Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-17
SECOND STORY" THIEVES.
HOW THEIR DARING Roe5ERIES
ARE GENERALLY CARRIED OUT.

ARE GENEHALIT CAhhIEO W
Jobs That Are Done Only After Careful
PIanning-Jewclry the Peculiar Plum
der of the "second Story" Thief-Rarely
Caught at Work.
The most effective work at present among
those who steal for living, is being done by
what is technically known TO the trade as
second story" men. Robberies by this class
of thieves have become alarmingly 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-
partment TO keep everything quiet when sue
cess has not attended their efforts. Second
storyn thieves have been under cover for a
long while and this city has been free from
their deprcdations. Where they have come
from 50 suddenly is 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 "Troyn 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 u chivalrous
strain that would not permit him to njure any
one weaker physically than himself. He died
with his boots on. While climbing Pillar
in Fiftieth street he loosened a heavy stone,
and it fell on him and ilattened 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. Carney walked
through "a skylight in Brooklyn and had the
flesh pretty well scraped from his bones, and
was killed. Reilly did a neat job in "clean-
ing OUT Lexington avenue house He took
the stolen goods buck for 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 a dinner in
comfort without feeling nervous about their
treasures in the upper stories.
GOOD "sECoND STORY" MAN
Second story" thieves are technically de
scribed US a cross between a burglar and IA
sneak thief They are usually tall, slim fel-
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
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 witted and intelligent and
do not have the brutal instinct of many kinds
of thieves who go around with murder in
their hearts There is 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 rare thing for
them to work alone, unless they turn up
broke in n strange place. One of the gang
makes special business of locating places to
be robbed. He picks out a house with u
front stoOp and portico, or heavy stone work
around the front door, or else where there
is leader, piazza OF some other arrangement
that will give 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 the number Of servants and their
method of working, When any of the family
leave tho house 'piper OFF, takes a good
look at tho 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 have been seen in the neighborhood and
could be identified. At dusk the thief APP
breaches the house. He knows what the
people within are doing i'll a general way.
The gong that sounds for dinner is the signal
for the 'climbern 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 WORK 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 a glance in
every direction, starts on his journey
Thieves are bold, of course, but they never,
it is said, undertake u job without just a lit
tie quivering around the heart at the begin
ming.
The climber follows the plan which has
been previously marked out 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. If the window is
locked it is only n seconds work to slip the
fastening with a wire Once in the house
the thief takes out a Jimmy" which is
about foot long and has a 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 it were 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
1t is tested afterward. If decent haul is
made on the second floor the thief quietly
departs as he came, but if he is not satisfied
he will go higher and take his chances. Once
in the street again the thief goes uncon-
cernedly away SO as not to attract attention,
and then gets under "cover' and waits until
the robbery is stale before coming out
Second story" thieves are rarely, if ever,
caught at work In the olden time, when
the men in this line were all known, it was
usually easy to get them after a robbery.
They are all new men at it now, and the po-
lice are at a loss which way to turn to cap
ture them-New York Tribune.
New Work For Messenger Boys.
met messenger boy the other day lug