The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-04-19
talk WITH A THIEF TAxER.

tade-pursue their crooked career
IT'D the same feelings that honest
on follow their daily vocations. The
usiness man expects q certain per-
sntage Of losses during the year,
ust 90 be has reason to believe that
10 will meet with unexpected gains.
These losses or gains are entered up
10 the profit and loss account The
professional thief or criminal philos-
D ophically argues 10 himself: What
gain l gain easily, aud must lie
prepared to serve q POI ton Of my
years in prison. II il is little, 80
much, the worse for me.
Major Lawrence Hsrrigan, Ap-
kpraiser OF the Port, was the speaker.
For upward Of a quarter of century
lhe Major was thief taker Of nation
al reputation. and, although he has
settled down to the dull routine of o
Federal officer, the old fire is still in
him, and il is not difficult matter
to get him started on discussion Of
the subject which for the greater
part Of bis life has been close
study.
Major Hsrrigan discusses criminals
"a Gen. Sherman would soldiers, or
Tom Allen pugilists. He does no.
stop to ask, Why do criminals exist
but as an officer, knowing they do
exist, discusses the best method OF
!!>coutrolling them. He, perhaps, be-
lieves that in the eternal economy Of
things thieves are put on earth to
give detectives employment.
Yes, sir, he resumed, the thief
looks upon his terms in Jail or the
penitentiary as 80 much lost in the
game. Ho is q thief, and next to
devising ways and means to acquire
without labor the property that be.
longs to others, his miud is bent on
dcvising ways and means to keep out
Of prison. He is like q man playing
at cards, he wins or loses. recall
an Instance that illustrates what l
say. One morning, at about g
O'Clock, after waiting out all night
I arrested notorious hotel sneals.
As soon CO put my hands on bin,
he knsw what be was wanted for.
There was dead case against him
aud when I touched him on the
shoulder aud said that the Captain
wanted to see him, have no donbt
that he made up Ills mind to plead
gcilty and get off us obeaply as pos-
sible. IL VAS in winter, aud as we
walked together down Morgan street
ou the way to the public station, We
passed IA old cobblers shop. Ear
u as 1t was, too, 1 we'll rememb Der,
thcold fellow was up, peggipg away
at shis work by candle light. The
tEef glanced in at the Industrious
shoemaker, and then said to me:
4 have spent seven Of the past
twelve years in prison, ,and yet I have
done better than that old fellow. He
works from early morning until late
at night to get his bread aud meat,
and then he doesn't live as we'll Us |
do 10 prison, and when I am on the
outside live on the fat of the land,
with plenty of good clothes, gay
companions, gayet girls, aud every
thing that money can buy. ! wouldn't
trade places With him right now, aud
/ know that ] am booked for trip |
up the road
That thief spoke his honest senti-
ments and the sentiments of his
kind
Does the thief not look forward to |
making big haul, and retiring from
criminal life the reporter asked.
'Tbey often tell each other that,
and think that they mean it, bat cas-
es OF genuine reform or retirement
on a big haul are so rare that they
are made subject Of romance. The
case Of Kissane, the Jean Vatican OF i
the Pacific slope, the man who was
once forger, and has for years been
living in California, respected mil
lioneire, is one case in lifetime.
The fact is that all thieves are men
OF appetite.
They do not steal for the sake OF
stealing. They want money with
which to CRAFTY their passions.
II the passion is not for women
and it most always is--it 10 for cards
or drink. The thief, when in funds,
asishes il on bis women or leaves il
the card table. Some OF the most
hrewd and adroit thieves are the
eiiest children in the hands Of
Afo dealer. Saw a thief who has