The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-02-13
PRINCE OF THIEVES.
LITTLE HoRAcEp HovAN AND HIS
NUMEROUS RoHBERIEs.

AnAnabIe, Gentlsmaniy Felon, Who Would
Not Harm a BTouse-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. 1t 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 a depositor.
Suddenly a noise In the rear of the bank
caught the cashiers ear. He turned to SEQ the
other stranger at the door. Of the big open
vault. Quick as fash the official ran to the
safe, seizing, as he passed the counter, a 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 70 tue pcllcs the man
pleaded that 1t was bis first offense 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 tho 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 lie urged that he was consumptiye,
and they were to protect his feet from damp
ness.
IT WAS ''LITrLE HORACE
-Four days later Robert and William Pink
erton, the celebrated detectives, happened TO
stop over in Denver The authorities had as
yet been baffied in discovering the identity of
'sMr. Metz,n and decided to call on those
chiefs of thief takers.
little Horacelp 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 hank sneaks the world ever
knew.
When reminded OF hisarrest by Mr.. Pinker-
! ton for the robbery Of tho Middletown Comm
| bank in 1870, 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 most interesting account of the life
of criminal.
| Little Horace has been associated with the
best bank sneaks In the country, and his lines
i have frequently thrown him with other noted
| crooks whose specialties differed from his In
4 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 habltsi 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 cornered he
will endeavor to sneak or run away. He
has never been known 20 carry weapons OF
any kind, and be 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 ono to visit himself or his
family, and never let's any one know where
he lives
ONCE A THIEF ALWAYS A THEE
In $50 IN comnanv with n man who has
s;nca reformed opJ who Il NOW iiving hon
estlv. md Bir I'd Rice. I5ttIe Horacc stole
500 900 from Halifax IN. s. bank Hovan
and the man before mentioned were arrested,
but Rice got away with tho money. Both
men were released, as the money was re-
turned TO the bank. In 1878 Hovan was con-
yicted for a sneak job in Pittsburg and sen
Wssts,.n ,,eritentiarv ~ Ailaghs,,y s.;t,- NJ
,,ot a,,a,, a,,d poi,art Is,s,so,tr,, .snosta,
him shortly afterward for the robbery OF a
vault OF the Middletown Conn., bank, where
he secured over 500 ,OoO In government, state
and county bonds The bonds were returned
and he was released In 1881 he was arrested