Nov. 29-"Tom" Bigelow,
one Of the most noted bank robbers in the
country, died last week in New Orleans
and yesterday was buried from his nome
~ Windsor, Detroit's Canadian suburb.
No such funeral had ever before been seen
IN Canada. There were several hundred
people in attendance. Long before the
services began crooks, gamblers, saloon
Keepers, prize fighters and sharpers cam
pouring from all quarters to Bigelow' s
almost palatial nome to offer condOlenc e
to the widow and take last view of the
dead. Besides the disreputable and
crime stained there were many poor but
respectable persons, who only within the
last few days came 10 know that the man
whose transformations charity had aided
them from time to time was Tom Bige-
low. The service OF the Presbyterian
church, where Bigeiow has attended in
seeming uprightness, WAS conducted by
Its pastor, MIR. Gray. and the body buried
in Windsor cemetery. Blgelow bore
striking resemblance to Rutherford B.
HAYES, and would have passed anywhere
for bank president. He was native OF
New York, and his brother was at one
time a civil Judge in thar city. 1t was
Bigelow's boast that he mad never served
days sentence. He bad at one time
when under arrest nearly $l00, 900 in stolen
securities and spent all OF it and $1,000 in
cash besides to secure his release. In 1880
he started saloon in Detroit. but was
driven to Windsor by the police, and
there, ostensibly as respectable capt.
talist, made large investments in real
estate, furnished home lUxuriously and
lived in style that eclipsed anything else
In town.
There is only one misstatement there
and that is that Bigelow had never served
a days sentence. He did. However,
that is very small matter. What want
TO talk to you about is the man himself. l
think | am in possession of some facts
concerning his lite that have never before
appeared in print.
''Tom' 'Bigelow was native OF PennsyI-
yania, his birthplace being in the interior
of the State. His old mother is still living,
and 1t would not add any particular inter-
est TO the recital to tell you her real name.
Many have been the prayers she has
offered up for her wayward son, who, out
cast as he was, possessed some noble
qualities, and had his inclinations led
him in different direction, might have
been an honored member of society. Bge-
low left his country home when ne was a
lad of fifteen and came TO Philadelphia to
seek his fortune. He was modest and re-
firing, and in a few months had made
many friends. The boy obtained employ.
ment in store on Water street-just
where or in what capacity | do not know
but did not remain there long, because
he fell in with evil company, and one day
was induced to rob his employer OF
small sum of money. Ills discharge
followed and ne disappeared from the city.
He was next heard of in New York dur
ing the war. lie mad driIted into the
companionship of thieves, and his most
intimate cronies were Dan Noble, VINO is
now serving a term of imprisonment in
France, Tommy" Mulligan, a notorious
bank thief, since dead and Clutch"
Heinrichs, another bank thief, who COM
mitted suicide some years ago by jump
ing overheard in mid-ocean from the deck
of steamer. These men were constantly
together, and made their headquarters In
a well-known resort on Sixth. avenue.
There they planned many Of the numer-
Gus r0bberles that took place under the
very noses and some people say with the
connivance OF the New York police. In
the fall OF 1870 it happened that these
three men were wofully in need OF money.
They had planned several raids on banks
at considerable expense, but were i0iled
In their attempts. At that time the
faYorite methods OF burglars were the
Jimmy and the fuse, a method attended
with considerable risk. even IL the police
were partners in the crime. Bigelow was
man Of reflective turn, and he cam
to the conclusion that there must be some
easier and quicker way to get other peo-
pies money tnan by blowing open a safe.
lie hnally studied out plan which after
wards became known throughout TIL
country as TON Bigelow's drop game"
and has been a successful mode of rob-
berry in almost every city in the Union
ever since. To those OF you who are not
familiar with it | can best illustrate the
working OF the drop game by relating
how it was first played.
Eeinrichs, Mulligan and Bigelow saw a
tall, rudy faced Englishmen enter the
Chemical Bank and 90 to the paying
teller's desk, where he had draft for
$4,000 cashed. ne walled over to Z desk
agalnstth the wall to count his money, aad
az be did 50 the three thieves entered the
bank. BigelOw took from his pocket a
10c. note and tearing it in half threw the
Two pieces on the floor near the strangers
1eet. Then he touched the Englishman
on the shoulder and pointing to the torn
shinplaster, said:
''Ihere's your money, sir" OF course,
the victim looked down, and seeing the
money on the fljOr, stopped TO pick It up,
at the same time lifting mis- hand from the
pie IN 'front.' OF him. HeinrlchS instantly
reached over, deity seized the $4,000, and
by the time the stranger hVd lifted his
head, cash and man had disappeared,
superintendent Jordan was al that time
at the head Of the New York Police De-
partment, and TO him the yIctim hurried
and told OF bis loss. ''Do you think you
will be able to catch the thieves and get
me back my moneyp' he inquired. ooh,
yes" replied jordan. in his grandilo-
quent manner. II think tits very probable
That we shall do both" "Well,o re-
spoDded Johnny Bull, in the most artless
manner, 81 am in hurry 70 catch
train at 4:30 O'Clock. and il is getting
close to that time now. Suppose you give
me your check tor the amount less the
expenses, and Pll not trouble you
furtherp
l am unable to record superintendent
JoTdan's reply.
Bgelow was practically successful
thief and covered his tracks 80 well that
he rarely got into the clutches OF the law.
In 1874 he was worth probably 100000.
lie met and fell in love with woman
known in police circles as "Little Louise"
She had formerly been the wife of John
1y" Jordan, another famous thief. but
deserted him and married a pugilist,
whose name in those days was as we'll
known as SullIvan's is now. Bigelow
was an attractive man and soon won the
woman away from hpr fsttn arfpar arJ