San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-11
PRINCE OF THIEVES.
LITTLE HORACE" ROVAN AND HIS
NUMEROUS RoesERIES.

Not Harm a Mouse-Hundreds Of Thou
sands of Dollars Stolen From Banks.
Why He Cannot Reform.
Two genteelly dressed men walked into the
Peoples Savings and Deposit bank, in Denver,
Colo II was shortly after the 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 q noise in the rear Of the bank
caught the cashiers ear lie turned to see the
other stranger at the door Of the big open
vault. Quick as a flash the official ran to the
safe, Selling, as he passed the counter, re-
volver
Throwing the cooked weapon into the face
of the robber, he made him put up his hands.
The prisoner quietly submitted to arrest,
while his companion hastily left by the street
door.
When turned over to the police the man
pleaded that it was his first offense and begged
for mercy. His name was James Metz, and
he was a 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.
A 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 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
yet been bafEled in discovering the identity Of
''Mr. Metz" and decided to call on those
chiefs of thief takers
Little Horacew exclaimed Bob Pinkerton
assoon as he clapped his eyes on the prisoner
Metz was silent for a 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 Conn
bank in 1879, out of which he secured $780,
900 in bonds, Little Horace admitted that
such was the fact.
Talking with Detective Pinkerton, Hovan
gave brief sketch of his career, and it is GER
tainly q most interesting account Of the life
OF a criminal.
Little Horace has been associated with the
best bank sneakS in the country, and his lines
have frequently thrown him with other noted
crooks whose specialties 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 a number
Of years as professional criminal, he is very
little known to police officials He is domestic
in his habits, always selects a quiet residence,
and stops around home He is in no way
desperate criminal, and when cornered he
will endeavor to 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. lie
never allows any one to visit himself or his
family, and never lets any one know where
he lives
ONCE A THEE 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
S2O,OOO from a Halifax N. S. bank lIovan
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 1873 Hovan was con
victed for a sneak job in Pittsburg and sen
fenced to two years and eleven months in the
Western pcuitentiary at Allegheny City. lie
got away, and Robert Pinkerton arrested
him shortly aftcrward for the robbery of a
vault of the MiLdietO"n Conn bank, whcro
he secured over 100000 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 of &lO,9JO in securities from brokers'
safe in that city. He was convicted Of bur
glary and sentenced to three years in the
Eastern peuiteutiary. He was pardoned out
In 1888 on condition that he would go 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