The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-17
SECOND STORY THIEVES
HOW THEIR DARING ROBBeH'ts
ARE GENERALLY CARRIED OUT.
Jobs hat Are Done Only Ster '''e'"
Planning-Jcwelry the Peculiar iioI
der of the SECOND story 1hiei-knrcil
Caught NJ Work.

The most effective work at present among
those who steal for u living, IS being done by
what is technically known 10 the trade "a
SECOND story men. Robberies by TINS GAS
Of thieves have become alarmingiy frequent
and there have been many cases reported N
the police. few Of which have been made
public. because the thieves have not beaa
caught and ii Is the policy OF the police de
partnent 20 keep everything quiet when sue
cess has not attended their efforts "Secono
story" thieves have been under cover lor o
long while, and this city has been free from
their depredations Where they have come
from 50 suddenly is a mystery.
Their work is first class and they must be
rood men. expcrts in their lire. Their efforts
are characterized by q holiness and dash
that must make old Troy Dennis smile in
his grave. Troy is still treasured in the
minds of thieves, as well as detectives, as the
king Of tho second story" workers. He was
cool. daring and brave, and had a chivalrous
strain that would not permit him TO injure any
one weaker physically than himself. he died
with his boots on. While climbing o pillar
in Fiftieth street no loosened a heavy stone,
and il fell on him and fattened him out like
n piece OF paper.
After Dcnnis the famous men are Long
John Garvcy and Jack" Reilly, tho leader
of the Murray Hill gang. Garvey walked
through a skylight in Brooklyn and had the
flesh pretty well scrapcd from his bones, and
was Killed. Reilly did O neat job in clean
ing OUT a Lexington avenue house. He tool
the stolen goods baCk for a reward. Ihe
amount did not suit him and he remove
the goods again. 1t will be many years ye,
before be can practice bis profession. lie i
now making shoes for the state. With tins
THO out OF tine way New Workers have been
able for several years to enjoy a dinner in
comfort without feeling nervous about theiI
treasures in the upper stories.
A coon SECOND STORY" MAN.
Second story thieves are technically de
scribed as a cross between a burglar and u
sneak thief. They are usually tall, slim fel-
lows, possessed Of great strength and nerve.
They tako pride in their calling and look
upon n highwayman or pickpocket as be-
meath their notice. Comparatively few
thieves have the grit to follow this line.
Their number is thus limited, and they be-
come well known and respected 10y the fra
ternity. They arc known as the long
chance men in tho thieves vocabulary
They are all quick witted and intelligent and
do not have the brutal instinct Of many kinds
Of thieves who 90 around with murder III
their hearts. There is a fellow feeling among
them and they never "squeal."
Second story" jobs are not done by rash
impulse. but only after careful study and
planning. Sometimes there are two partners,
but more often three. II is a rare thing for
them to work alone, unless they turn up
broke in q strange place. One OF the gang
makes a special business Of locating places TO
be robbed He picks out a house with a
front stoop and portico, or heavy stone work
around the front door, OF else where there
is a leader, piazza OF some other arrangement
that will give a foothold in the rear. The
business of the occupant is looked into.
Brokers are considered the best prey and
bankers come next. Jewelry is the peculiar
plumber of these thieves. Sometimes their
attention is attracted by the names and de-
scription Of jewelry worn at social gather
ings. The habits Of the inmates of the house
are studied with great care and a note is
made of tho number Of servants and their
method of working. When any of the family
leave the house a piper Off takes a good
look at the jewe!ry. All this takes time.
When enough has been found TO indicate
that it will pay the house is said TO be
planted and a time is set for the work.
Winter, when night comes on early and
quickly, is the second story" mans season.
The "piper Off never does the stealing, as he
NAV have been seen in the neighborhood and
could be identified. At dusk the thief APP
proaches the house. He knows what the
people within are doing in a general way.
The gong that sounds for dinner IS the signal
for the climber TO slip on his rubbers, if he
has not already put on a pair Of shoes with
rubber soles. The lookout is stationed close
at hand TO give the thief warning after he
has got inside.
FINE woR WITH A JIMMY
Time is given for the family TO get thor
oughly interested in the good things before
them, and then the thief, with n glance in
every direction, starts on his journey
Thieves are bold, of course, but they never,
It is said, undertake a job without just a lit
tie auivering around the heart at the begin
ming.
The climber follows the plan which has
been previously marked ont as the easiest
way of gaining admittance, either in front
or rear. With soft, stealthy, catlike move
ments he goes up to the second story, some
times jumping. and then raising his body
with his hands and arms II the window is
locked it is only q seconds work TO slip the
fastening with a wire. Once in the house
the thief takes out Il Jimmy" which Is
about a foot long and has c claw at one end
He takes in everything in the room at a
glance. The light is usually burning dimly.
He does not touch it. Bureau drawers, the
doors of closets and wardrobes fly open at
the touch Of the jimmy, as if 1t were a magic
wand. The thief works at high speed, with
his ear listening for a footstep In the hall.
There is no time TO examine jewelry, and
everything that sparkles or shines is taken.
It Ia tested afterward. If a decent haul is
made on the second floor the thiof quietly
departs as no came, but if he is not satisfied
no will 90 higher and take his chances. Once
in the street again The thief goes uncon
cernedly away so as not 10 attract attention,
and then gets under "cover" and waits until
the robbery Is stale before coming out.
Second story" thieves arc rarely, if ever,
caught at work. In the olden time, when