Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-07
A CRACKSMAN'S FREAK.
HE WOULD ROB THE HOUSE, THEN
 KISS THE WOMEN AND DEPART.

Hermann Vickery, the Noted California
 Thief-Nine Years in Prison Did Not |
 Change Him-Riddled with Bullets While |
 Attempting to Escape.
 The burglar, Hermann Vickery, who was shot this week and fatally in jnred while mak- | ing bold dash for liberty at Folsom state prison, had a career which is one of the most extraordinary in the criminal annals of the coast. California has had many desperate criminals whom long residence in prison could not tame, but none of these ever showed such utter lack of fear as Vickery did, or such remarkable disregard of danger when indulging in his favorite pastime of burglary The police officers who saw much of him and the prison officials all declared he was crank, and they have pointed, since his death to his attempt to escape as proof of their soundness of position, but others who knew him said he was simply a confirmed criminal, with many eccentricites, which made him as interesting a study as Black Bart, the poetical lone high wayman, who robbed stages for over ten years, and left sarcastic note in doggerel every time he broke open an express box or slit mail pouch.
 DESPERATE CHANGE.
 Vickery certainly hadn't one chance in hundred to escape when he dropped his tools and scrambled up the steep bank on the American river just below Folsom prison. He probably counted on the guards becoming ''rattled," as the governor was inspecting the place at the time. As it proved, he made good calculation. Although during his climb up the exposed side of a bluff for seventy feet he was in range of dozen Winchesters and one Gatling gun, and the ground over which he passed looked afterward if it had been rooted up by hogs where the shower of lead struck it, still Vickery reached within ten feet of safety when three bullets struck him. He had gained the top of the bluff, and another moment would have seen him safely buried in the thick chaparral that grows on top, but when his figure was outlined against the sky he made too fine target, and he was brought down by wounds that ended his life that night. As he was very fleet of foot and notoriously skillful in eluding pursuit, had he reached the shelter of the brush the chances were altogether in favor of his escape. BURGLARY WITH EMBELLISHMENTS. Vickery was a German who worked as a miner in Yreka Sisklyou county in the ex- treme northern part of the state. There, about 1870, he committed a series of burgla- ries and was sent to San Quentin for long | term of years. He made so good an impres- | sion on the prison officials, and his thefts had l been so small that he was pardoned about l 1875. He came to this city, and in the fol-
 lowing year was convicted of perpetrating a | remarkable series of burglaries that were the | local sensation for nearly month.
 After robbing house it was his custom to
 visit the rooms of the female members of the family and kiss and fondle, fhem. On several
 occasions he actually got into bed with sleep
 ing women and when they awoke he escaped
 by window or door which he had thought
 fully left open, taking his plunder with him.
 He was such good sprinter that none of the
 robbed ever caught him. Some of the women
 whom he kissed were seriously ill from the
 shock of awaking and finding themselves in
 a strange mans arms. Vickery surpassed all
 his previous exploits by getting into bed be
 side a wife while the husband was also asleep
 The latter was aroused and chased Vickery
 from the house, but, as usual, the burglar es
 capped.
 He was taken, however, soon after while
 attempting to burglarize the premises of {
 Mr. Owens. He was sent to San Quentin fol
 fifteen years, but after nine years, according
 to the working of the Goodwin act, hi
 fifteen year term was ended. lie was dis
 charged ill 1885, and as he had become
 good carpenter, the jail officials thought h.
 would lead an honest life.
 ) RETURNING TO HIS OLD TRICKS.
 They made great mistake, however, as h returned to the city, and didn't even use III
 the money he had made by extra work il prison before he began his old business o l burglary and annoying women. He trans ferred his operations to Oakland, perhaps be
 cause of the superabundance of women in tn
 pretty city across the bay. He chloroforme one woman, but he offered no outrage to her although she was in his power for severa hours He caught servant girl going ou
 for an errand one night and kissed her, bu when she tried to scream he choked her, an she was fould insensible. He robbed th s poor box in St. Anthony's church and fo lowed this by actually grabbing a woman u from her bed, kissing her and then disaI | bearing through the neighboring window. The quiet district of Oakland where thes e performances occurred, became so terro e stricken that no women would venture or
 of the house after dark, and all doors an windows were securely bolted. Extra polio l were put on, and one night in May, 1SS - Vickery was caught. He gave the name
 Joel Jay, and was so greatly changed b . prison life that it was with much difficult that he was identified. He was convicte k and sent to Folsom prison for thirty years V equal, in his case, to life sentence, as e was then 50 years old
 At Folsom he gave much trouble, as he WI l. more cranky than ever and had long fits l. surliness. He made several desperate a s tempts to escape, but all were thwarte . Those who observed him ill his last years prison said he seemed to live only in the ho 'l of breaking out, as his health was failin e and he could not have lived long. His dea }. matched his life, for he took despera V. chances which not one man in a thousal l would have risked, and he came within 'r ace of success.-San Francisco Cor. St. Lou l. Globe Democrat
 d
 Grape Juice.