Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-06-15
'How are profession Grimm ais

"How are professional criminals
madeP"
They are the product of wide
variety of circumstances" answered
the Inspector "A great many might
be said to be born thieves. Their
parents were thieves. or of class that
is in some way not entirely reputable.
Tho children. male and female. grow
up under influences of association and
early training that give them NO
chance to learn to respect the teach
ings of morality or the restrictions OF
law. But in looking over the list, and
taking the number of criminals who
have become celebrated in my day.
the percentage is very small of such
who became so by reason of early
training by criminal parents. or even
from natural prediction growing
out of relationship of this kind. Even
IT those who grew up amid surround.
ings and associations to such parent
age there are few who may be said to
have made mark in the profession. "
isn't it true that in many cases
! bhiOfCo WhO hdfO ldiilllCS Wy ~ kctD
their business secret from their chill
drenp"
Yes, they do it as long as they can
Many of them intend and mean to-,
but generally speaking it is impos-
sible. The father or mother. which,
ever is the thief. and sometimes it is
bo'h, is away great deal. To the
inquiring minds of children this may
! lead to u discovery. Then the visits
Of associates, the chance of an arrest,
or any of perhaps a hundred happen
ings may expose the facts. AT first
there is childish horror. natural re.
pugnance, but blood is thicker than
wafer. and sympathy is soon excited.
The father or mother does not call in
vain for the child's regard and even
assistance and support against the law
and its operations, which speedily
take on the appearance of expressions
to the young mind Then. unless
speedily removed from these influ-
ences, the force of circumstances,
some pressing want or some seemingly
excellent opportunity. makes the child
thief, and another recruit is enlisted
IN the ranks of professional GRIM
inals."
Does it ever happen that children
are successfully kept in ignorance of
the business of their criminal par
entsP"
Yes. it does. On that score know
of more than one case in point. There
are criminals who have put their chill
dren in converts or some such institu-
tions when very young. and thus have
protected them from ever making the
dreaded discovery. They are visited
there by their parents at long inter-
walls. perhaps. but always under cir
| cumstances when the visit is safe and
no exposure risked One of the most
/ notorious women crooks that New York
has ever known has daughter grown
who is pious and religious woman.
Sister in convent and. l assume,
still ignorant of her mothers manner
of life"
You have only mentioned thieves
who have made their mark; does this
all apply to the common run of Offend
ers?"
No. really did not think of them.
They are not objects of study. and
would not repay it, OF course. in a
large city like this. there are many
young boys growing up whose parents
are poor and can do little for them,
and for this and variety of other
reasons have little control over their
| children. At from fourteen to sixteen
years of age these boys get a taste
for going to shows and places OF
amusement and an appetite for
excitement of all kinds. In most cases
the first robbery committed by these
offenders is for the purpose of getting
money to go to the show. They are
led on step by step. and their associa-
tons constantly get worse. They be
come professional thieves. but not OF
a dangerous grade--that is, not dan
gerous in the direction of large hauls.
They are the most dangerous to life,
and the most apt to do violence in
committing crime. They are ready to
knock a man down to. rob him in the
street. or shoot one to enable them to
escape when discovered plundering a
house. But they are easily carght,
and seldom are long out of prison. In
the recent case of the Weeks murder.
the capture of the murderer. when
there seemed to be little or no chance
at first of srch result. shows the
weakness of this Class OF offenders"
What is there to be said about the
higher class thieves who can not be
called natural. born thieves?"
"A great many are persons of rep
utable parentage, who have had al
yantapes of excele-t