Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-03
AL ABOUT THIEVES.


How Expert Hou.ebrsakers Succeed In
Their work.
caAf wrH pHrRCfIvE-rHR RlQnRR oRDRR on
CONGRATULATIONS PoR woRK-THB nTDxIGHT
noBBKn-A SMALL poe THE BEST GUARpIAx-Rs-
ooLLscz1oNs or IKrERssrISG RoBsRRIks.
.What do you think Of the robbery and murder
Of A J. Shell the chicago millionaire" asked q
STAR reporter OF detective the other day.
II cont know anything about the case except
wnat have read in the papers from time to time u
ne replied. "From what have read OF the case.
however" he continued 81 do not think that II was
sus WORK OF nrst-class professional thieves the
one VINO committed the robbery and murder had
been professional he would never have had any
ol the swag In his room, as Tascott, the supposed
murderer. Is reported TO have had, for he would
nave got nd OF 1t the very first thing, for time At
isasS ana not leave 1t where 1t would be discov-
e!ed II the story is true that his confederate gave
nun away, the chances are that the confederate
does, as the one who aueals is usually the one who
mas the most guilt attached TO him. The story Is
tob v un6e ny one as Taseott he really did me
iandlady 70 save his room for him, nor would he
nave ieIt any OF the slverware In the room. The
chances are that he would never have shown up
again; and another thing, NO nrst-class worker Is
golng 10 pick up stranger to 60 with him A
aso on Wen mas no trouble get who
~What kind OF men are they that usually rob
nouses?' asked the reporter
"A PROFESSIONAL HoUsR-woRKRR"
answered the detective, "belongs to the higher
order OF crOoks They are ane workers, and
DO not engage in rough and-tumble work, such "a
are known as second-story workers do some OF the
largest ste ling of any crooks Say, for Instance
mob OF three early house-workers enter town
to make haul. They win do their work early In
the evening. As soon as they strike the town they
VIII separate and OBTAIN lodgings In different
p.s II eS win stroll
they WIN watch the house about dinner time,
say stx or seven O'Clock, until they have
sne4 naSs tine and
which room each occupies Then one man
win watch the front and another the rear. They
house. They can easily tell by watching the
ugntS ana curtains which rooms are occupied and
oy whom, Tor they see each person as they go 70
usually over bay window or by climbing the ad-
loinlng mouse and crossing On veranda and then
sIhroagn sns window Il Is surprising 70 know
house. It seldom takes them more than ten or
fifteen minutes to 60 through large house
THE UPPER BUREAU DRAwRR.
Ut Is singular thing" continued the detective,
'that almost every one keeps his 1ewelry in the
top bureau drawer and that is the place house
tnlei usually ransacks nrst after entering house.
After going through the bureau drawers he opens
trunks and searches other places in the room
wnere ne thinks ne Is likely 70 ind ANYTHING, and
the upper floors. He Will continue his search until
the once or signal Is given him by one OF his con-
then goss toward the window through E wn n he
entered, and lays low until he is again signaled.
sometimes member OF the gang will occupy q
intends to rob- Then he can cross the
roofs Of the houses and can by means OF a rope
tied about the chimney descend to any window 10
NJ vrhn fsfS Ia nva
ne can go back the same way and take the rope
MANY houses" confined the detective, "are
robbed in this way, and the robbery is not discOy-
cred until the Following morning. Then the Occu-
pants suppose that burglars were in the house
While they were asleep 1irst-ciass 'houseIoan
other opportunity.
The MIDNIGHT RoBBRR.
"A person who enters a house in tho dead hour
OF the night is desperate man. IT. while he Is
going through the house, he hears a noise and
thinks the occupants are alarmed, he will make
every effort TO escape, and II he finds that his way
Is barred he will night for his liberty, and muir
ger II 1t Is necessary to effect his escape.
they hear anyone in their room is to lei
them alone or brighten them on and not attempt
Keep tnen ID tae trouble and possibly
i IS n mssssa 1 e
OF thieves has is the small dog that is allowed 70
travel over the house. II when they enter he
happens TO De up stairs he barks and alarms the
OF the house. and as the thief approaches
him ne backs until he gets under the bed or some
other piece Of furniture, and continues barking
until the thief either leaves the house through
fear or because the barking dog has attracted the
attention OF some one In the house. such dog is
feared by thieves more than mastin. Many per
sons When they discover that their house has been
robbed, say that they were chloroformed. but In
most cases that Is not SO. It Is only Imagination
on tneir part as chloroform, except In q very few
Is no time to use it. and In the second its use would
arouse rather than put to sleep the occupants. 10
get person under the influence OF chiorofOrm It
Is usually necessary to hold them, and IL Is not one
case 10 ten where suspected is chlor0form used. A
THE HALL SNEAK
He will 60 from house to house until he finds a
door open, and then he viii sneak In. He can 20
through the house In q few minutes, and II met BY
any one he will nght IL be cannot escane' ne
rarely breaks open trunk or bureau drawer, b.
cause OF his limited time. His work is soon done
its occupants Many persons think that the rob
berry Of their house was due to COLLISION OF some
one with the thieves 1n nearly every case this is
mistake. Thieves have no trouble in selecting a
house that can be easily entered. They are very
superstltlOus, and believe firmly In good and bad
luck, and some OF them will not work unless they
have certain person to work with them because
they think that this person VIII give them good
luck. remember thief who would do any kind
VI y JOU u pal was VIII ulu, OuL ne would not
undertake the easiest one with any other person,
no matter how expert thief he was
MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY.
II recall one OF the most mysterious robbertes
that was ever committed In this country" contin-
ued the detective. at occurred in New York sey-
eral years ago. A thief went into bank TO YET a
note changed, and, while there, lady was getting
some coupons OF United States bonds cashed
When she left the bank the thief followed her to
her home, which was In a nat He watched the
tat and, when ready to operate, found that there
was no way OF getting to the room without being
detected except through tue elevator shaft He
broke into the basement, and, by going through
the elevator shaft, he reached the floor On which
the room was situated. He got Into the room and
found In tin box nearly $4,000 in negotiable
bonds For long time 1t was puzzle to the ON
GERS as to how the room was entered.
"a mob once struck town and secured rooms in
q row OF houses, the sixth house frOm which thew
had selectedt0 rob- When the evening arrived FOR
them to rob the house. one OF the men while cross
Ing the roof saw 10 the adjoining house a man
counting honda This house was then selected in.
stead OF the other, and It was only few DAYS he
fore they had the mans bonds.
"Ab0ut two years ago" continued the detecrlva
'there was neat secOnd-st0ry job executed M
two men, one OF whom did picket duty while the
other secured the valuables There were two larpe
bay windows to the house, the 'front.' door beif91
between them. One OF the men climbed to the TOD
Of one OF the windows where he remained for two e
or three hours before ne had chance To enter the
house While the family was at dinner shortly
after dark he climbed through the window ran.
jewelry.
.sThere Was an osganized gang" said the aetec.
tive, "whO used TO 60 about the country beating
beer saloons. They went from one city to another,
60 into saloon and while apping q glass OF beer
would engage IN conversation with the saloon
keeper. While thus engaged one OF his pals would