The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-04-19


Of reform, and many a town has its
hotel or saloon keeper. held 10 :.
teem as an honest man by all VI Q
know him, and yet that man has a
history which he wonld like to forget.
A police officer is not much Of be-
lever 10 reformatiops. There was O
case Of o man here 10 81. Louis who
bad served term in an Eastern
peDiteniiary. He came TO st. Louis
and settled down to make au homes,
living at shoemaking. He was in,
dustrious and temperate. and did
we'll, aud at the end OF twenty years
be was the owner Of fne pieco of
property at the corner of Ninth and
Morgan streets. This be sold for
$4,000 cash removed to Quincy
ILL.,, where be went into hotel busi-
ness. Whether be had too much
money or not, don't know, but he
got to dissipating. Que time | was
on the Grand Jury ; it was about
three years after be left hero. and on
a tour OF inspection Of the Jail
found him. The recognition was
mutual. He said
For Gods sake don't recognize
me-
Il inquired and found that he was
awaiting trial for counter!eiting
niokels.
lie was afterward convicted.
have seen 30 much of thieves that l
arn prepared to say that once .aiei,
always a thief may be set down as a
rule
these people are very honorable
in their dealing with each other, are
they not p
You mean honor among thievesy'
There is no such thing. Thieves
make a virtue of necessity. They
are known to each other all over the
land. Any thief knows that if be
should 'sqneal,' or betray a brother
thief, he should at once be q marked
man, and that the entire fraternity
make il their business TO see him
settled or, in other words, convict.
ed for some Of bis own crimes, and
that right speedily. A great deal of
sentimental admirations is wasted
over these men who hororabl,- refess
to betray their companions Thiev-
es are like any other class Of men.
They have their friepdships. A man
would go to extremes TO help his
pal out of trouble, while as for
another thief in whom he had no
personal interest he would say. He
got into that trouble himself, let him
got ont bimself.'
Outside of their propensity to
steal, thieves are like any other class
of men. They can be grateful for
fayors. Away back in 1862, 1 was
visiting the workhouse with the
Mayor, end there met a young ho-
tel sneak thief named Walter How
ard. He was quite i'll, and believed
he was dying He begged me to get
him out, and spoke to the Mayor,
who released him.
At that time / was Sergeant of
Police, and walked levee precinct.
Every night at 10 o'clock walked
up Cherry street alone One night
this little thief, Walter Howard,
came to me and told me that three
characters whom had
once sent to the workhouse
planned to kill me that night. They
we're lying in wait for me in the al
ley back of the old brewery. ] ques.
Eioned Howard closely, and was sat-
SIZED that he was telling the truth.
called one Of the toughest officers
had to my assistance. We went
up to the alley, and there we're the
three lads orouching 10 the dark,
waiting for me to come along alone.
We sailed in on them with our clubs
md beat them pretty badly. When
hey were we'll enough they were
,ent down to the workhouse again.
bad chance afterward to repay
Howard for his timely warning. A
hief named Wilson, who was under
sentence OF death for the murder OF
Sergeant Gilmore, confessed to me
hat Howard, who was in the peni,
5entiary serving twelve year sem
.ence for the robbery OF Col. Blood,
sho was quite character here 10
hose days, was innocent, as he
Wilson) had done the work himself.
carried the case before Gov. Hall, |
Who issued pardon. When Ho-
vard came ont ] had little talk