Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-26
A TUTOR OF THIEVES.
An Old Rascal Who Played the Part
OF Fagin.


of Fasin.
TEACHING YOUNG BOYS TO ROB HOUSES AND Or
CANNING THIEvISo ExPEpIrIoNs-A SCHOOL
OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN WHICH TIE PRO-
FEssoR TOOK PART.
- PEAKING Of criminals" said Detective
~ Carter, in response to a suggestion
~ made by STAR reporter, there is one
NHof the light-fngered gentry who has
NeSS figured in more than one criminal case
In this city. He has spent almost a lifetime in
the business of teaching boys from eleven to
fifteen years old how TO operate as burglars
His mode of operations is nothing new, al
though he is generally pretty successful in
making good haus. Most OF his criminal ope-
rations are conducted during the winter months
when thieves generally either find it better to
work or are compelled to do it as a matter of
necessity. This man is now nearing fifty years
Old, but he looks much older.
BOYS FOR ENTERING rRAysoMs
His racket is TO teach the boys at first to
roo the railways and parlors. They seldom
venture farther into a dwelling house. For
TINS work small boys arc needed because the
ransom Is Used iii the front door is found
locked, and If the boy is too largo he can't
manage TO squeeze through the transom.
"1he old criminal seldom goes nearer to the
house than across tho street. for il ANYBODY
gets caught 1t must be one OF the BOYS, for it
won't go so hard with him. OF course the
trainer selects the house to be robbed and ex-
plains 10 the boys how to operate and occa-
sionally II 1t Is absolutely Necessary he will go
as far as the door to lend helping hand. The
boys are also told what TO do if they should
get caught and above all things they are in
stIueted not to converse with the officer or
tell him how he came to fall from grace, or
VINO his companions are. He always remains
at safe distance, SO that should a copper ar
rive he can walk away and escape detection
WHEN HE FIRST APPEARED.
"The first appearance of this criminal in the
courts" continued the detective, twas about
the year 1870 when he appeared before Judge
Din on eight charges Of burglary. The old
Jail In the City Hall lot then used as the
place OF confinement Of prisoners, and he oc-
cupied cell in that prison. He was ar
ralgned, tried and convicted. Then he was
sent back to jail to await the imposition Of
| sentence.
SCENE IN COURT.
Zone morning his case was called for sem
tence, and in charge Of a Jail guard he was
walked across the square and required to face
the judge. The usual questions were asked the
prisoner and he was commanded to stand up
and receive the sentence of the court.
Judge DIN delivered to the convicted burglar
| severe lecture as to the enormity of his crime
ana gave him the usual good advice as to what
| life he had better lead In the future Then in
due form Of law the judge passed sentence,
whlch was eleven years at hard labor in the
penltentiary. The prisoner gave a laugh al
most as long as the sentence imposed and then
| sald, You old -, 1 can stand on my head
that long, At the same time he made a mo-
ton as though to draw a weapon Of some sort
to lnhlct bodily injury upon the court, but no
one imagined for a moment that he had q
weapon about him. In that, however, they
we're mistaken, for when searched "a large part
OF brick was found concealed about him and
IT was evident that he intended striking the
judge with it. Where he got the brick from
could not be ascertained, but it was thought he
picked it up while walking across the lot.
RETURNING TO HIS OLD WAYS
"His long sentence did not have the effect OF
reforming him and he returned probably q
more hardened criminal than when he was
sent away. Instead of leading a different life
he fell back in the old track and begun opera
tions anew. How many places ne has really
robbed will probably never be known. The
next burglary in which he figured was done
with the assistance of boys and he escaped the
penitentiary in a remarkable manner. This
was, so far as known, his beginning in the line
OF training boys He selected as the place to
rob file factory in the first ward. He got
together his little mob Of boys and succeeded
in having them carry out the plans which he
laid for them. About $40 worth OF the files
were stolen and arrested him soon afterward.
HE took the stolen files to a saloon and in
the rear room there was hole in the wall In
this hole he placed the files and covered them
with an ordinary piece of wall paper. During
the day he went out and sold the lilies and was
SO engaged when l arrested him. The case
was brought to trial and his connection with
the burglary was not disputed, but as he had
| remained SO far away from the scene of the
robbery he got off and was again set at liberty.
AGAIN IN THE TOLLS.
'It was only question Of time before he
| would again get caught" continued the detect.
ive.. "Sure enough he again fell into our
| hands. No one ever knew him to do the work
himself, because he always found boys to do il
for him. There was one thing about him that
was always sure to give him away. Just prior
| 10 his engagement with his young pupils he in
variably came around police headquarters and
would spend hours either about the corner OF
| on one OF the settees in the park opposite to
| throw off suspicion, but it had the opposite
| effect, for when he appeared the officers
| watched him more closely than at other times.
RoBBINa A SHOW CASE.
SWELL, he came around and by and by there
| was another robbery, the circumstances Of
which indicated that the burglar and his boys
had again been at work. Investigation of the
l care pTofeu tHty ndu OUT IL was another
| set Of boys. 1t was the robbery of show case.
The case was in front of a store and it was car
ried by his boys to an alley, where pistols
knives and other articles were taken from il
| The case was there abandoned and the plumber
was carried 20 the Smithsonian ground where
the old bird got his share of it. His next ap-
| pearsnce with the boys was at a hardware store
| in South Washington. There the plans were
again made by the tutor and carried into effect
] by those under his instructions The door was
! fastened with heavy paddock and the young
burglars were not strong enough to break the
hasp from over the staple and their teacher
found IT necessary to run across the street from
where he was stationed to assist them. The
hasp being once broken he returned to his po-
| sition to watch for the appearance of any one
who might disturb their work. The boys ave
| in number, entered and while in there two DO
| licemen stopped in front of the door. They
| did not remain long, however, and soon moved
| away. SO that the work of securing what plumber
they could was not long delayed Acting under
| instructions the boys gathered together all the
case goods, such as penknives, raZors and pis-
tolls. They went across the street and put up
the plumber in five bundles, each one taking
bundle to carry away. In all there was nearly
| $500 worth ofgoods taken.
HOW THEY WERE CAPTURED.
"The half dozen daring burglars separated,
| and later in the night they met at q colorsd
| cook shop not far from the Capitol. Lodgings
| were secured for the party and the next MORN
ing some Of them started out to dispose of the
| plumber.
"By the merest accident my partner. the late
nv ny,Au Ax.H| k%