Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23

fASrRY-TorrHFUL BURGLARS WHO PRETEND
TO WANT woRK-A Bun rRIEF's VACATION
LACK OF FENCES
Nun thieves are like crows" said De-
Elective Horne, while conversing with
&NySrAR reporter. They feed in one SEQ
non ana roost in another. Many Of
them follow the seasons like tramps. In
the summer time they are never found in the
south ana In the winter they are never found
In any other section. The principal summer
work is done in vacant houses. where they are
less likely to be captured in the act OF commit
ting robbery
these bum thieves, as they are called. have
various means Of ascertaining whether q house
is vacant or not" he continued. but in most
cases they obtain thesr Information by ringing
,he 'front.' door bell. They seldom work single
handed, out mostly travel in pairs When one
man is learning whether the house is vacant or
not the chances are ten to one that his pal is
not lar OH and at the proper time he will ap-
pear to assist in carrying of the plumber.
PERSONS who so away for the summer should
De Careful TO leave their property protected az
well As possible and should notify the officers
some people leave small dog IN their house
and have one OF their neighbors feed il every
day, while Others leave gas jet lighted all the
time VI course the thieves are not ALWAYS
frightened and both schemes mentioned often
fail
WHAT THEY STEAL
AS rule such thieves never go for any,
thing except money, jewelry or something that
they can easily dispose OF without any trouble
or fear OF its being identified and their being
held responsible. They therefore seldom take
clothing or bulky articles which cannot be
easily concealed and carried off There are
some OF these fellows who so into houses for
nothing In the world except a square meal
and even those who are looking tor vaiuables
often stop and spread an early morning break
last or a late supper. Some are content when
their stomachs are filled. but others leave
other unpleasant traces Of their visit
Sometimes they call in the evening about
theater time when the occupants are out. The
door bell is sounded several times and a failure
to respond TO the bell is good enough evidence
that the coast Is clear. Tho pal. who has been
IN sight OF the house all the time. comes to as
sst his companion and entrance to the house
Is effected III some way. Generally the base
ment door is forced open and then the house
Is secured from the basement to the top story.
By SMALL BOYS.
There is some vacant house stealing done
by small boys, but they generally tear out bath
tub lining, lead pipe and gas fixtures. which
they can dispose of at Junk shops or 10 rag
men. The damage to property by this class OF
thieves often amounts to a great deal. while
the amount received for the plumber is but
few cents
Then there is another game that these
youthful burglars play. and in some instances
1t has proved very successful Two bows will
travel together, ostensibly for the purpose Of
mending chairs; one will carry basket, while
the other will do the talking or stealing. as the
case demands The servant or whoever re-
spends TO the call of the door bell is asked if
they have any chairs to be caned. and often
the door is left open while the mistress of the
house is looked for to answer the boys re-
quest for work. While waiting for answer
the one who did the talking steals what he can
ana gives IL to his companion, who puts il in
his basket and walks away with it. The theft
Is probably not discovered for day or two. and
even then poor little boy would not be sus-
pecteI In that way boys have stolen many
dollars worth Of goods
The thieves who work vacant houses. or
the bum thieves, they are termed, are
among the most successful crooks not in the
amount Of property they steal and carry of,
but IN the matter OF punishment In the first
place they can enter a vacant house without
much fear Of detection. IL they take ANYTHING
like wearing apparel that can be identified thew
conceal II In place where II Is hot apt TO be
found. When they make a haul they lay back
on their oars and enjoy themselves. 1t takes
but little to give them enjoyment for a long
time, for as soon as they commit a successful
robbery they go to some low dive, where they
drink cheap whisky and eat common food. In
that way their money lasts long and they are
among class OF people who will shield them
from arrest as much as possible. When these
thieves reach city the first thing they do is to
learn the location of the low dives where
they expect 10 make their headquarters.
At every prize fight these thieves are
sure to assemble. as they would rather
see fight than make haul.
While they generally do small stealings they
sometimes take desperate chances, but they
always go about their work in a business-llke
manner. For instance. there was a case here
some years ago in which two thieves took part.
One of them wore blue blouse and appeared
like AZ old soldier. With basket on his arm
he, with his pal, visited the markets and
pushed through the crowds for pocketbooks
The one who wore the soldiers clothes had his
side pocket cut out of his blouse SO that his
hand could go all the way through and take
the pocketbook from the pocket Of q passer
by without being discovered.
LACK OF FENCES"
There is not SO much stealing going on
now" said the detective, because of the lack
of places where the plumber can be disposed of,
and for that reason the thieves confne them
selves to stealing money and jewelry princi-
pally. There are no fences here now worth
speaking Of except that once in a while in
tracing stolen property ii will appear that
there is a colored person living in some alley
who has been purchasing stolen goods But
even in those cases the goods are often pur-
chased just because they are cheap and the per-
son who buys them can spare the money for |
awhile. Some few months ago the officers dis |
covered o fence kept by a colored woman. She |
had small store In an alley and the place
looked as though there was not twenty five dol |
lars worth of stock In it, but her customers
knew better for she was able TO sell them not |
only candy and cakes and a few groceries but |
also clothing of the best make.
The clothing, of course, was the result Of
theft. She had a clerk in a grocery store under |
her thumb and he had TO supply what her de- |
mands called for. If customer came in and |
wanted an overcoat and she did not happen to
have one that suited him he was told to return |
in day two and she would have Just what
he wanted, and sure enough she would have it,
The young mans first theft put him completely
under her control. and every time she wanted
anything all she had 10 do was to say the word
and the garment of the clerks employer was
forthcoming. She got some thing like half the
vaiue of the clothes Sold and, of course, she
kept the lions share. The fewer the fences
the less the stealing"
Anxious Mothers in Vacation Time.
To anxious mothers the vacation is q time OF
torment, says the Christian Register. 1t seems
as though the exercise of a little self-restraint
and common prudence might turn the summer
into pleasure for the whole family. The boys
like to row and sail, and they are allowed to go
and the mothers sit in the hotel or boarding
house in agony. 1t does not make any differ
ence how many times the lads come home in
the same terror at homo and the half-conscioas
reproach on the boat.
The boys do not like to make their parents |
anxious but thew do like the manly pleasure |