Wichita eagle., 1888-01-29
SECOND STORY" THIEVES.
HOW THEIR DARING ROeBERIES
ARE GENERALLY CARRIED OUT.
Jobs That Are Done Only After Careful
PIanning-Jewelry the Peculiar Plum
der of the Second Story Thief-RareIy
Caught at Work. .

PIanning-Jewelry the Peculiar Plum
der of the Second Story Thief-RareIy
Caught at Work.
The most effective work at present among
those who steal for a living, is being done b.
what is technically known to the trade as
second story men. Robberies by this class
Of thieves have become alariningly frequent,
and there have been many cases reported to
the police, few of which have been made
public because the thieves have not been
caught and it is the policy of the police de-
partnent to keep everything quiet when sue
cess has not attended their efforts. Second
story" thieves have been under 'cover" for a
long while, and this city has been free from
their depredations. Where they have come
from so suddenly is a mystery
Their work is first class and they must be
good men, experts in their line. Their efforts
are characterized by boldness 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 the second story" workers He was
cool, daring and brave, and had chivalrous
strain that would not permit him t. jure any
one weaker physically than himself. He died
with his boots on While climbing Pillar
in Fiftieth street he loosened heavy stone,
and it fell on him and fattened him out like
piece of paper.
After Dennis the famous men are Long
John Garvey and Jack" Reilly, the leader
of the Murray Hill gang. Garvey walked
through a slsylight in Brooklyn and had the
flesh pretty well scraped from his bones, and
was killed. Reilly did neat job in ''clean-
ing out" a Lexington avenue house. He took
the stolen goods back for a reward. The
amount did not suit him and he removed
the goods again. 1t will be many years yet
before he can practice his profession. He is
now making shoes for the state. With this
trio out of the way New Workers have been
able for several years to enjoy dinner in
comfort without feeling nervous about their
treasures in the upper stories.
GOOD s'sECoND STORY MAN.
''Second story" thieves are technically de-
scribed as a cross between burglar and a
sneak thief. They are usually tall, slim fell
lows, possessed of great strength and nerve
They take pride in their calling and look
upon a 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 by the fra
ternity. They are known as the ''long
chance men in the thieves vocabulary
They are all quick wtted and intelligent and
do not have the brutal instinct of many kinds
of thieves who go around with murder in
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. 1t is a rare thing for
them to work alone, unless they turn up
broke in strange place. One of the gang
makes a special business of locating places to
he robbed. He picks out house with a
front stoop and portico, or heavy stone work
around the front door, or else where there
is a leader, piazza or some other arrangement
that will give a foothold in toe 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 il
made of the number of servants and their
method of working. When any of the family
leave the house ''piper off" takes good
look at the jewelry. All this takes time
When enough has been found to Indicate
that it will pay the house is said to be
planted and 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 ba We beer, seen in the ne;rh bOrbood and
could be identified At dusk the thief ap-
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 pair of shoes with
rubber soles The lookout is stationed close
at hand to give the thief warning after he
has got inside
FINE WORK WITH A JIMMY
Time is given for the family to get thor