The morning call., 1890-11-03
A CRACKSMAN All IA.
Mays Landing jail Has a Remarkabl
RrIs

Prisoner.
A Mays Landing On. j. dispatch to the
Philadelphia Record says: Mays Landing
Jail contains most unique prisoner. His
name is Charles Kroeker. He is IA years
old, aud is a deaf mute. AS a lock picker,
jimmy manipulation or jail-breaker. burglar
and general mischief-maker Charles has
few equals and certainly no superiors be-
tween Baruegat Bay and the Golden Gate.
In his brief career he has escaped from
prisons and reform schools no less than
half dozen times, until now he is thorn
in the side OF every Sheriff and school
master who ever had occasion to guard him
and terror to the communities in which
he dwells.
He is in jail now awaiting trial for break
ing into bakery at Egg Harbor in the be-
ginning of September. Charles and Justice
will meet the last month of this year in
Mays Landing Court house, and appear
ances Indicate that the lad will have pretty
good tussel on hand.
Sheriff johnson is afraid his prisoner will
escape if confined any longer in the May S
Landing jail and he secured leave from
JUDGE Alfred Reed to remove him to the
State Prison at Trenton. 1t is expected
that in a few days he will be taken back to
his native city and put behind the stoutest
bars and most intricate locks in New Jersey.
Charles, or "Charlie," as he himself
writes his name, is the son of Oscar Kroe-
ker, blacksmith of Trenton. Although IA
years old he looks no more than II. His
build is slight for he is bnt feet inches
in height and weighs about seventy-five
pounds. The dark hair is clipped closs to
the head and his eyes, which are the Won
derful feature of his makeup, are blue,
bright as buttons and quicker than clap of
thunder 1t is seldom that 4 smile does not
play On his face, which is white and rather
thin.
The hands are as wan and weak-looking
as sick girls, but are, Ill fact. astonish-
ingly strong. His body is muscular and as
active as cats. his chief delight in prison
being 10 leap from high corridor across a
hallway to window-sill, feat which Dep
uty Higbee says no other bird of his ever
laughs in shrill key and says "Dood
boy" which are the only vocal sounds he
ever utters.
Charlie Kroeker began his career as
miniature desperate when 8 years of age,
and for his first offenses, which were the
purloinng of neighbors' properly, he was
sent to reform school at Trenton. While
there he was taught TO read and write, and
so marveously quick was he to grasp an un-
derstanding of those subjects that in short
time he could read newspaper intelligently
and write first-class hand. Reform school
was an irksome place for him, however, and
one night he opened his window, slid down
a lightning-rod and escaped.
When caught and returned, after being
allowed to go home awhile, he was passive
and docie. His thoughts were very busy,
nevertheless and one day when he was not
in his place at school an investigation re-
vealed that his room was empty, and that
to get away he had picked not only the lock
on his own but on the outer doors. He was
gone then for good. How in the world he
had opened the locks and bolts no one seems
TO know definitely. 1t is supposed that he
got hold of some wire and a knife, which
constitute all the jimmy implements he de-
sres.
Later on he drifted into New York, at
once piled his trade in entering houses and
was confined in the TomDs. He got out, but
to this day lie will not communicate one syl-
liable about that particular episode.
The Sheriff aud his deputies keep sharp
eye on the notorious little lock-picker, and
had it not been for this close attention the
Jail would certainly have contained one less
occupant to-day. Charles fellow prisoners
say that it requires an uninterrupted guard
ing by the officers to keep the young des-
perado inside the building. All testify,
moreover. that he can undo any lock that is
known or ever used on doors with the
greatest ease and dispatch. 1t is impossible
to keep him in common cell. His hands
are so small that he can get them through
exceedingly fine-meShed doors, and thus have
tempt has been made to keep him either in
or ont of any particular cell in his present
quarters. He occasionally gives an exhibit
tion of his skill as a lock- picker before his
fellow-prisouers. His implements Of war
fare are very crude, and he probably never
saw set of real jimmy tools. He enters
houses at night apparently for the mere
of bolts and locks. His thefts never amount
to large sums,