Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-28
PRINCE OF THIEVES.
LITTLE HORACE" HOVAN AND HIS
NUMEROUS ROsBERIeS.


sands OF Dollars Stolen From Ranks.
Why He Cannot Reform.
Two genteelly dressed men walked into the
Peoples Savings and Deposit bank, in Denver,
Colo. 1t was shortly after tho noon hour,
and most of the officials were at dinner. Only
the cashier remained, and he approached the
wicket window To converse with one of the
callers, who wished to make arrangements to
become depositor
Suddenly noise In the rear of the bank
caught the cashiers ear He turned to see the
other stranger at the door of the big open
vault Quick as flash the official ran to the
safe, sezing, he passed the counter, u re-
volver
Throwing the cooked weapon into the face
Of the robber, he made him put up bis hands
The prisoner quietly submitted to arrest,
while his companion hastily left by the street
door.
When turned over TO tho police tho man
pleaded that it was his first otfense and begged
for mercy. His name was James Metz, and
he was merchant, broken down by reverses
and trouble, who fell when confronted with
the opportunity to rob the bank His address
and appearance seemed to confirm his story
dark, heavy mustache and full beard nearly
covered his thin, sallow face He was rather
small and slender of stature. One feature of
his attire, however, deepened the suspicious
OF the police. He wore heavy felt shoes, but
then he urged that he was a consumptive,
and they were to protect his feet from damp
ness.
IT WAS LITTLE HORACE"
Four days later Robert and William Pink
erton, the celebrated detectives happened to
stop over in Denver. The authorities had as
Hal al
"Mr. Metz and decided to call on those
chiefs of thief takers
Little Horace" exclaimed Bob Pinkerton
assoon as he clapped his eyes on the prisoner
Metz was silent for moment, and then
frankly admitted he was none other than
Horace Hovan, one of the most celebrated
and successful bank sneaks the world ever
knew.
When reminded of his arrest by Mr. Pinker-
ton for the robbery OF the Middletown Comm
bank in 1870, out of which no secured $780,
900 In bonds, Little Horace admitted that
such was the fact.
Talking with Detective Pinlierton, Hovan
gave brief sketch of his career, and it is GER
tainly a most interesting account of the life
Of criminal
Little Horace has been associated with tho
best bank sneaks in the country, and his lines
have frequently thrown him with other noted
crooks whose specialtes differed from his In
appearance he is very gentlemanly looking,
Of slender build and of genteel appearance
and dress He is the last man whom any one
would suspect of being dangerous criminal
He is possessed of the greatest nerve of any
man In the world, and, up to eight or ten
years ago, was most successful Unlike most
professional criminals, he is very steady in
his habits; outside of aSSociating with them In
his profession he never associates with them
nor resorts to places frequented by criminals
Although he has been engaged for number
OF years as professional criminal he is very
little known to police officials He is domestic
In his habits, always selects quiet residence
and stops around home. He is in no way a
desperate criminal, and when coruered be
viii endeavor 10 sneak or run away He
has never been known To carry weapons of
any kind, and he not only abhors such things,
but will even refuse to work with any one
whom he thinks would attempt to do any one
an injury. In police circles this IS considered
one Of the best traits Of his character He
never allows any one 10 visit himself or his
family, and mover lets uny one know where
he lives.
ONCE THIEF ALWAYS A THIEF.
In 1870, in company with a man who has
since reformed, and who is now living hon
estly, and Big Ed Rice Little Horace stole
$50 600 from Halifax ~ S. bank. Hovan
and the man before mentioned were arrested.
but Rice got away with the money. Both
men were released, as the money was re-
turned TO the bank. In 1878 Hovan was con-
vtcted for a sneak job in Pittsburg and SEN
fenced 10 two years and eleven months in the
Western penitentiary at Allegheny City. He
got away, aud Robert Pinkerton arrested
inns hsNrf lxy -
vault of the Middletown Conn bank, where
he secured over 800, 600 in government, state
and county bonds. The bonds were returned
and he was released. In 1881 he was arrested
in Philadelphia with Frank Buck for the lar
ceny or SlO9 $50 in securities from a brokers'
safe In that city. He was convicted of bur
glary and sentenced 20 three years in the
Eastern penitentiary. He was parCloned out
In 1883 on condition that he would 90 TO
Washington and testify against some officials
who were on trial. He agreed to do so on
condition that an old case against him In
Charleston, s. c., should be settled, and the
authorities agreed to his terms. He gave his
testimony, which was hot credited by the
jury, and In 1884 he was discharged
month after his release he and Buck TAYLOR
were arrested in Boston, but as nothing could
be proved against him be was simply ordered
out of the city
In the fall of 1885 he was detected in alb
stracting package OF bank notes from
safe In an English bankers Office and was
sentenced to three years Imprisonment
After he had served his time abroad he re-
turned TO this country via Canada and came
TO Chicago and lived for while at the Ire
mont house. He then left and went west By
wGy of Kansas City.
The crook then summarized his career as he
chatted with the detective: why don't YOU
reform, as once advised your" asked the de
tective
81 would oaly b, too - Hin. TO do so If any
one would give ms employment that my
health would stand. tut where could "a man
Like me get workt You once advised me to
make an honest living aud / determined to
accept your advice | went TO "a city to settle
down and get employment. \ detective came
along identified me and informed the police
Although my family offered bond for my
good behavior, they were afraid to let me live
.-zssen-ansIk they had let nie alone I'd been aSet
ILL., ea r,a, ~ had fawt.ceo 49,,
and had TO do son,sAtlirila Tho detectives
hunted me down so that | could get no en-
ploylnent There's nothing in criminals
career but misery for himself and family.
know that better than any one No matter
what he gets, he Is "a paupcr in the end. IL Is
from one prison to another, no sooner out
thnn back again. | know not 1t single man of
my associates all Of whom have handled
thousands, that is in position Of comfoIT to-
day. II could get honest employmjht /
would be only too glad to tal;6 it. My faith
h broken down from imprisonment. Ind ]
have cough that means death. Cir k1nati
Gazette.
The gas escaped from the sitting roolh stove
one day, and little Elliott exclaimed, IL don't
Like the breath of that stove"